Whatever their position and goals in the business, industry professionals have come to rely on the annual Inside Self-Storage (ISS) World Expo to learn the info, find the resources and make the connections they need to ensure success. Last year, for the first time in its 30-year history, the show was unable to go on as planned. (Insert sad tears.) This year it’s back! (Enter loud cheers!) After long months of waiting, facility owners, managers, investors, developers and suppliers will finally reunite, July 13-16, at The Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Things will look and feel different, though. To move forward in this crisis-conscious age, we must be able to keep participants safe. To that end, we’re following a formal prescription of best practices to provide a hygienic, productive experience. We’ve consulted with health and government authorities to prioritize your well-being in accordance with official guidance. Following is our comprehensive approach.
Cleaning and Hygiene
Our efforts to ensure your safety begin in advance of your arrival. We’ll deep clean the space before, during and after the event, working with the venue to ensure the highest standard of sanitation. Of course, there’ll be extra scrutiny of those high-touch areas like restrooms, door handles, and food and beverage stations. Here are some other things we’ll be doing to safeguard our esteemed participants:
- We’ll provide additional hand-washing and -sanitizing stations throughout the event, encouraging everyone to regularly disinfect.
- The between-seminar breaks will be expanded from 10 minutes to 30, allowing more time for cleaning between sessions.
- Sneeze guards will be used in high-interaction areas such as help or security desks, and food or beverage stations.
- To limit germ spread, we’re eliminating our usual self-help approach to snacks. Any complimentary food or beverages will be served by staff wearing appropriate protective equipment. Pre-packaged lunches will be available for purchase.
Limiting Contact
Though we’re all eager to see our industry friends again, those happy reunions will need to be commemorated in a new way. Per local regulations and hotel guidelines, you’ll be asked to avoid physical contact, such as handshakes and embraces, in favor of contactless greetings. (A tribal call or dance? Air juggling? A toe bump?) Rather than exchange printed materials such as business cards and sales brochures, we recommend digital alternatives.
Heeding the need for touchless transactions, expo registration will be available online. For those who need assistance or wish to register on site, we’ll have protocols in place to minimize physical contact, reduce wait times and provide a safer, seamless process.
Social-distancing guidelines will be firmly observed throughout the event, not only in the registration area, but in the exhibit hall and education rooms. Here are some things you’ll see:
- A six-foot distance between attendees will be required in all areas.
- Clear signage, floor markings and social-distance ambassadors will guide you safely through the space.
- Room-volume requirements will be strictly followed. Staff will monitor capacity at the door for seminars, workshops, exhibits and other networking opportunities.
- For the first time ever, attendees who purchase the Seminar-Track Package and All-Access Pass will be asked to pre-select their desired sessions, so we can better control room capacity and flow.
- The show floor will operate on a one-way traffic system, which will ease crowding and promote social distancing. Aisle widths and the distance between booths have also been increased.
- In another first for the ISS World Expo, education and exhibits will be all-day simultaneous affairs on July 14 and 15. Traditionally, we avoid asking attendees to choose between these offerings, but this year a new approach is critical to avoid crowding and ensure proper distancing.
Protect and Detect
We know, we know … Wearing a mask can be a hassle. But so is getting sick! To protect everyone at the show, young to old, all participants will be asked to mask up. If you don’t have a mask, we’ll provide one for you. Other personal protective items, such as gloves, face shields and eye screens, will be used by staff in line with authority advice.
We’ll also be following official guidance on health screening, which might include thermal scanning to check temperatures, for example. Anyone who’s unwell will be asked to forego the event, and our team will follow best practices to detect and manage anyone who displays symptoms of COVID-19.
All these enhanced measures have been designed to give you confidence that the ISS World Expo will adhere to the highest standards of safety, cleanliness and quality. To get show details, including information about education, speakers, exhibits and more, visit issworldexpo.com.
