This past week, the California Convention Center Coalition delivered a letter to Governor Newsom calling for the immediate issuing of statewide guidelines for business meetings, events and conventions to safely resume when California fully reopens. Curtin Convention & Exposition Services, Inc. was among the 134 tourism officials, labor groups, and advocates to sign the letter.
The letter asked for the Governor to focus on this sector of California economy which accounted for $66.1 billion in direct spending and 457,00 jobs in 2019. According to CCCC, Newsom’s “Blueprint for a Safer Economy” makes no mention of business meetings, events and conventions and no guidelines for safe future re-openings have been issued. The California travel industry finalized a plan in June 2020 which outlined how California could safely hold meetings. The plan adhered to standards established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and included best practice recommendations for sanitation, staff training, physical distancing, and communication. To date, California’s Administration has yet to adopt the plan or release guidelines of its own.
While California’s event industry waits for clarification and guidance, nearly every other state is safely holding meeting, events, and conventions. The impact of the lack of guidelines is preventing California from competing for business with other states in 2021, 2022 and beyond. As a result, California is losing vital revenue and hundreds of thousands of jobs. The CCCC is not asking the Governor to open the state, but to simply set forth crucial guidelines which will signal to event professionals that California is not indefinitely closed, and the industry is prepared to hold events when re-opening begins.
Curtin Convention is actively participating in industry discussions and virtual conferences to best prepare for the reopening of events in California. We are ready to support you and your next event. If you have questions about how to hold your next LIVE event, contact Curtin.
How can you participate and learn more
about California’s reopening?
Register to attend California Travel Association’s virtual conference on March 9 and 10, The California Comeback.
Register to attend San Francisco Travel Association’s virtual conference on March 24, Our Gate is Open - Marketing Conference.
Read the full press release regarding the letter to Governor Newsom.