Breaking: IFA Berlin 2021 is canceled because of the coronavirus
The Germany tech expo IFA 2021 has been canceled because of uncertainties around the coronavirus pandemic. In a press release, Messe Berlin and gfu Consumer & Home Electronics GmbH have announced the key reasons for the cancellation – rapid emergence of COVID-19 variants in South East Asia and “continued uncertainties about the speed of the rollout of vaccination programs around the world.”
The uncertainty brought hesitance among companies to commit to participating at the Berlin trade show, as well as media and visitors who would have to plan in the last minute as travel rules frequently change these days.
Another reason IFA 2021 is not taking place is that the exhibition area has been turned into a vaccination center and an emergency hospital facility and is likely to stay that way until September. According to Martin Ecknig, CEO of Messe Berlin, expectations of taming the coronavirus were higher, which lead to “this difficult and disappointing decision”.
The organizers of IFA are now preparing for IFA 2022, which should be a full-scale live event, taking place between September 2-6 2022.
