Pointr, the global leader in AI mapping and blue-dot navigation, successfully powered live blue-dot navigation at NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show, hosted at the Javits Center in New York City, resulting in strong attendee engagement and actionable insights throughout the event.
At one of the world’s largest and most complex convention venues, NRF attendees relied on precise, real-time indoor navigation to effortlessly find exhibitor booths, keynote stages, meeting rooms, and amenities. By reducing navigation friction, the experience enabled visitors to move more efficiently through the show and make better use of their time on site, driving measurable engagement across the event.
Over the course of NRF 2026, Pointr’s navigation experience supported more than 28,000 total navigation sessions. Attendees spent an average of 7 minutes per session engaging with the maps, indicating sustained, in-the-moment usage rather than quick lookups. User feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 91% positive ratings, reinforcing the value of blue-dot navigation in large-scale event environments.
“NRF is committed to integrating innovative solutions that elevate the attendee journey. Pointr’s bluedot navigation empowered attendees to explore the Javits Center confidently and effortlessly, helping them discover everything Retail’s Big Show has to offer.” said Adam Reiter, Senior Director of Event Experiences at National Retail Federation (NRF).
The deployment at Javits builds on Pointr’s broader Connected Venue Program, designed to transform large, high-traffic venues into fully digital, navigable environments that enhance visitor experience while unlocking new data and monetization opportunities for venue operators.
Spanning more than 3.3 million square feet, the Javits Center is one of the busiest convention centers in the United States, making it an ideal showcase for AI maps & indoor navigation at scale.
The NRF deployment builds on the success of Pointr’s navigation at last year’s show, and follows a major milestone at CES this week, where Pointr supported over 700,000 navigation sessions across the event period, achieving over 90% positive user ratings.
“NRF brings together 41,000 attendees, and navigation friction is one of the biggest challenges at scale,” said Scott Berkley, Events Lead at Pointr. “With blue-dot navigation live at Javits, we’re demonstrating how AI maps remove that friction, making large venues feel intuitive, human, and easy to explore.”
Navigation Everywhere: Mobile, NFC, and Kiosks
At NRF 2026, Pointr’s maps were accessible across multiple touchpoints to meet attendees wherever they were:
- Mobile navigation, integrated directly into the official Grip event app
- NFC-enabled access, allowing attendees to tap their badge or NFC card to instantly open the map through Express technology
- Digital kiosks, where users can search for a destination on the kiosk and then scan a QR code to “take the map” with them, continuing their turn-by-turn route seamlessly on their phone
This multi-channel approach supported both planned journeys and spontaneous, on-site discovery, contributing to sustained engagement throughout the show floor.
Enterprise-Grade Accuracy at Scale
The blue-dot experience at Javits was powered by existing wireless access points, delivering the accuracy and reliability required for a venue of this size and complexity, without the need for any new infrastructure investment. Leveraging the Wi-Fi network already in place at the convention center, the deployment also enabled rich spatial analytics, helping organizers understand how attendees move, what they search for, and where engagement is highest.
The experience enabled:
- Turn-by-turn blue-dot navigation across multiple floors
- Searchable points of interest, including exhibitors, stages, amenities, and services
- No-download access, via link, QR code, kiosk handoff, as well as in-app engagement
- Analytics and insights into attendee movement, searches, and engagement patterns
“Wayfinding is no longer just about maps. It’s about experience, data, and engagement,” added Berkley. “NRF was the perfect stage to showcase what a truly connected event looks like.”
About Pointr
Pointr is a global provider of indoor mapping and location technology, delivering highly accurate blue-dot positioning across complex, multi-floor indoor and outdoor campuses. Its AI mapping engine enables rapid map generation and large-scale deployments, while flexible SDK and API integrations connect seamlessly with existing building systems and event platforms.
Pointr’s technology is deployed across over 7 billion square feet worldwide, supporting airports, hospitals, workplaces, and the world’s largest events, including CES, NRF, Dreamforce at the Moscone Center, ADIPEC, Workday Rising, and more. Consistently high user satisfaction validates blue-dot navigation as critical infrastructure for mega-events, with smooth integration into leading event apps, including Eventbase, to deliver hyperlocal, personalized mapping experiences.
Learn more at pointr.tech.
Sponsored Content
