Next photokina scheduled for 2022
Koelnmesse has announced the decision to cancel photokina 2020, which was planned to take place from May 27 to 30, 2020. The next leading international trade fair for photo, video and imaging is to take place in Cologne from May 18 to 21, 2022. This also postpones the premiere of the Imaging Innovation Conference scheduled for the day before photokina 2020, May 26th. For this new congress format, a new date well before photoina 2022 will be announced in due time.
Against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic, the management of Koelnmesse has decided not to hold any events in Cologne until end of June 2020. This decision is also supported by the City of Cologne’s crisis team, whichm at its meeting on March 18, 2020 also recommended that all trade fairs should be canceled during this period. According to a press release, the decision was also taking into account the agreement on common guidelines for dealing with the Corona epidemic, which was reaches between the Federal Government of Germany and the state governments on March 16, 2020. The document expressly includes the general closure of trade fairs and exhibitions.
Koelnmesse emphasized that the decision to hold the next photokina in May 2022 had been made in view of various factors. Even before the appearance of the coronavirus, the imaging market was already subject to strongly dynamic movements that would now continue to gain momentum, Koelnmesse said, adding this development had to be included in the planning for the upcoming photokina. In addition, the resources of the potential exhibitors for the year 2021 were already under heavy strain in 2021 due to the general economic development and numerous rescheduled events in the global trade show calendar. ”The focus on the year 2022 gives everyone involved enough time to design the next photokina according to the needs of the market, as well as exhibitors and visitors”, added Koelnmesse.
The chairman of the German Photographic Industry Association (PIV), Kai Hillebrandt, agreed to the decision to cancel photokina: “Of course, the PIV is fully behind Koelnmesse’s decision to cancel photokina 2020. The health of exhibitors and visitors must now be the top priority. As the conceptual sponsor of photokina, we will do our utmost to assist the Koelnmesse with the planning of the next edition of photokina.”