Toy Fair 2014: Buyer and Guest Registration Booming

BRANDORA Editorial Staff - November 2013

 
Global buyers and play professionals eager to see the hottest new toys, games and youth entertainment products for 2014 have already begun to register for the Toy Industry Association’s (TIA) 111th American International Toy Fair, taking place in just three months (Feb. 16-19) at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

“We are pleased to announce a strong start for Toy Fair week in New York! Registration has been open for just a few weeks, and we already have more than 4,817 guests signed on to attend, including buyers from big name retailers like Apple, Amazon, Walmart Stores, Harrods, Hobby Lobby Stores, and Toys“R”Us,” said Marian Bossard, vice president of meetings and events at TIA. “As the largest toy tradeshow in the Western hemisphere, Toy Fair continues to grow with each passing year, welcoming more attendees and offering more innovative products, educational sessions, and networking opportunities than ever before. We can’t wait to unveil what’s in store over the next few months!”

Toy Fair 2013 welcomed a 4% increase in international attendees, a 9% rise in licensors, a 6% increase in international manufacturer’s reps, and an 18% surge in foreign press visiting from 20 countries. More than 1,000 exhibiting manufacturers, distributors, importers and sales agents filled a record-breaking 375,000 net square feet of exhibit space, showcasing 150,000 cutting edge toys and games.

This year’s show will once again attract tens of thousands of industry professionals from more than 100 countries to New York City, where they will tap into the United States’ $22 billion toy market, source fresh business opportunities, and participate in one of the most important and lucrative toy shows in the world. A recently announced e-commerce platform called ShopToyFair365, accessible online and via mobile app, will facilitate the year-round shopping experience and complement face-to-face interactions at the show by providing registered exhibitors and buyers with an innovative online marketplace and social network.

The 2014 show will offer an exciting array of new educational programming, including an expanded learning track for toy inventors and designers in celebration of the 10th anniversary of Creative Factor – Toy Fair’s complimentary series for the creative community. This year’s show will also see an expansion of TIA’s Licensing Content Connection, including the launch of a “Licensing 101” session presented by Advanstar, organizers of the Las Vegas-based Licensing Expo. TIA’s Toy Safety Compliance Update will once again take place, bringing attendees up to speed on toy safety standards, laws and compliance requirements in the U.S. and abroad. Details about additional educational sessions, including the 8th Annual Digital Kids® Conference taking place on-site at Toy Fair, will be announced in the coming weeks.

Toy Fair will take place February 16-19, 2014. Visit www.ToyFairNY.com for more information or to register as an attendee.