The Pool Industry Expo, originally set to be held Sept. 24-26 in Monterey, Calif., will no longer be taking place this year. Organizers of the event recently announced that, due to the global pandemic, the decision was made in the interest of public health and safety.
“Following increased and overwhelming concerns about the COVID-19 virus, we felt it was the best way to proceed during such an unprecedented situation,” staff members said in a recent statement. “We are very disappointed that we are unable to hold this event for our exhibitors, attendees and industry supporters. But we know it’s the right decision based on the current information available.”
The expo, which typically marks the start of show season, was created to offer a wide range of seminars and exhibits tailored to the pool and spa industry. As nearly half of all states are seeing a new spike in COVID-19 cases, it is one of many events being cancelled in an effort to flatten the curve. The site of the expo — the Monterey Conference Center — has shut its doors for all upcoming events until further notice.
Discussing different types of gatherings and their risks, the CDC reminds people that “the more people an individual interacts with at a gathering and the longer that interaction lasts, the higher the potential risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 and COVID-19 spreading.” On average, the Pool Industry Expo hosts between 5 and 6 thousand attendees.
This year will be the first time the event will not be held since its start in 1987. The organizers are looking into potential options for holding the event in September of 2021 and plan to provide further updates as they become available.
