CES 2020 drew more than 180,000 people to Las Vegas
The wave of industry event and exhibition cancellations that started in late February with the scrapping of Mobile World Congress Barcelona due to the then-emerging COVID-19 pandemic, has reached into 2021 with the announcement today that the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, planned for early January, will not go forward as an in-person gathering.
According to hosting group the Consumer Technology Association, “With the growing global health concerns about the spread of COVID-19, it is not possible to safely convene tens of thousands of people in Las Vegas in early January 2021 to meet and do business in person.
“An all-digital CES 2021 will allow the entire tech community to safely share ideas and introduce the products that will shape our future. You’ll be able to participate in all the awe-inspiring moments of CES wherever you are in the world. We are designing a unique experience for the tech industry.”
CTA said it’s working on an “all-digital” experience that will include keynotes, conferences, product showcases, meetings and networking.
If you follow tech Twitter, this cancellation doesn’t come as much of a surprise given the global nature of the event, packed halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center, Sands Expo and virtually every other meeting/event space on the Strip.
Last year a Vegas-based media outlet projected the economic impact of the annual super show at nearly $300 million.
