The following
is a compilation of years of attending trade
shows & meetings - not ONLY in Las Vegas
but around the world!
Making your airline reservations:
Your flying into one of the major destination
cities of the world! So there are ALWAYS
deals to be had on plane fares! However,
here a couple of tips to help you find the
best fares:
Check with your convention sponsor.
They may have made a deal with one of
the airlines for a special deal for you
already!
Check your favorite airlines web site
- more and more you can find GREAT deals
only available online.
Of course, there are plenty of brokers
online - so of course, don't forget to
check with them too!
Flying in the day before the event? Get
yourself some extra R&R time by scheduling
your arrival for the morning hours! Not only
will there be more flights available, the
airport will be less crowded, taxi lines
shorter etc...
Do you
need a visa?:
If you're a citizen of a foreign country,
in most cases you'll need a visa to enter
the United States.
A visa doesn't permit entry to the U.S., however. A visa simply indicates that
your application has been reviewed by a U.S. consular officer at an American
embassy or consulate, and that the officer has determined you're eligible to
enter the country for a specific purpose. Check with the show producer, or visit
"Destination
USA" the official US government
Visa Information Web site for specific
information.
Making Hotel reservations:
When attending a trade show or convention
- ALWAYS check with the company or organization
sponsoring the event! WHY?
The event sponsor typically books "blocks"
of rooms and they get a GREAT price.
Most times it is at - or better than
any online broker you can find. So
take advantage of this opportunity
to book in advance and get a great
rate - AND - help out the event sponsor
make their quota.
This "block" may be large enough to
make the hotel your looking to book appear
sold out!
If there are rooms available - you
may end up paying the "rack rate" for
the very same room you could have reserved
via the event sponsor - at a SUBSTANTIAL
discount!!!! BTW: "Rack Rate" is that
WAY TO HIGH, price that you'll find on
the back of the door to your room in
the hotel. NOBODY typically pays that
price, unless you really really want
that room and weren't paying attention
when you should have been.
Coming in at the last minute? Try calling
your hotel of choice directly. By "the
last minute" they have a great idea
of how much of the block is sold, their percentage
of no shows etc...and may be more than amicable
to playing "let's make a deal" for
that empty room!
Got a hotel room? GREAT! But do you know
what check IN time is? Although our hotels
will bend over backwards to accommodate an
early arriving customer - sometimes (and
some hotels) - there is just no getting around
it! So plan accordingly. If check in time
is 2 PM - take that into account when making
your airline reservations.
Are you airline reservations flexible?
Don't mind waking up at "Oh dark
thirty?"
Give the hotel a call directly the night
before, say after 10 PM and see if they
have any rooms available. Chances are
if they do - then they just might have
a room available for you if you can get
there at say 6 AM or so. No guarantees
mind you - but it has worked in the past.
OK, you've got a room, you know the check
in time...how about the check OUT time? That's
the time that the clock starts ticking on
a brand new day! Most hotels are very strict
about this - after all - they have to get
in there, totally clean the room and get
it ready for the next customer. BUT if you
really HAVE to be late check out - call the
desk and ask them for that extra hour or
two. Most hotels are very accommodating -
and will gladly do it - but you have to tell
them.
Do you know your going to be late checking
out two or three days in advance? DON'T
call the desk and ask them for a late
check out THAT far in advance - because
the answer will be NO. Why? Quite simply,
they don't know that far in advance what
is going on with the rest of the check-in
/ check-outs and it is impossible for
them to predict. So - look at this as
simply another gamble that you'll have
to take.
Before you depart from Home:
BOOK MARK WWW.LASVEGAS-TSG.COM on your
laptop! If you think we are valuable to you
sitting there at the office or at home -
just think how valuable we can be once you
get
here!
While your there book marking our site
- backup your laptop, PDA AND cell phone
TWICE!
One copy your going to bring with you
IN YOUR CARRY ON LUGGAGE - the other
copy you'll leave at home just in case
you can't fix, borrow or replace what
you brought to the show.
Check and then double check that you have
all your laptop, PDA and/or cell phone cables
and power supplies! Sure, these may be easy
to find and / or replace once you get here
- but typically, you don't know there missing
until you get to your hotel room, late at
night, and your batteries are dead, and you
have an important email to get out...
Make sure you leave all those "security
nightmares" at home! You know - those
steel toed shoes, the cigarette lighter your
dad
gave you, that 44 magnum key chain your cousin
Vinny gave you, that commemorative pen knife
from you kids, etc...once you get to airport
security - you either have to give them to
somebody who is not flying - OR - worse case
- throw them in the garbage! For a complete
list of security tips - visit the TSA web
site by clicking
here
Are you meeting somebody at the airport?
