The Associated Press
Monday, June 7, 2021
LAS VEGAS — Las Vegas is hosting its first big trade show since the start of the pandemic this week.
The four-day World of Concrete trade show is set to begin Monday at the Las Vegas Convention Center, which recently completed a new $1 billion exhibition hall.
Some are embracing it has a sign of a return to normalcy in Las Vegas.
Local tourism officials say COVID-19 health and safety protocols will be followed.
Observers like Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal people will be eying the trade show as a test run for resuming large conventions and meetings.
The World of Concrete typically has 60,000 masonry professionals in attendance.
Dow says having even half of the attendance in 2019 would be considered a success.
Several conventions are on the schedule in Las Vegas in the remaining year including the National Mining Expo and the National Association of Broadcasters' meeting.
According to tourism officials, a record 6.6 million visited Las Vegas for a meeting or convention in 2019. Trade shows annually make an estimated $11.4 billion in economic impact to the region.
