SI: Many trade fairs are planning on a stronger digital approach. Is NSAA doing the same? Adrienne Saia Isaac: NSAA has been making a concerted effort to increase its digital presence and content over the last two years. The pandemic has pushed us to find virtual solutions for our in-person events as well.

We’ve moved the majority of our summer and autumn educational programming online, which has opened up opportunities for more members to attend, especially since the expense of  travel has been removed from the equation.

This shift to digital has actually helped us to achieve our goal of reaching more people within our industry. However, in-person meetings are still important, and we are planning our winter shows to be held in person. We are exploring how to best way tobalance both the in-person and virtual aspects ofour future events.

What are the (new) challenges in organising a trade fair now? Are you going to adapt NSAA 2021? In terms of the trade fair, the main challenge lies in how best to connect supplier members and trade fair attendees with our members.

NSAA has developed new virtual opportunities, such as Summer Showcase (launching in August), and has increased sponsor presence in our e-mail marketing and virtual education efforts. Nonetheless, it is difficult to replicate the intangible benefits of meeting in person.

It will take a paradigm shift on both sides to reimagine what trade fairs could look like in the future. Even when we return to in-person events, I believe it will remain important to offer opportunities in the digital space, to accommodate how people choose to conduct business (similarly to how some people prefer to shop in-store, and some prefer to shop online).

Because of border controls, it is likely that people outside the USA will be unable to attend NSAA 2021. Do you have any ideas of ways to include those people? Our international snowsports community brings innovative ideas and a broader perspective of ski resort operations to our events, and it would be a shame if we couldn’t welcome all of you to our events in the coming year.

Our team will learn a lot from our smaller virtual events this autumn, which can inform our processes and technology choices for the National Convention in 2021. We are testing an event app called Whova at our Mountain Technology Symposium event in September (and with what better audience than technology-focused people?).

NSAA is actively working on solutions and welcomes suggestions, so that all our members can benefit from the education and networking that our events offer. tm