GREAT - but don't just say see you there!
Tell them
to meet you at the Information counter in the
central Baggage claim area, or in front of
the aviation museum on
the second floor right above baggage claim.
ALMOST everybody passes by one of these two
places upon their arrival!
BTW: If somebody is picking you up
at the airport - just meet them at the
Passenger
Pick-up
area just across the pedestrian bridge
in baggage claim! Easy for you - and
easy for
them!
BTWII: McCarran Airport is notorious
for late arriving flights! We typically
NOT the cause of the late arrival - but
our landings and takeoffs due suffer
the repercussions from bad weather and
delays at other airports. If you're arriving
on one of the last flights in on your
carrier - we're sorry, but you'll most
likely be late.
Things to consider
packing:
Remember that cheap rain poncho you bought
at Disney World in Orlando? THAT is perfect
for our sudden rain "showers" out
here. BTW: A rain "shower" in Las
Vegas can mean up to 1,2 even 3 - that's
THREE inches of rain
in a single hour! There are two great things
about this - (1) We really need the rain
and (2)
It typically doesn't last very long.
S.S.S. - Sunglasses, Skin Moisturizers
and Sun Screen
Sunglasses, clip ons, clip over's -
what ever you have bring them along -
you'll be
glad that you did - EVEN in our winters,
you'll find that our sun is a bit brighter
than at home.
Lip balm, chap stick what ever you
want to call it, and hand lotion. Most
of the
year our humidity is so low, that it is
not worth
talking about
- but that does mean the need for external
sources of moisture is not a luxury, but
a necessity! Yes, even you manly men out
there will find that
your skin dry's out in only a day or two.
Sun screen
is also a VERY good idea. And for those
of you
fortunate enough to have enough free time
in shorts and sandals - DO NOT FORGET to
slather it on good on the back of your
hands and the tops of your feet! Those
are the
two places most people forget about - and
- although those "sandal strap" burn
marks are funny to look at - they can be
quite
painful.
Are you going to spend some time
outdoors during the day light hours? Playing
golf?
Walking the strip? Bring a hat! Men your
going to want to cover that small bald spot
on the back of your head - so a baseball
cap at a minimum, and ladies...well...you
know the drill. There
are only a few things
more painful than a sunburn on your head
- and it doesn't take long! A burn that would
take hours "back home" can take
minutes out here in the summer!
For you fair skin lads and ladies out
there - an umbrella is also not a bad
idea - not ONLY for the rain - but as
an added sun block as you're strolling
down the strip!
Bring along those REALLY comfortable sneakers.
You won't win any fashion awards, but, it
is not uncommon to see men in suites, ties
and sneakers after 5 at a trade show - sometimes
even during the show! If you're walking all
day long in dress shoes - no matter how comfortable
- you need to let your feet breath a bit
- and there's nothing like a good pair of
sneakers to do the trick.
Speaking of your feet - remember -
if your attending a trade show or convention
- that means plenty of time on your feet
- so take care of them! This is no time
to break in those new shoes! You might
even want to consider bringing extra
pairs of socks as a mid day refresher
for your feet!
If you do end up with a blister - take
care of it right away. Ignoring it won't
make it get any better, and will certainly
only make the rest of the show a painful
experience!
Bringing your pet?
Make sure that you check with your hotel
to make sure that YOUR pet will be allowed.
Some hotels will allow lap dogs and other
small breads of dogs - but don't assume that
your Great Dane will be accepted without
asking first.
You've checked with your hotel and they'll
accept Fido - GREAT! Now - make sure you
take the same precautions with Fido as you
would with yourself! i.e. PLENTY of Water,
shade, etc... VERY IMPORTANT - if it is summer
- DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES WALK YOUR
DOG ON THE SIDEWALKS OR STREETS DURING THE
DAYLIGHT HOURS!!! YOUR feet are protected
from the hot surfaces - their pads are not
- even a short walk to the grass across
the street can be extremely painful to your
animal!
Pay the vet a visit before leaving. Make
sure that your pet is up to date on all necessary
vaccines - and that you have a paper copy
of their current status.
Upon Your
Arrival In Las Vegas:
When you get off the plane - take a look around
the concourse as your making your way to baggage
claim. What are you looking for? Well..
Chances are you'll be leaving our city
from the same concourse and you'll want
to have a feeling for what's available
to you on your way out! Is you favorite
coffee shop there, book store, souvenir
shop or bar? If you know what's waiting
for you on this side of security
- your much less likely to buy stuff
you only
have to take through the security check
point when you leave! Why juggle that
cup of coffee, and that newspaper and
your carry on - when you could have breezed
through security and bought that cup
of joe on the flip side?
