A personalized guide to GlobalShop 2004

Viva Las Vegas! Welcome to the 12th annual GlobalShop 2004, the world's largest annual store design and in-store marketing show, at the beautiful Venetian/Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas on March 22-24. GlobalShop expects to host more than 18,000 retail design professionals from around the world and will offer both an extensive exhibit hall and in-depth conference sessions that will inspire attendees throughout the year.

More than 800 manufacturers of store fixturing, visual merchandising, store design, point-of-purchase and in-store technology products will offer an ideal opportunity to see the latest and greatest in retail store design. GlobalShop 2004 has five pavilions, including the Store Fixturing Show, POP Marketplace, Visual Merchandising Show, Store Design & Operations and the Digital Store.

Attendees should also take full advantage of the wealth of information to be gained by attending several of the stellar conferences lined up for this year. DDI's pre-show conference, DesigNOW, at The Venetian Hotel/Casino conference rooms A and B on March 21, will offer attendees a delving look into the state of the retail industry as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the past year's head-turning store designs. The program will also include DDI's Markopoulos Award Luncheon, which will honor this year's winner of the industry's most coveted award for visual merchandising and store design. The at-show conference sessions, with a lineup of speakers, will explore hot topics such as consumer shopping behavior, retail trends and industry forecasts.

Make sure you take advantage of the new Las Vegas monorail system completed this year, which will enable attendees to traverse through the city with ease. Another not-to-be-missed event is the National Association of Store Fixture Manufacturers (NASFM) Retail Design Awards, which will take place on March 22 in the city's famed Fashion Show shopping center. While at Fashion Show, take a moment to enjoy the recently expanded mall which boasts 2 million sq. ft. of retail space.

DDI offers the following in-depth show preview to help guide you through the show floor and enjoy all the sights and sounds that Las Vegas has to offer. We take pleasure in serving as your tour guide through this exciting city by pointing out the hottest new attractions, restaurants and retail venues in Las Vegas.

This year's GlobalShop promises to be the best one yet. Enjoy the show!