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On Tuesday, Messe Wels announced the cancellation of the upcoming “WEBUILD” energy saving fair. “The fair in an area possibly halved with fewer exhibitors and visitors is not in the interests of our customers and the success story of this fair,” explains the director of the fair Robert Schneider when retiring. More trade show cancellations or postponements have already been determined (see below).
The reason for this step is the cancellation of the world’s leading ISH fair in Frankfurt. Therefore, world market leaders, particularly in the healthcare sector, were also not present at Wels. “We will apply for the third phase of the short-time job in early October,” laments Schneider.
In 2020 the fair will close with an estimate of minus 2.5 million euros. Losses are offset by reserves. The coronavirus will also have a lasting effect next year, says the head of the fair: “I would no longer call that driving on sight. It is a fact that the fair landscape will also suffer the consequences of the Crown in 2021. “Still no one can say how the situation will develop in spring and autumn of 2021.“ All major trade shows were canceled at the end of 2020. 2021 will also be an uneven year for our industry. “
In addition to cancellations, there are also many postponements in the national fair calendar that need to be planned. Schneider believes that it will not be possible to return to normality until 2022.
Staff reduction
Since then the first layoffs have been announced: “We have already had to cut eleven employees. In some cases, jobs that were left vacant were no longer filled or temporary service contracts were not extended. “
Before the cancellation, there were plans to host “WEBUILD” virtually: “The energy saving fair will continue to be a live event and after discussions with customers and associations it will not offer a digital fair next year.” They continued to rely on personal communication: “There is so far not a single digital fair format that works well. But what will come will be hybrid meetings,” estimates Robert Schneider.
The president of the exhibition, Hermann Wimmer, calmly commented on the current turbulence: “We assume that the situation will calm down in the coming months and that we will be able to hold safe and unrestricted commercial and public exhibitions again in early summer or fall 2021. ” Guest events are still possible.
Mayor Andreas Rabl (FP) shows understanding for the cancellation of “WEBUILD”: “Currently, Corona does not allow to plan important events. It is a big problem for the whole industry and it also especially affects the Wels fair because ‘WEBUILD’ is the most profitable fair of the year. “
New fair calendar 2021
The fair trio Fishing Festival / Archery Fair / Bicycle Festival from February 6 to 7, 2021 has been canceled and will take place again from February 5 to 6, 2022. The next “WEBUILD” will take place from February 2 to March 6, 2022 after next year’s cancellation.
HANDWERK Wels, a fair for wood, tools, paint and trade, from March 10-13 has been postponed to November 24-27, 2021.
Another victim of the crown is the Blühendes Österreich fair, which would have taken place from March 26 to 28, 2021. If the epidemiological situation allows it, it will be postponed until the end of April 2021.
Article of
Erik famler
Local editor Wels
