Florida – hub of surveying and GIS

Florida was the hub of the surveying and geospatial industry during the last week of April 2006. From 23rd through 26th of April the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping held their annual conference at the Caribe Royale Resort and Convention Center in Orlando. The Geospatial Information & Technology Association (GITA) was conferencing from 24th through 26th of April at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa.

In the convention center in Orlando some 45 exhibitors displayed their latest stuff for almost 1,000 visitors of the show. Amongst the exhibitors the visitor could spot quite a few this year from China. The Chinese companies are determined to find their spot on the American domestic market. Besides the exhibition ACSM contained a lot of workshops, technical and paper presentations and panel discussion for the attendants. Besides the usual topics of discussion, amongst others ‘GIS and surveying’ and ‘GPS in surveying’ there was also space for more practical matters like theft on the workplace, which becomes increasingly a problem for surveying companies.

At the exhibitors’ breakfast on Wednesday morning the organising committee of next year’s ACSM presented themselves. The committee announced ACSM 2007 which will take place in St. Louis, Missouri. The committee is teaming up with the state associations of Illinois and Missouri which will definitely attract a lot of attendants.

Only one hour from Orlando GIS professionals gathered in Tampa for the 29th annual conference of GITA. At GITA more than 100 exhibitors, panel discussions, seminars and paper presentations caused a buzz at Tampa Bay. A special, first ever and successful GIS Job Fair was held besides a first ever poster session. At the opening session GITA scheduled a live interoperability demonstration at the opening that was very well received. Among the educational sessions at GITA were sessions with names like ‘GIS for Emergency Response’, ‘Data – The Critical Investment’ and ‘Become a GIS Gumshoe – Uisng Research to Improve Business Processes.’