Hot Categories: Finding the Right Goods at the Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show By Jess Schmidt

{Sponsored} As the trade show season gets back into swing, buyers can look forward to seeing a greater selection from popular categories and favorite vendors in-person after a year of cancelled or postponed events. 

According to the Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show, buyer feedback is that there will be a demand this year for emerging product categories, and the team is prepared to meet the need. Part of this comes from new guidance issued by the National Parks Service and recommendations from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) — focus on women-owned and minority-owned companies, sustainable products, handmade goods and those made in the U.S.

Colleen Wagner, chief adventure officer at McGovern & Co., along with her entirely female staff, are thrilled to introduce buyers to their products. McGovern’s mission stems from Wagner’s love of the outdoors and desire to support women — especially those raising families or otherwise needing to work from home. Their focus on a more sustainable supply chain has allowed McGovern to key in on creating original eco-friendly products.

The McGovern product line features original, design-centric merchandise that stands up in high-end boutique gift shops. One of their most popular lines has topographical maps of national parks on clothing, drinkware, housewares and hiking gear.

The designs are curated by Wagner’s team, who strive to create unique pieces of art that are practical and memorable, such as high-end, ultra-soft tube bandanas made from 100% recycled water bottles. 

The company is working on a new elevated collection of evergreen products for gift boutiques, including new T-shirts, water bottles, ornaments and pet products that they plan to release at the 2021 Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show.

Wagner’s favorite part of exhibiting at the Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show is, by far, getting to see her customers. “I love seeing how happy they are about new products. It gives me goosebumps and makes my day! Our customers are more like family to us,” Wagner said.

One of those customers, Eric Flanigan, Vice President at Aramark, sends 15 to 20 buyers to the Las Vegas event each year. Aramark runs on-site gift shops for a number of retail locations within national parks, museums and historical sites. Each site’s buyer attends, ensuring the right products for their unique customer base are acquired.

Aramark’s buyers will be shopping for the latest trends in the new emerging product categories and more this year at the Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show. 

Among sustainable vendors, Kastlfel is one of Aramark’s major suppliers and makes apparel out of recycled water bottles, including a collection that helps support various nonprofit groups around the U.S. such as the National Aquarium Animal Rescue.

Grasshopper’s Mermaid is another company that checks several boxes: certified women-owned, green and sustainable. Their illustrated stickers are customizable and encompass many parks and regions already. 

Within the Made in America pavilion, Aramark works with Lantern Press for paper products and stickers with customized art including décor, stationery and souvenir categories, some printed on wood.

In addition, the Aramark teams will be searching for new minority-owned vendors to complement the handmade goods that they already purchase through Native American tribes. “You won’t find the depth and breadth of Native American products you can see at the Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show unless you go directly to a tribe,” Flanigan said. At the Las Vegas event’s Native American Pavilion, buyers can acquire goods from many tribes in a single trip.

Flanigan added, “The Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show is something our buyers look forward to every year. The show continues to evolve for the better. The Clarion Events team’s focus on bringing in Made in America, Diverse and Sustainable vendors is exciting for us. The Native American Pavilion was a great addition a few years ago. We are so excited to attend this year to see many of our long term vendors and hope we can partner with new vendors to help get this industry going again.”

Ultimately, buyers won’t want to miss out on the expanded opportunities to source from women-owned and minority-owned companies, as well as sustainable products, handmade goods and U.S.-made products at this year’s event, taking place September 28-30 at the brand new Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall. To learn more and register to attend, visit www.lvsouvenirshow.com/GS.

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