NSAA Cancels In Person Western And Eastern Winter Conferences And Tradeshows

The NSAA has cancelled its in person eastern and western conferences. They say:

"After careful consideration, NSAA has decided to cancel the in-person Western and Eastern Winter Conferences and Tradeshows. We appreciate the guidance from our Board of Directors and its Executive Committee, and the feedback that many of you provided in last week’s survey – all of your input helped us with our decision.

"Many factors were considered when making this decision. Primarily, it was your feedback regarding the very real, and in many cases critical, staffing struggles being even further exacerbated due to illness and quarantine requirements. The significant risk of infection or exposure from travel and indoor gatherings also weighed heavily in our decision. Even with Covid protocols in place, including masking and vaccinations, transmission rates are surging in many mountain communities, including Pitkin County where the Western Show was to be held. We did not want to further contribute to this spread, nor did we want to put our attendees in a position where they could possibly bring illness back to their own communities.

"We understand how important in-person events are to all of our members. Although supplier registration was strong for each show, the pace of ski area registrations has been slow. While face-to-face education and networking are hard to replace, the NSAA team is developing virtual environments for both.

"We thank you for understanding and for your flexibility. Please let us know if you have unanswered questions or concerns.

"Kelly Pawlak
"President and CEO

"FAQs
"We understand you have lots of questions. We hope the FAQs below will help, but please call or email us with other questions we did not answer here.

"Q: WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH REGISTRATION FEES?
"A: NSAA will give all attendees, including tradeshow participants, a full refund of registration fees. Please allow 7-10 business days for processing.

"Q: WHAT IF I AM AN EVENT SPONSOR?
"A: First, thank you for your support. All Winter Show sponsors will receive a full refund. There will be a limited number of sponsorships available for our virtual content. NSAA’s Keanna Smith will reach out to you individually regarding these opportunities.

"Q: WHAT IS THE LODGING CANCELLATION POLICY?
"A: We are working with the group lodging properties at Snowmass (The Viewline and Wildwood) and Killington to get the reservations made under our room blocks refunded. If you booked lodging within the NSAA room block for either show, you will receive a direct communication from that property. If you made reservations at another property, please contact that property directly.

"Q: WILL YOU MOVE THE WINTER SHOWS TO A VIRTUAL PLATFORM?
"A: Yes, we are working to offer a selection of the previously planned sessions virtually. This format will not be a “full on” virtual show like last year. For the most part, these webinars will be offered no later than early February. We will announce more information, including the schedule, in the coming weeks.

"Q: WILL COMMITTEE MEETINGS BE HELD VIRTUALLY?
"A: Yes, some of the committees will still meet virtually, including the ANSI B77 Standards Committee. Your NSAA staff contact or committee chair will communicate directly to committee members.

"Q: WILL THE NATIONAL CONVENTION IN NASHVILLE, TN, STILL BE AN IN-PERSON EVENT?
"A: Yes, we are planning for the National Convention to be held in person. We will continue to monitor national and local guidance to assess the feasibility of holding the event. There is nothing we want more than to provide an environment where we can celebrate together, learn from each other, and showcase our suppliers. Thank you for your support, and please stay tuned."