Mark September 25-27 on your calendars and plan to be in Columbus, OH at that time … for the Indoor Tanning Association’s World Tanning Expo!
In December, the ITA Board of Directors voted to once again host an annual tanning trade event in the fall. Recently, the Board has secured both a date and a location for this expo extravaganza: September 25-27 at the Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH. The ITA promises this will be the biggest tanning event of the year and one that no salon owner will want to miss. Best of all, the profits raised from the event will be used to fund the ITA’s continuing efforts to protect everyone’s right to tan!
The decision to host the World Tanning Expo this fall is a “natural progression” for the ITA, says John Overstreet, Executive Director. “When the association was first formed in 2000,” he explained, “it was done so with the express purpose of hosting a national trade event to raise the needed funds to defend the industry at the state and Federal levels. We hosted the World Tanning Expo for the next eight years until we decided to take a hiatus beginning in 2008.” Overstreet and each member of the ITA Board is excited to host the industry’s annual event once more. “It’s time,” he added.
Although still in the planning stages, Overstreet says everyone should enjoy the event’s location – the Columbus Convention Center. “Attendees will have three hotels to choose from in the immediate vicinity,” he explained. “The Hyatt Regency Columbus is attached directly to the Convention Center while the Hilton Columbus Downtown and Crowne Plaza Columbus-Downtown connect to it via skywalks. The Convention Center is also located in a part of town that caters to the nightlife, with plenty of bars and restaurants nearby!”
This year’s ITA World Tanning Expo will be the event of the year, says Overstreet. He envisions the Columbus Convention Center populated with exhibits from every major manufacturer, distribution company and related service provider, and a show floor bustling with activity from salon professionals attending top-notch educational seminars, training and certification courses and more. “This will be an amazing event!” Overstreet added. “Best of all, the profits raised from the show will be used to help the ITA continue its mission of representing the best interests of the tanning industry.”
Details of the ITA’s Expo are still being worked out, and ist Magazine will continue to be the industry’s No. 1 source for these developments. Expect further details on this amazing, national-level tradeshow in the months to come! In the meantime, salon owners are encouraged to make that all-too-crucial decision to join the ITA. Overstreet explained, “The Board recently reduced dues for salons to just $10 per location per month if paid by ACH, and $150 per location annually if paid in one lump sum. This is the lowest dues have been in many years and we hope salon owners will step up to the plate, take advantage of the offer, and support us. And, since ITA members will get a reduced admission to the World Tanning Expo, this is a win-win for salon owners.”
To join the ITA, contact the association today at 703.336.3632, email admin@theita.com or visit theita.com. ■
Executive Director’s Message
There is a great deal of excitement on the ITA Board regarding a recent decision to host a national trade show on September 25-27, 2015 in Columbus, Ohio. This was not a snap decision. The debate to seriously consider getting back into the trade show business started in September, 2014 when the Board discussed ways to enhance membership and, more importantly, help raise the funds required to address the many important issues our industry faces.
At that meeting, the Board created an exploratory committee chaired by Lewis Henry (Devoted Creations) to look at sites and dates for a possible 2015 show. The Board established a number of parameters that would be required for the ITA to put on a show, a fall date on a weekend, easy driving distance for a large number of prospective attendees, close proximity to good hotels and restaurants, and most of all, affordability for exhibitors and attendees.
After a national site search, a team of Board members including Marty Gallagher, Rob Klem, Vince Lorraine, Rob Quinn and I traveled to Columbus, Ohio in December to see firsthand what the city has to offer. We toured the convention center, met with local hotels and tested the hospitality at neighboring restaurants and bars to determine if Columbus could meet all the standards established by the board. The delegation left very impressed with all aspects of the facilities and the surrounding neighborhood.
The committee unanimously agreed that Columbus was a first rate destination and the full Board approved the choice in December. There are many details to be addressed, but we promise to make this a show you will not want to miss.
Thanks,
John Overstreet
