Dealer Week’s Covid-19 safety measures
The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ Dealer Week Conference & Expo, the only marine industry trade show designed to fuel dealer success, announced updated safety protocols for its 2021 event, scheduled for December 6-9, in Austin, Texas.
As the health and security of Dealer Week attendees is MRAA’s No. 1 priority, we have established specific protocols to ensure the safety of our attendees. As always, the MRAA is committed to creating an event experience where our dealers, our partners and our employees can safely and effectively conduct business.
Shared Responsibility Initiative
Dealer Week producers ask everyone in attendance to mutually agree to a duty of care to try to protect each other from any illnesses. To accomplish this and have a safe show for all, we request that everyone in attendance wear a mask, whether you have been vaccinated or not.
On Oct. 12th, the City of Austin, which owns the Austin Convention Center, updated its guidance, which issued a mask mandate ordinance on its property and in the facilities it manages.
PRIOR TO ARRIVING AT DEALER WEEK
All dealers, exhibitor staff, speakers and non-exhibiting attendees are encouraged to register before arriving at Dealer Week to limit on-site contact. At registration, you will be able to scan your registration receipt and print your badge for the event. Please bring a copy of the email with the barcode, even if it’s just on your phone.
All attendees must be symptom-free to enter Dealer Week, and we encourage you to take a self-assessment before arriving each day. For assistance, refer to the CDC’s Covid-19 Self-Checker Tool.
Check airline safety protocols and be prepared to follow their requirements, and keep in mind UBER, Lyft, and other public transportation methods continue to require customers to wear masks.
ON-SITE AT DEALER WEEK
The Austin Convention Center has reached a higher level of cleaning and disinfection, through the purchase of new sanitation equipment and has committed to sanitizing equipment before the start of each event and at the end of each day.
There will be no other events at the Austin Convention Center during Dealer Week’s dates on the floors we are occupying.
The Fairmont Austin, Dealer Week’s host hotel, has also enacted new measures to keep guests safe, as noted on its website, www.allsafeandwell.com.
Masks will be provided for attendees’ use at Dealer Week registration for attendees’ safety and convenience.
Frequent handwashing is encouraged, and there will be hand sanitizer stations throughout the Austin Convention Center.
Seating has been planned with social distancing in the ballroom, and tables in the classrooms and meeting rooms will be disinfected between each event.
We recommend avoiding close contact such as handshakes and hugs and that you remain sensitive to other individuals’ comfort levels with contact.
Dealer Week will also offer, at registration, the use of red, yellow, and green name badge stickers to indicate your level of comfort with handshakes and other social interactions.
There will be added health and safety signage with current safety protocols and requirements throughout the event space.
Use the Dealer Week mobile app to access show details including a list of exhibitors, schedule of events, education session schedule, and other event information.
Additionally, see the information below, related to the Austin Convention Center’s preparedness:
The Austin Convention Center has achieved Global Biorisk Advisory Council® STAR™ accreditation, the gold standard for prepared facilities. Under the guidance of GBAC, a Division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, the Austin Convention Center Department has implemented the most stringent protocols for cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention for the facility. Read the release.
To achieve GBAC STAR™ accreditation, the Austin Convention Center will demonstrate compliance with the program’s 20 core elements, which range from standard operating procedures and risk assessment strategies to personal protective equipment and emergency preparedness and response measures. Learn more about GBAC STAR accreditation at www.gbac.org.