ROSEMONT, IL (March 18, 2020)—Exhibitors in The Inspired Home Show 2020 will receive a 100% refund for paid space fees and corner charges in the form of a credit toward space and corner charges for the 2021 Show, provided their 2020 Show accounts were paid in full, the International Housewares Association announced today. IHA’s board of directors approved the refund today.
The refund credit will apply to all exhibitors who canceled after the Oct. 31, 2019 cancellation deadline or who were still contracted to exhibit at the 2020 Show at the time of Show cancellation. Exhibitors will also maintain their seniority status for space assignment purposes.
In addition, the IHA board froze the 2021member space rate at the 2020 level. Space applications for The Inspired Home Show 2021 will be available in mid-April. An FAQ on the refund is posted on the Show website at www.theinspiredhomeshow.com/exhibit/exhibitor-update/
In a letter to exhibitors, IHA president Derek Miller said: “As a not-for-profit trade organization, IHA’s reason for existence is to serve our members, done primarily through the planning, production and operation of The Inspired Home Show, the industry’s premiere trade event.
“We have concluded our analysis of the financial impact and reviewed options with the IHA Board of Directors – themselves exhibiting members like you. Fortunately, the IHA Board has had the foresight to build reserves over the years to allow for a devastating event like Covid-19. Related, we have maintained a self-insured status against catastrophic events since 2011.
“We understand that challenges remain for our industry and that each member company is being impacted during this time. The IHA is also being significantly impacted and is reorganizing so that we can continue to produce the Show and offer high-quality services to benefit the home + housewares industry – whom we have served for more than 80 years and plan to serve long into the future.”
The full letter and update can be read at www.theinspiredhomeshow.com/exhibit/exhibitor-update/
The Inspired Home Show 2021 will be held March 13-16 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Complex. Badge registration and further details are available at TheInspiredHomeShow.com
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The International Housewares Association is the 82-year-old voice of the housewares industry, which accounted for (US)$394.3 billion at retail worldwide in 2018. The not-for-profit, full-service association sponsors the world’s premier exposition of products for the home, The Inspired Home Show, IHA’s Global Home + Housewares Market (TheInspiredHomeShow.com), and offers its 1,400 member companies a wide range of services, including industry and government advocacy, export assistance, industry and consumer trends through the IHA Market Watch, executive management peer groups, a B2B community at www.housewares.org, group buying discounts on business solutions services and direct-to-consumer engagement through TheInspiredHome.com.
