Source: LODGING
March 13, 2020
In light of escalating coronavirus concerns and recommendations from public health officials, several industry conferences have announced cancellations or rescheduled dates, including March’s Hunter Hotel Investment Conference and April’s AAHOA Convention & Trade Show. In Europe, HITEC Europe has been postponed, ITB Berlin was canceled, and the International Hospitality Investment Forum (IHIF) was rescheduled.
Hunter Hotel Investment Conference
Originally scheduled for March 18-20, 2020, organizers of the Hunter Hotel Investment Conference decided to postpone/reschedule on Thursday.
AAHOA 2020 Convention & Trade Show
On Monday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in response to COVID-19, calling on the state’s cities and counties to postpone or cancel mass gatherings. In response, the 2020 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show, which was slated to take place from April 13-16, has been rescheduled to August 9-12, 2020, according to an announcement from AAHOA on Thursday. The conference will still take place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.
“The travel and tourism industry is facing uncertain times as the public’s perception of the risks posed by COVID-19 become the reality for America’s hoteliers,” said Cecil P. Staton, AAHOA president and CEO, in a message regarding the conference. “AAHOA Members are reporting that occupancy, RevPAR, and ADR are in distress. Hoteliers and our partners need this time to tend to their businesses as the travel and tourism industry adjusts to this new reality.”
New York Boutique Hotel Investment Conference
The New York Boutique Hotel Investment Conference is also among the conferences rescheduled as a result of coronavirus. On Thursday, the Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA) announced its decision to reschedule its annual New York Boutique Hotel Investment Conference from June 3 to November 10, 2020.
Architectural Digest Design Show
On March 6, the Architectural Digest Design Show released a statement reporting that the March 19–22 show has been postponed to June 25–28, 2020 at Pier 94 in New York.
Digital Signage Expo
The Digital Signage Expo, slated to take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center from March 31 to April 3, has been postponed until late summer/early fall due to coronavirus. A note sent on Thursday from Exponation CEO Angelo Varrone said, “This was not an easy decision to make, but the escalation of travel bans and coronavirus cases dictates this action. We are working with the Las Vegas Convention Center to secure new dates for DSE 2020 and will be making that announcement in the near future.”
