The SA exhibition industry believes it will rebound next year. In a recent web panel discussion hosted by the Association of African Exhibition Organisers (AAXO), representatives of leading exhibition organisers said they were still hard at work through lockdown, intent on delivering shows in 2021.
The talk was that exhibitions were again starting up in Asia and looking set to become stronger than before because of ‘revenge attendance’, lockdown fatigue and digital fatigue.
Dain Richardson, senior exhibition manager at Messe Munchen South Africa, said she was optimistic that the sector would come through the current challenges. “We know exhibitions are crucial – they are an ideal platform for companies growing their markets; they bring people together in ways that other channels cannot.”
AAXO Chair, Projeni Pather, said the industry was already a very regulated one, and the Event Safety Council was currently working on draft regulations to support exhibitions and events.
