CES in Las Vegas: a practical guide for first-time visitors

What CES is and who it suits

CES is an annual consumer technology show held in Las Vegas in early January. It is organised by the Consumer Technology Association. Large brands, start-ups, component makers, retailers, investors and press all attend, so the days are a mix of product demos, scheduled meetings, conference sessions and informal networking. It is a business event rather than a public fair, and the organiser sets the rules on who can register.

For a Thai visitor the reasons to go are usually concrete: meeting a supplier face to face, scouting products for import or distribution, pitching to investors, or following an industry trend for your own company. Decide which of these is your main goal before you plan, because it determines which halls, days and meetings matter.

Registration, badge and schedule

Register through the organiser's own channel rather than a reseller, and read what your badge category allows. Some categories open only certain areas or sessions. Badge collection usually happens at a registration desk, often with a queue on the first morning, so ask the organiser's instructions whether you can pick up earlier and what ID they require. Bring your passport, because name matching can matter.

Build your schedule in layers. Fix the meetings that are already confirmed, then add two or three must-see exhibitors, then leave blank blocks for the unexpected conversations that often turn out most useful. A day with six back-to-back appointments in different venues is rarely realistic.

Where to stay and how to get around

Las Vegas is long and spread out, and the show uses several separate venues. A hotel that looks close on a map can be a long walk or a traffic crawl on show days. Look for the organiser's shuttle information, check whether a monorail station is near your hotel, and compare that against price. Taxis and ride-hailing exist but demand and traffic peak around opening and closing times.

Walking, packing and energy

Expect many hours on your feet on hard floors, plus long corridors between halls and outdoor walks between venues. The most useful packing item is a pair of comfortable, already broken-in shoes. January in Las Vegas is often cool, particularly at night, while halls and hotels are heated, so layers you can remove are better than one heavy coat.

• A light bag that holds a power bank, charging cable, water bottle and business cards
• A US-type plug adapter if your chargers have Thai-style plugs
• Printed or saved copies of confirmations, since screens can run out of battery
• A plan for meals, because queues at food outlets can eat into meeting time

Money, cards and tipping

The United States is card-heavy, and a Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card works in most places. Tell your bank you are travelling, check the foreign transaction fee and the card's exchange-rate method, and keep a second card in a different place in case one is blocked or lost. Some hotels place a temporary hold on your card at check-in, which reduces your available limit for a while.

Tipping is a normal part of paying for many services in the US, but the expected amounts vary by service and change over time. Ask the hotel or venue what is customary rather than relying on a number from a blog. See our card guide for the United States for how card payments behave there.

Why connectivity needs a plan at a big show

Tens of thousands of people carrying phones and laptops in the same halls can make mobile and venue Wi-Fi slow at peak moments. Do not make your day depend on a live connection. Download your badge QR code, hotel confirmation, meeting addresses, offline map area and key contacts the night before. Our guide on crowded events and network congestion explains the pattern in more detail.

Hotel and venue Wi-Fi often requires a sign-in and may have limits, and shared networks carry more risk for logins and company files. For business use, a separate mobile connection for your own phone and a laptop hotspot is a practical backup. Keep your Thai SIM active for SMS and bank one-time passwords, and use a data plan for everything else.

Staying connected: roaming or eSIM

There are three common options: international roaming from your Thai operator, a physical local SIM, or a travel eSIM that you install before you fly. A travel eSIM has a few checkable advantages for a trade-show trip: you can install it at home on Wi-Fi, it activates when you reach a supported network, and your Thai SIM stays in the phone for calls and OTP. Coverage and speed depend on the plan and local networks, so read the plan details and confirm your phone supports eSIM first.

If you will share data with a laptop, check whether the plan allows hotspot use. Our business trip connectivity guide and the laptop and travel router guide cover this.

A sample show day

1. 1Na vésperaCharge devices, download your badge, maps and meeting list, and check shuttle or monorail times.
2. 2ManhãArrive before the opening rush, collect or scan your badge, and visit the one or two exhibitors that matter most.
3. 3MiddayEat early or late to avoid queues, and use the break to write notes while conversations are fresh.
4. 4AfternoonTake scheduled meetings, allowing travel time between venues, and photograph business cards or scan contacts as you go.
5. 5À noiteSend follow-up messages the same day, back up photos and notes, and recharge before the next day.

Common mistakes and safety

• Booking back-to-back meetings in different venues without travel time
• Relying on live data for badge QR codes and tickets
• Leaving devices and bags unattended on a booth table or in a taxi
• Connecting to unknown Wi-Fi for banking or company logins

See eSIM options for the United States