drupa, which was scheduled to take place from 16-26 June 2020, has been postponed to 20-30 April 2021. Messe Düsseldorf is thus following the recommendation of the Federal Government's crisis management team to take the principles of the Robert Koch Institute into account when assessing the risk of major events.
Due to this recommendation and the recent significant increase in the number of people infected with the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in Europe, Messe Düsseldorf has reassessed the situation. In addition, the general decree issued by the state capital of Düsseldorf on 11 March 2020 generally prohibits large events with more than 1,000 participants present at the same time.
„The decision was made in close consultation with our advisory boards and sponsor associations,“ emphasises Werner M. Dornscheidt, Chairman and CEO of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH. It also reflects the wishes of individual industries: „As their partner, we are currently doing everything we can to reduce the economic losses suffered by our exhibitors.“
„The city of Düsseldorf is complying with the instructions of the state government. Our aim is to slow down the spread of the coronavirus so that the health system can continue to function,“ emphasised Thomas Geisel, Lord Mayor of the state capital Düsseldorf and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Düsseldorf trade fair company.
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), delaying the spread of the virus as much as possible is also a declared goal. In order to fulfil Messe Düsseldorf's responsibility to avert danger, the company must first and foremost minimise the increased risk of infection at major events. Measures to minimise the risk of transmission at major events, which the Robert Koch Institute has clearly defined - such as ventilation of the event venue that is appropriate to the risk of infection, the exclusion of people from risk groups and the nationwide establishment of entrance screenings - were practically impossible to implement. Even comparable measures were and are unreasonable in view of the unpredictable, rapid development and the size of the various events with up to 60,000 participants.
Also drupa President Claus Bolza-Schünemann agrees with this: „A postponement of drupa was unstoppable after the latest developments. The decision is therefore correct and responsible. Numerous exhibitors would have been faced with logistical activities from mid-March - today's announcement of the postponement enables all those affected to react early, make new arrangements and prepare for the event date in April 2021. The joy of ‚embrace the future‘ remains unbroken - even in 2021.“
In view of the increased risk that a trade fair with significant international participation entails, the industry associations also welcome the announcement: „drupa is the most important meeting place for the international printing industry,“ emphasises Dr Markus
Heering, Managing Director of the VDMA Printing and Paper Technology Association. „True to the motto ‚embrace the future‘, it is characterised by personal, international contact and the live presentation of products. The risk of infection would simply be too high at the moment. We therefore support the decision to postpone the event and look forward to next year's date.“
An important signal for exhibitors and visitors who have already prepared for the event in June comes from the Düsseldorf hotel industry, specifically from DEHOGA (the German Hotel and Catering Association):
„We appeal to our members and the entire industry to be flexible when exhibitors and visitors change their bookings. Düsseldorf trade fairs such as drupa play an enormously important role for the city, the hotel industry and the catering trade. It would be counterproductive not to be accommodating here,“ said the DEHOGA representatives Giuseppe Saitta (Chairman of the Düsseldorf/Rhein-Kreis Neuss district group) and Rolf D. Steinert (Düsseldorf/Rhein-Kreis Neuss hotels and tourism trade group) in unison.
Werner M. Dornscheidt is pleased with the general consensus and support in this special situation: „We would like to thank all partners for their excellent cooperation in this serious and time-critical decision. We are pleased that a date was found so quickly in order to give everyone involved the greatest possible planning security.“
