The Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) has responded to the cancellation of the 2020 Global Force Symposium & Exposition by the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) due to the ongoing public health threat of the coronavirus, reminding residents that the “Rocket City remains a welcoming destination for conferences, tradeshows, and other events.”

The Global Force Symposium, which was canceled earlier on Tuesday, is one of the largest conferences Huntsville hosts annually and includes 6,000 attendees and generates an estimated $3.6 million in economic impact.

“We understand AUSA’s desire to prioritize the health and safety of their delegates, and look forward to welcoming them in 2021. Going forward, the CVB will continue to work with our hospitality partners and public health officials to ensure that the health and safety of our visitors remains a top priority,” said Judy Ryals, president and CEO of the CVB.

“Supporting our local hospitality industry is also of utmost importance – as travel is impacted, we encourage our residents to explore their own backyard and be patrons to our Huntsville/Madison County restaurants, attractions, hotels, and others,” Ryals added.

Jamie Koshofer, vice president of Conventions for the CVB, has worked closely with AUSA over the past year and offered his longtime support for the organization.

“AUSA has long been a close partner of the CVB, and we will continue to provide support for them in all ways that we can. 2021 is right around the corner, and we look forward to bringing that business back to the Rocket City,” Koshofer said.

“The City of Huntsville has developed a great partnership with AUSA over the past several years,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle.

“While we share in the disappointment of the community, we respect their decision to make the health of AUSA members, participants and our citizens a top priority,” Battle added. “We will continue to work with them and look forward to seeing AUSA in Huntsville in the coming years.”

As of now, there have been no reported cases of coronavirus in the state of Alabama. For more information on the City of Huntsville’s preparedness plan for COVID-19, click here.