More than 15,000 eye care professionals have registered for this year’s Vision Expo East which opens its doors in New York’s Jabob K. Javits Center next week (March 18-21). And, with over 200 launches, special discounts, parties, free gifts and celebrity guests confirmed by exhibitors, Reed Exhibitors are confident that this figure will rise further.

Organisers have introduced a range of new initiatives for the 2010 event. From the latest spring/summer frame collections and a packed lecture programme to after-show parties, discounts around the city and a free shuttle bus service from Newark Liberty Airport  – all are available to attendees.

For the first-time delegates are able to plan their entire visit in advance with the help of a new ‘Map your Show’ on Vision Expo East’s website.

The planner allows attendees to search for products, create a schedule which can be shared with co-workers and contact  exhibitors to book appointments, all before they arrive.

Delegates who wish to socialise after the exhibition closes are invited to attend Saturday’s ‘Shamrock Fest’ to enjoy free beer and wine, whilst live Irish music plays.

Tom Loughran, vice president for Reed Exhibitions, said: “We are constantly looking for ways to enhance the attendee experience at the show and this year we’ve implemented a variety of new initiatives to do just that – from our concerted effort to collect and promote ‘What’s New’ in each exhibitors’ stand and a ‘Map your Show’ locator system to creating specific ‘Areas of Interest’ on our website and expanding the travel and entertainment discounts and offers.”

Big name exhibitors include Dior, Versace and Victoria Beckham. British children’s eyewear company Zoobug (Stand:3913) will exhibit at Vision Expo East for the first time this year, fresh from cracking the American market after signing a distribution agreement with AccessUrEyez.

Alongside its already popular optical and sunglasses lines for children, Zoobug will exhibit a new sunglasses collection which has been specifically tailored for the US market. Consisting of six styles – 23 pieces in a range in colours – the collection will include the Silmo D’Or winning Daisy, Vintage and Heritage, with three new styles called Ted, Buzz and Zoom. Zoobug founder, Dr Julie Diem Le commented: “We look forward to launching our ranges for children at Vision Expo East, which I believe offer something very different and exciting for the US market.”

Regulars on the optical fair circuit Marchon (Stands: 2436/2556/2626/2456) and Luxottica (Stands: 3036/3024) will preview a number of new collections during the show. Whilst Marchon will display the new ‘racy and sporty’ Sean John 2010 eyewear range and new additions to its spring 2010 Nike Eyewear collection, delegates visiting the Luxottica stand will have the opportunity to see the latest Tony Burch and Stella McCartney collections.

As attendees make their way around the exhibition they may recognise a few famous faces. Former American football player Ron Jaworski and the designer of Michel Henau, Marc Delagrange are confirmed to attend on the A&A Optical stand (3656) and Michel Henau stand (Mezz 6) respectively, but with Hollywood star Mickey Rourke and socialite Paris Hilton making appearances at last year’s show this list is expected to expand.

Some of the free gifts up-for-grabs throughout the three-day event include a free Nintendo Wii or iPod Touch with purchases of 49 frames from Sightique Optical Supplies (Stand: 2072); a holiday for two to St Maarten or Disney World each day with Match Eyewear (Stand: 3744); and flat screen TVs, iPods and digital cameras on the Windsor Eyes stand (2400).

International delegates arriving in ‘the city that never sleeps’ before the show opens can sneak a peek at some of the new frames at a showcase event in the iconic Grand Central Station on Wednesday (March 17). Taking place all day, the show aims to highlight the latest eyewear trends and show consumers how frames can be used to express themselves.

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