photokina 2020 is cancelled
After intensive consultation, Koelnmesse GmbH has decided to cancel photokina 2020, which was originally planned for 27 to 30 May 2020. The next leading international trade fair for photography, video and imaging will take place from 18 to 21 May 2022. The Imaging Innovation Conference will also not celebrate its premiere in 2020 as planned, and a new date has been agreed upon.
In general, the Executive Board of Koelnmesse has decided not to hold any of its own events in Cologne until the end of June 2020. This decision is also supported by the crisis management team of the City of Cologne, which also recommended in its meeting on 18 March 2020 that the trade fairs be cancelled during this period.
This is also taking place against the background of the agreement between the Federal Government and the state governments of 16.03.2020 on joint guidelines for dealing with the corona epidemic. It also explicitly includes the general closure of trade fairs and exhibitions. This affects the planning security for Koelnmesse and the participants of the trade fairs in Cologne far beyond the scope of the current scenarios. With this early announcement for photokina, Koelnmesse wants to give exhibitors and visitors planning security.
The decision to hold the next photokina only in May 2022 was made with a view to various factors: The imaging market was already very much in motion even before the appearance of the corona virus. This development will now gain further momentum and must be included in the planning for the next photokina. In addition, the general economic development as well as numerous rescheduling in the global trade fair calendar will already put a heavy strain on our customers' resources in 2021. The 2022 orientation gives all participants enough time to organize the next photokina according to the needs of the market, as well as exhibitors and visitors.
Kai Hillebrandt, Chairman of the Photoindustrie-Verband e.V. (PIV): "Of course, PIV fully supports Koelnmesse's decision to cancel photokina 2020. The health of exhibitors and visitors must now be the top priority. As the conceptual sponsor of photokina, we will support Koelnmesse to the best of our ability in planning the next edition of photokina".
