The Tobacconists’ Association of America has announced that it will be moving the date and location of its annual conference as a result of the damage caused by Hurricane Irma.
The TAA had originally scheduled its 50th anniversary meeting and celebration for April 15-19, 2018 at the Westin Dawn Beach Resort & Spa in St. Maarteen, however that property sustained significant damage during the hurricane. Upwards of 90 percent of the island also experienced significant impacts to infrastructure, making it a challenge to host an event such as the TAA’s meeting.
As such, the organization has relocated its conference to Casa de Campo in La Romana, Dominican Republic, with new dates of April 29 through May 3. It is a familiar site for the organization, having held its meeting there before and being a popular destination for those visiting the area.
The TAA was founded in 1968 and is an organization of many of the top cigar retailers in the country, as well as some of the largest cigar makers. The group meets annually to discuss issues facing the industry, exchange best practices information, and hold a group buying session that leverages their numbers to secure favorable pricing on products. The organization has also amassed a growing number of exclusive cigars produced by member companies.