MPI Arizona Sunbelt Chapter Coronavirus (COVID-19) Statement

Updated March 20, 2020

Hello Arizona Sunbelt Chapter,

These are unprecedented times, and during these times it's best not to act out of fear. As we all know, a good leader gathers all the facts before making an informed decision. MPI AZ remains diligent in ensuring that the safety and security of our members and attendees remains the top priority. As stated in last week’s email, MPI AZ has continually been monitoring the latest COVID-19 developments locally. When we made our decision, it was based on Governor Ducey’s approach that Arizonan's should not panic and that our approach would be calm and steady since we had not had a spike in cases, after he declared a state of emergency.

On Sunday afternoon, the state of Arizona received an order from Governor Ducey that Arizona would now be following the updated COVID-19 guidelines from the CDC. What does this mean for us? It means that mass gatherings and events over 50 be canceled for the next eight weeks. This includes: conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, and other types of large assemblies. All MPI AZ events that follow under these guidelines & timeframe will postponed until further notice. Effective immediately, we will be postponing our networking mixer that would have taken place Thursday, March 19th at Dave & Buster’s, and our Global Meetings Industry Day event on Tuesday, April 14th at the Arizona State Capitol. Please stay tuned for further updates as we work to figure out alternative plans for our chapter.

Again, I will reiterate that during times like these, it is vital that we remain focused on facts and share information from credible resources, such as the CDC or WHO. MPI AZ is still committed to providing you up to date resources to keep yourself informed at a global and local level as you navigate this uncharted situation that we are currently facing. Please continue to refer to MPI Global’s devoted page that provides resources for our meeting and event professionals community. In addition to that page and the resources listed below, our social media and chapter newsletter will continue to provide updated, relevant and credible content to ensure our community is well-informed.

Let’s not lose hope! We have weathered tough times in the past, and we will overcome this setback. If anyone has any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me at any time. All lines of communication to me are open and waiting to hear from you.

Please stay healthy and safe!

Tiffany Higgins
MPI AZ President
thiggins@mpi-az.org

MPI Coronavirus Resources

Additional Resources

Resources for Hotel and Travel Industry Professionals
Provided by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International
https://global.hsmai.org/insights/coronavirus-resources/

Provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/mass-gatherings-ready-for-covid-19.html

Local Resources

Resources for Arizona Tourism Professionals
Provided by the Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association
https://azlta.com/covid-19/

Provided by Maricopa County
https://www.maricopa.gov/5460/Coronavirus-Disease-2019

Provided by the Arizona Department of Health for members outside of Maricopa County
https://www.azdhs.gov/

MPI AZ Celebrates Global Meetings Industry Day!
April 14, 2020
Click Here for Info

A Video Message From Your MPI AZ President
Concerning Coronavirus and Resources for Meeting Professionals
Watch Video

Special Events

MPI AZ Celebrates Global Meetings Industry Day!

Join us for our chapter webinar featuring presenter Roger Rickard, founder of Voices in Advocacy.

Roger Rickard

April 14, 2020

4:00 - 5:00 pm

Registration Opens Soon

This chapter webinar follows the virtual MPI Global broadcast of GMID, a special full-day summit, focused specifically on tools and skills relevant to moving forward during this unique global situation. We will connect with our industry leaders and peers from around the world in a live, 12-hour global broadcast and share learnings that are immediately actionable and relevant.

More info and register for this event please visit https://www.mpi.org/events/gmid20

Thanks for attending!

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