By Alan Wolf, YSN
Two of the tech industry’s largest and most influential trade shows are resuming on-site formats beginning this summer.
For the first time in two years, CES will return to Las Vegas this January 5-8, while CEDIA Expo will be back at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis Sept. 1-3. Both events were conducted online during the height of the pandemic and will continue to offer virtual elements as an adjunct to the physical shows.
“We’re thrilled to return to Las Vegas — home to CES for more than 40 years — and look forward to seeing many new and returning faces,” said Gary Shapiro, president/CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the show’s producer. About 1,000 companies have committed to exhibiting at CES 2022, CTA said, including Amazon, Google, LG, Samsung and Sony. On-site safety measures will follow applicable state, local and federal laws and reflect guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and virtual attendees will be able to access exhibitors, conference sessions, keynotes and product announcements remotely, the trade group said.
Registration for CES, arguably the world’s largest consumer technology show, traditionally begins late summer/early fall.
CEDIA Expo, which caters to the custom integration and specialty A/V retail crowd, will open registration June 9.
In an interview with Residential Systems magazine, Jason McGraw, group VP of Emerald, CEDIA Expo’s producer, said over 350 exhibitors and about 100 educational sessions are expected in Indianapolis by show time. He said the Expo’s layout has been redesigned to allow for social distancing, and that face masks and daily temperature screenings and surface disinfecting will be required.
For those attending remotely, CEDIA will offer an on-demand training pass that includes virtual access to the conference, training classes and sessions.
Still, “Nothing can really replace the value of meeting face to face, getting hands on with products, and creating new relationships,” McGraw told Residential Systems. “CEDIA Expo is committed to helping our community get back to business.”
