Getting Back to Business at ICAST 2021
Category: article
Jan 27th, 2021 by Keith Worrall
Modified Jan 27th, 2021 at 2:23 PM
Getting Back to Business at ICAST 2021
This July, the world’s largest sportfishing trade show is headed back to Orlando
Alexandria, VA – January 27, 2021 – This year marks the 64th consecutive recreational fishing trade show produced by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) for its members and the recreational fishing industry. ICAST 2021 is scheduled for July 20 – 23, in the North/South building at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, Fla.
“While the health, safety and security of exhibitors and attendees continues to be our top priority,” emphasized ASA President Glenn Hughes, “we are all looking forward to getting back to business. Come July, we are confident that an in-person show where we can reconnect with one another will happen. Orlando and the OCCC has been home to ICAST for many years and we are excited to return.”
Over the past 12 months, the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) has been hosting a wide variety of meetings, events and trade shows, revising and improving their protocols to stay consistent with national and state health and safety guidelines. In fact, the OCCC was one of the first convention centers in the U.S. to achieve the Global Biorisk Advisory Council’s (GBAC) Star Accreditation in outbreak prevention, response and recovery.
“In early January, I traveled to Orlando to attend Surf Expo to experience first-hand what our exhibitors and attendees should expect in a trade show environment,” said Trade Show and Membership Vice President Blake Swango. “I was very impressed with everything the OCCC team and our hotel partners were doing to implement health and safety protocols. Having this first-hand experience gave me great confidence that ICAST 2021 will move forward as planned.”
The OCCC team produced a video that explains how they worked together with Surf Expo to create a safe and productive environment for a 2021 in-person trade show.
All the elements that make ICAST the most anticipated annual event for the global sportfishing industry will be back this year: On the Water, the New Product Showcase, the Industry Breakfast, the Casting Pond and Lure Tank, business seminars and the excitement and energy of the show floor.
More than 300 exhibitors have been assigned booths, with more in the pipeline.
“Our member exhibitors told me they want to be there,” noted Swango. “From conversations with their reps and buyers, they know that the desire is there to do in-person business and to see all the new products available. In 2021, ICAST is the only venue that fills that need.”
Attendee registration opens on March 15. All the information about ICAST 2021 is available on our website including detailed FAQs about health and safety protocols, the expo hall and food and beverage options.