It seemed like a distant international news story, one reserved for the latter half of a broadcast news segment. The coronavirus (COVID-19) appeared like an illness isolated overseas, not something that would find its way across the globe.
Even as the cases piled up in China, Stephanie Mersman, the event coordinator of the GCA Expo & Conference, kept her focus on her 2020 event, scheduled from March 24-27 in Galveston, Texas.
Then the virus started popping up in Europe in early February, its impact more profound in Italy as images of crowded hospitals and ill patients began to dominate the airways. Suddenly, evening news broadcasts had more time dedicated to COVID-19.
Despite this, Mersman stayed optimistic, hoping the virus could be contained. But as the calendar flipped months, the virus crossed continents. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the coronavirus a pandemic. Two days later, the GCA Advisory Board sent an email to exhibitors and attendees – “We have made the decision to cancel the 2020 GCA Expo & Conference.”
“Once the virus was detected in the United States, the conversations about the possibility of having to cancel the show began in earnest,” she said. “The enactment of the emergency declaration, literally one week prior to the start of the conference, made the unfortunate decision inevitable.”
Mersman’s story isn’t unique for event planners. Dozens of industry shows didn’t occur in 2020 and those that did took on non-traditional formats. The pandemic remains in 2021, forcing event planners to get creative to keep their events relevant and robust.
“This is absolutely a concern for the entire event industry,” Mersman said. “We are all scrambling and planning for a future that we have limited to no experience navigating.”
Inevitable decisions
Planning an event, regardless of size, comes with multiple moving parts, such as hotel and venue agreements, outside vendor contracts and registrations among many other responsibilities. While unexpected circumstances happen during the planning process, the pandemic proved to be catastrophic for large events.
“We had to notify our contracted hotel in writing of our cancellation,” said Crystal Myers, director of marketing and events for the GPA Midstream Association. “I’ll never forget the emotions that came from hitting the send button – disappointed, frustrated, sad, mad and yet somehow relieved. You name it, I felt it.”
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