Trade Centers Confident of JCK Attendance

RAPAPORT... Industry groups in India and Israel have expressed optimism that their members will go to the JCK Las Vegas show, even as the travel situation remains uncertain.India's Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) and the Israel Diamond Institute (IDI) are both organizing pavilions at the fair, they said this week. JCK said it welcomed international visitors who were permitted to enter the country."As of now, there is a travel ban for Indians traveling to the USA, but it is expected that it will be lifted by the end of June considering the receding coronavirus cases in India," the GJEPC noted in a statement earlier this week. The event runs from August 27 to 30 at the Nevada city's Venetian Resort & Sands Expo.The Indian pavilion for jewelry and gemstone exhibitors will feature 21 companies across 2,640 square feet, the council added. Some 23 companies will participate in the separate loose-diamond section of the pavilion, which will cover 2,500 square feet."We are witnessing pent-up demand from major markets like the USA, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates [UAE], as these markets have opened," commented GJEPC chairman Colin Shah. "JCK [is] an ideal platform [to] meet up and engage with existing and new buyers in person from across the world."India is emerging from a severe Covid-19 wave, though the diamond and jewelry export industry was allowed to continue operating amid strong US and Chinese demand. By contrast, in Israel, a successful vaccination campaign has enabled the government to abolish almost all pandemic-related precautions. However, quarantine rules for arrivals in the US are unpredictable and vary by state."IDI will be organizing an Israeli diamond pavilion at JCK," a spokesperson for the Ramat Gan-based organization said. "The show will be open to exhibitors and participants from all over the world."JCK continues to adapt its plans to the situation and has published a list of health guidelines on its website, according to Sarin Bachmann, group vice president of the JCK fair and its sister show, Luxury. It doesn't plan to require proof of vaccination or Covid-19 testing for entry, she added."JCK aims to create an inclusive environment and welcomes international customers that are permitted into the US by the US government," Bachmann asserted. "We are working closely with our international customers and partners and will have a better idea on attendance as we get closer to the event."Registration is "tracking strong for JCK at this time," she added, noting that this year's trade shows have generally seen increased signup much closer to the event. "Internal corporate travel policies from a few companies are still tentative, and it's too early to comment on their attendance plans," she said.Image: The exterior of the Venetian Resort & Sands Expo in Las Vegas, where the JCK show will take place. (JCK)