GCSAA members can now register and make hotel reservations for the 2019 Golf Industry Show, Feb. 2-7 in San Diego. Non-member registration will open Oct. 30.
As a presenting partner, GCSAA will offer a dynamic, progressive week of unparalleled networking opportunities and hands-on access to golf course and facility management solutions for golf industry professionals. GCSAA will also recognize its annual award winners, including the Powell family, this year’s recipient of the Old Tom Morris Award.
The 2019 Golf Industry Show (GIS) will be held at the San Diego Convention Center and continue the theme established in 2018, “Connect. Discover. Elevate.”
GIS kicks off each year with the GCSAA Golf Championships, followed by four days of innovative education and a trade show designed for the association’s 18,000 members, golf facility owners and managers, and the industries that market to those facilities.
“San Diego is consistently a favorite among attendees and exhibitors, as it offers a beautiful backdrop to the unequaled educational and networking opportunities the Golf Industry Show is known for,” says Rhett Evans, GCSAA CEO.
More than 530 exhibitors are expected to fill the trade show floor of the convention center. A new feature for 2019 will be “Inside the Shop,” a full, interactive replica of a maintenance facility that showcases an efficient, cost-effective and safe work environment.
For the first time, several of the education seminars will take place on the trade show floor. In all, the GCSAA Education Conference will offer more than 420 hours of education, including 89 seminars and 21 free education sessions.
Those new to GIS can take part in programs just for them, including a first-time attendee luncheon. GIS veterans will see some schedule changes, including a Big Game Watch Party Sunday night, the Opening Session moved to Wednesday morning, and the new Trade Show Finale Thursday afternoon.
Registration is available on the newly redesigned Golf Industry Show website.
Golf Industry Show headed to Las Vegas in 2021
As part of the evolution of GIS, the 2021 Golf Industry Show will be held in Las Vegas, which is a change from previously announced plans for the 2021 event to take place in San Antonio. GIS was last held in Las Vegas in 2012.
The Golf Industry Show currently follows a three-year rotation of an East Coast, West Coast and non-coastal location. A 2018 survey of GCSAA members showed they wanted the rotation and coastal sites to continue, but wanted to see the non-coastal event held in a variety of locations.
“Orlando and San Diego consistently remain popular coastal anchors for the show’s three-year rotation,” Evans says. “When the opportunity arose for us to return to Las Vegas, we listened to our members’ wishes to offer more varied non-coastal locales. Although the large size of our show limits us somewhat, we have great non-coastal city options to consider for the future, including New Orleans, Phoenix and San Antonio.”
The upcoming rotation for the Golf Industry Show will be San Diego in 2019, Orlando in 2020 and Las Vegas in 2021.