Happi Staff01.06.21
Pack your bags, sales and marketing executives! Tradeshows will be back in 2021, insists Infoma, the world's largest exhibition company. In fact, shares of Informa jumped 2% on the FTSE after that proclamation. Of course, wishful thinking is just that, and Informa admitted that it has pushed all of its European events out past Q2 2021.
However, the company noted that 90% of non-Chinese exhibitions planned in the year are now scheduled to run from June onward.
“As the vaccine and testing programs progress, markets gradually open up and customer confidence starts to recover in 2021, we are focused on making the most of physical event opportunities as they arise,” said Informa Chief Executive Stephen Carter. “It is likely to be a year of return for physical events, rather than full rebound and recovery but the shape and mix of our portfolio, focused on major brands in major markets on major trade routes, puts us in a good position."
Shares in Informa have fallen more than 35% during the past 12 months. The company, which arranges more than 450 shows each year, including China Beauty Expo, World of Concrete and Arab Health, was forced to cancel or postpone hundreds of events last year, as the COVID-19 pandemic brought the global events circuit to a standstill. To help weather the crisis, Informa cut jobs, closed offices, raised £1 billion in equity and restructured its debt.
However, the company noted that 90% of non-Chinese exhibitions planned in the year are now scheduled to run from June onward.
“As the vaccine and testing programs progress, markets gradually open up and customer confidence starts to recover in 2021, we are focused on making the most of physical event opportunities as they arise,” said Informa Chief Executive Stephen Carter. “It is likely to be a year of return for physical events, rather than full rebound and recovery but the shape and mix of our portfolio, focused on major brands in major markets on major trade routes, puts us in a good position."
Shares in Informa have fallen more than 35% during the past 12 months. The company, which arranges more than 450 shows each year, including China Beauty Expo, World of Concrete and Arab Health, was forced to cancel or postpone hundreds of events last year, as the COVID-19 pandemic brought the global events circuit to a standstill. To help weather the crisis, Informa cut jobs, closed offices, raised £1 billion in equity and restructured its debt.