Everyone,
We have been receiving a number of phone calls and emails looking for information about the show amid the current climate created by COVID. The news cycle is rapid and inescapable. One thing is for sure, we are living in unprecedented times, and I think I speak for most of us that we are fed up with it.
So, let me say this definitively. We will be hosting the Pool and Spa Show in Atlantic City in January. We understand that everyone has questions and that some of you might need to make the decision not to attend. As our show team and the NESPA Board of Directors acted to put policies and procedures in place for this year's event, we did so guided by the best interests of the event and the industry it supports.
Atlantic City is back to holding live events. In November and December, they have hosted three large conferences on the scale of The Pool and Spa Show and many other smaller events. We are the beneficiaries of other people's experience in this regard. We are working closely with Atlantic City, the Atlantic City Convention Center, our team at Vista Convention Services, and event planners in other industries to make sure The Pool and Spa Show follows established procedures and protocols that have been tested and successful during this challenging time.
The Pool and Spa Show is critical to our industry. Since we started planning this year's show, we have been making decisions to put ourselves in the best position to create an environment that is adaptable to the COVID world while remaining true to our goals of having a successful experience for all involved.
These have included:
- Extending show hours
- Offering encores of our most popular classes
- Altering start times of educational programming
- Adding pre-registration for educational courses
- Regularly updating and communicating our safety procedures
Regardless of the challenges Shows like ours are facing, we still have:
- Over 100 education sessions are filling fast.
- Over 200,000 SF of exhibit space booked.
- The Welcome Party is returning to the Saloon Bar.
- The Training Wall, the Connection Garden, and other interactive features are offered on our Show Floor.
Every day more and more people are signing up to attend. Classes are filling. Exhibitors are still signing up. Unfortunately, some folks are victims of travel restrictions or other complications or company decisions that have led to them deciding not to attend. We feel for those folks, and wish them well and look forward to welcoming them back to the show in the future.
The pool industry in the Northeast needs and wants this show, and we will deliver it. We are one industry and we are in this together. We will continue to react to the environment as necessary, but we won't let it control us.
We will keep updating you, and you can feel free to keep reaching out to NESPA. We are making every effort to reply to all communications either directly or through updating information on our website.
Have a happy and safe holiday season, and we look forward to ringing in the New Year together in Atlantic City.
Dominick Mondi
Executive Director, NESPA
Trish McCormick
Manager, The Pool & Spa Show