You'll also have a great idea of the
time it will take to get from check in
to the
gate upon your departure. It's great to
know that you can simply "build
in" a
little extra
time to take the tram, or that there is
a people mover waiting for you when your
feet
are killing you from walking the show
Treat your luggage like it was made of
gold! Not ONLY so it doesn't get stolen -
but also because of the increased security
at the airports! Luggage left unattended
will not only trigger a security alert, but,
you may find yourself - AND - your luggage
at the center of a search by a not so friendly
bomb sniffing dog - and even worse, you could
be responsible for shutting down the entire
wing of the airport!
Upon your arrival at your hotel:
Do you have a rental car or your own car?
Where are you going to park? The VAST majority
of our hotels on and off the strip give you
two options - Valet and self parking. There
are up and downsides to both!
Valet Parking is not only extremely
convenient - it is also the shortest
distance between you and your room! The
down side? Well, if it's a really big
show - the wait time for getting your
car can be troublesome! TIP: Call the
valet from your room and ask them to
bring the car around. DO NOT go to breakfast
in between leaving your room and picking
up your car - you'll not only be causing
a traffic jam - but stressing out the
folks your intrusting your car with!
Self Parking - The ONLY downside to
self parking is the distance it can be
between your car and your room. Some
of our parking structures are HUGE,
and after a day of standing on your feet
at the show, the walk can be painful.
TIP: Write down the floor and section
where you parked your car - with multiple
entry and exit points, and every floor
looking the same - it is VERY easy to
forget where you put the car - especially
if its a rental!
Find the gift shop, or better yet, your
closest market and stock up on bottled water.
You're not only going to need it to keep
your body "regular" during a stressful
trade show, but, you'll find that with our
low
humidity, your thirst will only be quenched
by a good long drink of water.
Buy the water by the gallon - and one
"carry" size. It's cheaper that way.
Driving into Vegas:
Remember that if you leave Southern California
in the morning - that the sun is going to
be in your eyes for at least part of the
way.
The highways between Southern California
and Las Vegas seem to be in a constant state
of construction - and thank god for little
favors! BUT - it can be a pain - so before
you leave check out the following web sites
for up to the minute road construction and
weather information.:
The Nevada
DOT Web site for road conditions
in Nevada at: http://www.nevadadot.com/travel/roads/
The California
DOT Web site for road
conditions in California at: http://www.dot.ca.gov
- you'll find a route search towards
the bottom of the page - just input "15"
and you'll be taken to the proper page.
This is especially important in the winter
months as the "Calhoun Pass" closures
will be posted there.
Check the condition of your tires (inflation,
abrasions etc...) - and your radiator! In
your travels along interstate 15 you'll see
thousands of pieces of tires
along the way! There is no telling how many
accidents were caused because people just
didn't think to check their tires before
driving through Death Valley in the middle
of the summer! Think about it for a minute
- it can reach temperatures of 120 degrees,
the road surface can be 20 to 30 degrees
hotter than that - you're moving along at
65 miles an hour for 2 or 3 hours - if you
have a bad tire to begin with - it and maybe
you are going to add to the clutter along
side our roads! So err on the side of safety
- and check them tires before you leave.
Unless you have XM or Sirius satellite
radio - your going to reach a point in your
journey
were you can only get a few radio stations.
FM98 and FM99 are not only really local stations
(Barstow / Baker) - they keep you up
to date on road conditions, traffic jams
etc...
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Once you pass the
route 15 / 40 junction in Barstow - there
is only one direct way to get into Vegas.
If you're listening to FM98 or FM99 and they
inform you of a a route 15 road closure between
you and Las Vegas - find the nearest civilization,
pull over and wait it out! It may take an
hour or two - but - it's much better to be
waiting inside a restaurant than traversing
the two lane roads through the desert! Of
course if you enjoy that kind of thing -
just follow the detour - Death Valley is
a sight to behold, and admit it - you never
would have planned it - so go for it.
Between Barstow California and Primm (Stateline)
Nevada there are two rest areas with facilities.
Sorry - no RV sanitation stations.
30 miles east of Barstow (GPS Data:
Lon: 116.47072 Lat: 35.0322
26 miles west of Primm (Stateline)
Nevada (GPS Data: Lon: 115.70648 Lat:
35.43275)
Driving a convertible? Is it summer? Is
the sun out? PUT THE TOP UP! No amount of
sun screen is going to protect you from the
sun and wind! The really bad part is that
you really won't know that you're severely
burnt until you pull over for lunch! Best
top down times in the summer are VERY early
in the morning, or late evening - any other
time your almost guaranteed to get burnt!
