The U.S. government shut down on Wednesday after Congress failed to reach a deal on a short-term spending bill. The fallout is already hitting the meetings industry.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) postponed its General Hospital and Personal Use Devices Panel meeting, scheduled for October 8. The agency will also halt processing new drug applications and medical device submissions, while many non-essential meetings and reviews funded through annual appropriations are on hold.
Even San Francisco Fleet Week, from October 5-13, is affected, with the U.S. Navy canceling the Blue Angels from participating.
IMEX America, which drew 15,500 attendees last year, will return to Las Vegas on October 7-9.
“We do not expect any significant disruptions for international or domestic travelers,” said Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group. “We’re obviously monitoring the situation closely, though, and if anything changes, we’ll be sure to keep all attendees informed and quickly.”
“Whilst it’s disappointing to see a U.S. government shutdown, we experienced this in 2018 and didn’t see any negative impact on our attendees,” she said.
Bauer added that IMEX teams have already started traveling to Las Vegas without experiencing delays. “Our contacts at TSA have also reassured us that TSA screeners are considered ‘mission critical staff’ and therefore will be working as normal.”
A spokesperson for G2E, another major trade show taking place in Las Vegas October 6-9, echoed that sentiment, saying the convention has not experienced any fallout. More than 25,000 attendees from over 120 countries are expected at The Venetian Resort.
The American Dental Association’s SmileCon, set for October 23-25 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, has “one event venue at a museum that may be affected, but we have a backup venue,” said Catherine Mills, ADA’s VP of meetings and events.
Risks to International Arrivals
A prolonged shutdown could lead to increased flight delays and longer wait times at airports.
International participation is also at risk. While U.S. embassies and consulates continue to process visas, extended shutdowns have historically resulted in suspended services and appointment cancellations. That could create backlogs and hurt international participation in 2026 events, including the FIFA World Cup.
Visa processing is already strained: earlier this year, the State Department required most nonimmigrant visa applicants to attend in-person interviews and restricted applicants from booking appointments in other countries if home-country wait times were long.
The U.S. Travel Association warns that the shutdown is expected to cost the U.S. travel economy $1 billion each week.
“The longer a shutdown drags on, the more likely we are to see longer TSA lines, flight delays and cancellations, national parks in disrepair, and unnecessary delays in modernizing travel infrastructure,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of U.S. Travel.
The Commerce Department’s Trade Event Partnership Program (TEPP), which helps bring international buyer delegations to U.S. trade shows, is also paused. Its website states, “Due to the lapse in appropriations, this website is not currently receiving regular updates.”
