The International Trademark Association will hold its annual meeting in Houston in November after postponing the event due to safety concerns related to COVID-19.
The event, originally scheduled to take place the first week of May in San Diego, has been relocated to Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center for Nov. 15-19 with a mix of in-person and virtual programming, the organization announced.
Houston First Corp., the city’s convention arm, expects between 4,500 to 6,000 people in attendance both in-person and virtually. The meeting is the industry’s largest gathering of brand owners and trademark professionals.
Etienne Sanz de Acedo, the association’s CEO, said the meeting has been “pushed as late into the year as possible in the hope that an in-person gathering will be feasible then.”
The organization’s other programs this year will be held virtually.
Founded in 1878, New York City-based INTA provides global trademark resources, policy development, education, training and networking. Members include nearly 6,500 organizations, representing more than 34,350 trademark owners, professionals and academics from 185 countries.
The second half of 2021 is shaping up to be busy as organizers postpone events until in-person meetings are safe, according to Houston First. So far, 18 citywide conventions are scheduled from July to December 2021, compared to 12 during the same timeframe in 2019.