Despite many conferences and trade shows being canceled within the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, one show plans to forge ahead in January: CES.
The world’s largest tech fair attracted quite 175,000 attendees five months ago, just before the coronavirus went global. Many tech shows are expecting a redo next year, like Mobile World Congress, the National Association of Broadcasters and developer conferences for Facebook, Google and Microsoft.
“While we decide to produce another in-person event in Las Vegas , we all face new considerations around attending conferences, conducting business and traveling to meetings,” the show organizer, the buyer Technology Association, says on its website. “Just as your companies are innovating to beat the challenges this pandemic presents, we are adapting to the evolving situation.”
The CTA says more events from CES are going to be live-streamed, a nod to the present trend during which many conferences are presented digitally only. The upcoming Apple Worldwide Developer’s conference, as an example , meets on June 22, online only.
There are millions dollars at stake, not only for the CTA but the host city of Las Vegas – with thousands of hotel rooms that often get sold out, restaurants, taxis and other components of the service economy that depend upon large-scale events. CES 2021 is about for Jan. 6 to 9.
The CES gadget show is dominated by flashy new TVs, cars and wacky gadgets, from Samsung, LG, TCL and Sony. Beyond the fair floor, many companies rent rooms at the hotels for meetings.
The CES attracts mob scenes at the foremost crowded booths and walkways.
The coronavirus has led most states to issue stay-at-home orders and emphasize social distancing, and other people wear face coverings when out and about and entering businesses.
The CTA said CES 2021 would vary from past exhibitions therein it might be cleaner and frequently sanitized. It promised better social distancing, “including widening aisles in many exhibit areas” and providing more room between seats in conference programs.
Shaking hands are going to be frowned upon, the CTA said, and attendees are going to be encouraged to wear masks.
