Lori Nelson-Kraft, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority: “CES is the global technology show in the world. It is the largest, most prestigious show and deals get done at CES. There are a tremendous amount of exhibitors who are looking to book business for the years and decades ahead. And this is where all the cool technology comes to debut and show itself. And so the excitement, whether it’s a small exhibitor to a large, this is a key piece of their business strategy is to have a presence here at CES.”
“As we all know, the pandemic shut down convening of large gatherings. So Las Vegas was without hosting any meetings or conventions for quite some time. It’s vital to our economy to have conventions like CES come back. We have so many wonderful customers who have called Las Vegas home to make Las Vegas, the convention capital in North America and CES is one of them, and we are thrilled that they are back and that they’re convening here in person and they are taking the extra steps needed. It’s important. It was a very quiet building, it was a very quiet destination. Las Vegas, pre-pandemic, welcomed more than 6.6 million visitors who came specifically for a convention. Our infrastructure, our town was built on it. So having shows like CES come in person, even if it’s with a smaller footprint, is an important step in our recovery efforts and for their industry as well. And we’re so excited they have over 2000 exhibitors who will be displaying, and even despite having some drop out, they even had over hundred more exhibitors sign up in the past couple of weeks. So we are very excited for them to be able to convene in person with their very important customers and attendees.”
“Here in Las Vegas and throughout Nevada, we have a mask wearing mandate that’s currently in place. The convention center and all of our resorts and attractions have truly become the gold standard in all health and safety protocols that exist or have been known. We have invested in them down to the World Cleaning Association accreditation that’s called the JPAC accreditation here. So from making sure and encouraging vaccinations among our employees, our visitors and the local community to putting all the protocols in place to keep things as healthy and safely as possible, that’s what Las Vegas is doing and all of its hotel partners. CES has gone even over and beyond that, and they have requested that this is a vaccinated mandatory show for attendees and exhibitors.”
“While none of our shows currently on the books have canceled, we know the pandemic remains a fluid situation. We never want to put at risk anyone’s health or safety, and that’s our number one priority. But the economy is moving forward, businesses are moving forward, the economy is open and we are just making sure that as we do everything we can as Las Vegas, we just do it in the healthiest and safest way.”