When Hurricane Ian hit Florida the impact could be felt throughout the restaurant and hospitality industry, as hundreds of restaurants and hotels were destroyed by the wind and flooding. As a result, Clarion Events, producers of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show which will take place at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, November 1-3 leapt into action to find ways that they, the exhibitors and attendees could help support those impacted. During the trade show and conference, which will take place as planned, 100% of attendee registration fees collected, along with financial donations, food, equipment, and other items will be collected and donated to a new disaster relief fund being formed by the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA).

 

“Our thoughts, prayers and support remain with all those impacted by Hurricane Ian; and strengthens our commitment to support Florida’s hospitality industry,” said Rita Ugianskis, Vice President for the Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group. “After consultation with our association partner, the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA), exhibitors, attendees and our venue partner The Caribe Royale, we have made the decision to continue hosting the event next month and take this opportunity to provide direct support for the rebuilding and recovery of our industry.”

 

“We’ve been producing trade shows and conference for over 27 years and our dedicated teams at Clarion truly immerse themselves in the industries they serve, with a goal to leave the community in a better place, no matter the circumstance,” said Greg Topalian, CEO at Clarion Events North America. “Our efforts in Florida are a true representation of the mission of Clarion where we are dedicated to those we serve, by rising to the occasion and supporting those in times of need.”

 

Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group in collaboration with the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association will make the following changes to the event to support the industry during this difficult time:  

 

The education program will kick off on Tuesday, November 1st with two pre-conference workshops. One will focus on the lodging industry with a dynamic panel of female leaders from The B Resort, Red Lobster, Tijuana Flats, Loews Hotels at Universal, and Courtyard & SpringHill Suites by Marriott and a second workshop on Restaurant Inflation (Recession) Battle Plan which will include crisis planning.

 

On Wednesday, November 2 there will be a breakfast General Session featuring Donna Hood Crecca, Principal, Technomic who will discuss Recovery and Growth in Uncertain Times.  Donna will provide an overview of the state of the foodservice industry in the U.S., including new consumer and market dynamics, lodging segment specifics, what to look for in 2023 and an early look at the foodservice industry’s recovery from the impact of Hurricane Ian.

 

The Thursday morning breakfast keynote will feature Jim “Murph” Murphy, former U.S. Airforce F-15 fighter pilot and founder of Afterburner, a global leader in training and consulting which help leaders accelerate individual performance by connecting strategy to execution. Jim will share A Fighter Pilot’s Secret to Business Success. As leaders of elite military teams, Jim and his team have thrived in the harshest, most chaotic environments on earth. Jim will apply these same principals to help the hospitality industry expand their vision of success, align teams behind a common strategy and, stay consistent in execution especially during difficult times. This Keynote Session is about leadership made simple by developing a mission plan, aligning teams, and teaching you how to flawlessly execute. 

 

The education during the event will offer courses from the FRLA and other leading subject matter experts who will discuss How to Negotiate Restaurant Leases during a Disaster, How to Rebuild a Successful Restaurant, Disaster Preparedness, Restaurant Leadership, Disruptive Innovations, and many other sessions focused on operations and marketing. For the full conference program, click here. The expo hall will offer a diverse and curated collection of products and services, high production demonstrations, competitions and awards, wine & spirits, and much more. Special events will include a breakfast keynote, general session, a networking reception, awards, fundraiser and through separate registration, the FRLA Gala. 

 

Registration Is Open Here for the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show taking place November 1-3 at the Royale Caribe Resort in Orlando, FL.  Hotel reservations can be made at The Caribe Royale which is working with Clarion Events to support the event and the industry in these uncertain times in Florida. “We invite restauranteurs and professionals in the hospitality industry to register and join us in our support of FRLA’s disaster relief fund,” added Ugianskis. “Every registration will go a long way toward helping Florida’s restaurant and lodging community.” 

 

The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show is sponsored by The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA), Florida’s premier non-profit hospitality industry trade association. Founded in 1946 as the Florida Restaurant Association, FRLA merged with the Florida Hotel and Motel Association in 2006. FRLA’s more than 10,000 members include independent hoteliers and restaurateurs, household name franchises, theme parks and suppliers. The association’s mission is to protect, educate and promote Florida’s $111.7 billion hospitality industry which represents 1.5 million employees. Dedicated to safeguarding the needs of the membership, FRLA provides legislative advocacy to ensure the voices of its members are heard and their interests are protected. The association offers regulatory compliance and food safety training through SafeStaff® and FRLA’s subsidiary, RCS Training. The FRLA Educational Foundation provides industry-developed, career-building high school programs throughout the state.

 

Clarion Events operates over 180 events in 50 countries from 15 offices in the UK, the US, South Africa, Brazil, Germany, Singapore, UAE, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and the Netherlands. Clarion can trace its roots back to 1947 and takes great pride in being one of the oldest independent event organizers in the UK. More recently the firm has developed an international portfolio of brands and now has interests in a number of global vertical industries including energy, security and defense, hospitality, electronics, technology, fashion, retail, gaming and marketing. The teams at Clarion create uniquely effective and stimulating environments that can serve as a platform to build businesses, enhance customer relationships and accelerate product awareness. us.clarionevents.com.​​​

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