IAAPA Asia 2020 Expo Canceled Due To Coronavirus

As the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread, more events are being canceled or postponed amid travel restrictions and increasing health warnings.

Many institutions sent out press releases for operational changes in light of the virus. Among those companies is IAAPA. Today, the International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions announced their plans to cancel their IAAPA Asia Expo for 2020.

The press release read:

IAAPA, the global association for the attractions industry, today announced the postponement of IAAPA Expo Asia 2020 to 2021 in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The Expo was scheduled to take place 8-11 June in Macao, China, at the Venetian Macao. The 2021 event will take place in June.

“The health and safety of our members and our team is always our top priority,” said Hal McEvoy, president and CEO, IAAPA. “After extensive evaluation and input from members, the IAAPA Board of Directors has made the decision to postpone IAAPA Expo Asia 2020. Since early January, we have been closely monitoring the rapidly evolving coronavirus outbreak and have been in constant contact with our global team and members. While this is not an easy decision, we are confident it is the right one, and in best interest of our exhibitors and attendees. The decision to postpone the Expo until 2021 is based on information we have at this time including global travel concerns and restrictions, the current health situation, and continued unknowns regarding the coronavirus.”

“IAAPA is committed to supporting the global attractions industry, and we will continue to assist members impacted by the coronavirus,” continued McEvoy. “We are working with the many IAAPA Expo Asia exhibitors who have been patient with us as we studied all possible options this year. We are grateful for their patience and understanding.”

Current contracted IAAPA Expo Asia 2020 exhibitors should contact the IAAPA Global Sales Team at ExhibitSales@IAAPA.org to discuss options related to the postponement and exhibiting in Macao in 2021. They can also talk with the team about booking exhibit space for IAAPA Expo Europe 2020 in London in September and IAAPA Expo 2020 in Orlando this November. Attendee registration for those shows opens in April and May respectively.

IAAPA has been providing ongoing member support through its regional offices around the world about the coronavirus outbreak. Regular updates and global resources can be found on the association’s website. IAAPA has also been closely following recommendations from the World Health Organization.

We applaud IAAPA for taking the necessary stance to put guest safety first.

This isn’t the only major event that has been canceled over the last few weeks. Many of the country’s events and attractions, where large groups gather in confined spaces, are now closed. This includes movie theatres, concerts and even theme parks.

South X Southwest — a two-week film, music, and tech festival that brings thousands of visitors to Austin TX, has canceled, as well as many other conventions around the states including multiple major events in Philadelphia. The 2020 National Auto Show has been postponed while multiple sports venues have announced they will be playing in empty arenas until further notice.

We expect more tradeshows and conventions to cancel over the next few weeks for guest safety.

For more information, visit the official IAAPA website by clicking here.