Convention Registration Opens Wednesday

We get it. Uncertainty reigns. Whether you have yet to don a mask or whether you keep yours on in the shower (bad idea, by the way), you may feel like your life is ruled by the coronavirus, and you are reluctant to plan travel for next week let alone the fall.

We want to work with you on that.

We want you to register for the Marketing & Distribution Convention in Orlando, and in return, we will guarantee that if in September, or even on Oct. 24, if you feel like it is a bad idea to travel, we will refund every penny of your registration fee and cancel your hotel room. (The hotel needs 72 hours for a full refund. The Association will refund registrations until Oct. 26.)

That’s how badly we want to see you, and we want you to see one another.
“It is time to try,” said Vernon Schmidt, the Association’s executive vice president. “This extended isolation is not good for individuals, and it is not good for this industry.”

Now, do not misunderstand. We are on coronavirus high alert. The Association monitors the pandemic in our destination city and regions where our members live and work. We are in communication with the hotel, evaluating its safety protocols and discussing the logistics of a meeting that calls for abundant physical distance. We are tracking travel-related risks and airline policies. And of course, we are listening to you.

What we have heard is that a few of you might want to sit out this year. Others, however, are eager to reconnect with one another and meet marketers. We’re thrilled to hear it, and we will make it worth your time.