The U.S. Travel Association has confirmed the cancellation of IPW 2020 in Las Vegas this spring due to safety concerns and travel challenges posed by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The event, which would have featured several upgrades this year, was scheduled to take place May 30-June 3.
"The circumstances surrounding the coronavirus pandemic-including global travel restrictions, flight reductions, mandated social distancing, and stay-at-home orders both in the U.S. and abroad-have made this year's event impossible to execute," said U.S. Travel President and CEO Roger Dow in a statement issued Wednesday.
IPW delegates should expect to receive updates next week regarding the process for credits and refunds as well as information pertaining to IPW 2021.
"When this health crisis is behind us, IPW will clearly be more vital than ever as a catalyst for activating inbound travel and re-growing commerce, exports and jobs," added Dow. "As always, our top priority is to provide value to our partners, exhibitors, buyers and attending media. The standard for next year will be nothing less than putting on the event that our stakeholders will remember as a key turning point in the process of rebuilding the international inbound travel economy."
Considered the leading international inbound travel trade show, IPW connects domestic exhibitors with travel buyers and media from dozens of countries around the world and is credited with driving $5.5 billion in future travel to the United States.
"IPW is not just an event; it is a community. IPW will endure, as it has for more than 50 years, and it will be a force of strength and healing in a moment of profound need."
"Until we are able to meet face-to-face again, everyone please be safe," Dow concluded.
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