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Treasury & Capital Markets
Trade fairs may be coming back despite Covid-19
Success in Shenzhen demonstrates demand for face-to-face encounters and professional platforms
The Asset 28 Jul 2020

With the Covid-19 pandemic pushing  the digitalization of business processes and forcing companies and customers to interact online, old school trade fairs jammed with face-to-face encounters haven’t completely disappeared as two recent trade fairs in the Chinese megacity of Shenzhen have demonstrated.

The trade fairs - Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics and the Yarn Expo – took place from July 15 to 17 and were held in strict compliance with local hygiene and safety standards, which included not only distancing and the mandatory wearing of masks, but also required that visitors register in advance online. A total of 42,000 visits were recorded with 886 exhibitors on hand for Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics and 125 for the Yarn Expo, which took place alongside it.

Exhibition organizer Messe Frankfurt, which was holding its first trade fairs since the multi-month global lockdowns were put in place, described the events as a great success, arguing that the fairs sent a clear signal that, even during the ongoing pandemic, industries were ready for trade fairs to return and that the fairs demonstrated the importance of personal encounters and the need for face-to-face meetings in the current situation.

“Trade fairs have always helped the economy recover after crises, and we are delighted that we can once again start bringing industries together – something they greatly appreciate in the present situation,” says Wolfgang Marzin, Messe Frankfurt’s president and chief executive officer.  

“Intertextile Shenzhen kicks off the global resumption of our event operations, demonstrating just how great the demand is for face-to-face encounters and professional platforms,” points out Detlef Braun, a Messe Frankurt executive. “This is a good signal not only for the textile industry but also for the event industry as a whole. Preparations for other events this year are already in full swing in Germany as well.”

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