Tobacco Business

There has been a major push throughout the U.S. for people to get vaccinated, especially before business and the world can return to any sense of normalcy. Since TPE can be considered a large gathering, what role do vaccinations have in the show’s planning and on-site preparations? If you can get vaccinated, do it. However, the local science tells us that this event can happen successfully because the number of COVID cases is way down and the number of vaccinations is way up. We believe we have an excellent plan to ensure every- one will be safe while at this year’s show, and this is evidenced by our safety plan getting approved by all levels of government and all relevant health officials. Gov. Sisolak eased the rules because he is relying on his health experts. The governor was one of the first in the nation to shut down his state because he listened to his experts. Now, he’s moving ahead because he’s listening to the science and the experts. How will social distancing be enforced on the trade show floor? All of the officials made sure our floor layout met the social dis- tance requirements. I’m sure we will need to offer reminders in real time, but there will be no issue. We will have TPE safe- ty ambassadors walking the registration area, show floor and industry night party to help with enforcing social distancing. You will notice them wandering around, so please don’t take offense if they ask you to spread out. And as a reminder, everyone can pitch in for safety by pre-registering, which will cut down on time to pick up your badge—reduce touch points—and by being patient. Also, at our host hotel, The Sahara, we will have a satellite registration desk for you to pick up your badges for pre-registered exhibitors and attendees; see newsletters for dates and locations. There may be wait times, so we ask everyone to be patient and remember how fun this show is. What is TMG doing to ensure exhibitors will have the right mix and number of buyers in attendance and vice versa that will make attend- ing the show worth it, financially speaking? TPE21 will be incredibly safe and a great personal expe- rience for all attendees and exhibitors. We’ve been pro- moting TPE21 every possible way—direct emails, social media, tpesafe.com , phone calls, letters. You name it, we’ve either done it or we’re doing it now to bring buyers and sellers together. This is a buyers’ convention, and sellers do not want to miss out. We’re making it crystal clear that this will be a premium event—yes, to make money and bring business back to Vegas—but it’s also a chance to connect with old friends, celebrate this lifestyle and get back to enjoying life. People are excited to return and to travel, and TPE21 will be a great place to do it. This will also be the third year that TPE has doubled our investment into our Hosted Buyer Program, which has helped grow the number of tobacconists that attend TPE each year. TPE’s Hosted Buyer Program is a special invitation that we send out to qualified buyers for a two-night stay at the host hotel and a free badge for the show. Seeing how well the program has done in the past, we’ve expanded it to include distributors, wholesalers, and cash and carry channel businesses. We also provide this opportunity to some of our exhibitors, allowing them to invite some of their customers to the show through this program as a way of showing their appreciation. TPE21 will be held in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center from May 12-14, 2021. [ 20 ] TOBACCO BUSINESS [ MAY / JUNE | 21 ]