Here are JIS Miami’s Safety Guidelines for its March Return

Norwalk, Conn.—Last year, Jewelers International Showcase fell victim to COVID-19, but the Miami edition of the jewelry trade show is back.

Scheduled for March 22-24 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, JIS Miami already has several thousand retailers registered to attend, according to trade show organizers.

JIS Events Industry Vice President Jordan Tuchband said in a press release, “We are excited to be welcoming the jewelry industry back to Miami Beach, promoting an environment that instills confidence in the safe conduct of in-person business. The JIS Team has been working hard to provide the most productive show possible for our exhibitors and attendees in a way that prioritizes the health and well-being of everyone in attendance.”

To make the show safe enough for exhibitors and buyers to attend, JIS is following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the World Health Organization; the state and local government, as well as the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Health and safety practices will include a strict admission policy and code of conduct that all visitors must acknowledge daily before entry; daily temperature checks; and a face covering/mask requirement.

In booths where six feet of distancing cannot be maintained, exhibitors must have plexiglass dividers and face shields to limit contact with visitors.

Transparent barriers will also help with distancing in communal areas, like at registration and security. Wider aisles, hand sanitizer stations, strict observance of occupancy guidelines and enhanced deep cleaning will all contribute to a more pandemic-friendly environment than in a typical jewelry trade show of years past.

Communication will also differ between visitors. There is a no-handshake policy at the show, and rather than swap business cards, exhibitors and buyers can exchange information with each other via “smart badges” to be tapped on vendors’ booth readers. At the end of each day, attendees will receive contact information for the vendors they tapped in an email and on the JIS app mobile app.

Contactless, self-serve registration kiosks will also allow attendees to feel at ease.

To uphold these and more safety rules, stewards will be on hand to monitor the show floor.

According to the show, which is owned and operated by Reed Exhibitions, there is a real demand for a return to in-person events.

Jason Sherman of Diamond District in Estero, Florida, said in the show’s press release, “JIS March is a perfectly timed show for our store. The show helps