IRF Cancels 2020 Education Invitational, Announces 2021 Dates And Venue
July 31, 2020
Due to continuing developments related to COVID-19, the IRF has cancelled the 27th Annual IRF Education Invitational, previously scheduled to take place December 1-4, 2020 at the Hyatt Zilara & Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana, Dominican Republic. The IRF will resume its signature event June 2-5, 2021, at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, Florida.
“Due to COVID-19 restrictions and a focus on the health and safety of our attendees, staff, and partners, the IRF has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Education Invitational,” said Stephanie Harris, IRF President. “We appreciate the continued engagement of our partners and our community during these uncertain times. The IRF is committed to supporting the industry and will continue to conduct valuable research and provide virtual education programs.”
The IRF is evaluating options for an on-line experience in 2020 that will offer key elements of the Invitational such as education, keynote speakers, and networking in a virtual format. More information will be provided over the next several weeks.
Throughout 2020, the IRF has continued its robust delivery of research, education, and community building. The IRF assembled panels of experts from the airline and gift card industries for a series of successful webinars. It has conducted pulse surveys to report on the impact of COVID-19 on the incentives industry. With the recent launch of Community Conversations, the IRF has created a new space for virtual face-to-face conversations about important industry topics. Upcoming 2020 studies include Incentive Program Design for Crisis Recovery, Reward Preferences, and The Incentive Travel Industry Index.
“The IRF is a thriving community, and we look forward to when we can meet in person again,” said Kari Vrba, Chair, IRF Board of Trustees. “We are delighted to officially announce that the 2021 IRF Education Invitational will take place at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort on June 2-5.”
The IRF will release a full events calendar for 2021 and 2022 later this summer.