Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, travel restrictions and ongoing global uncertainty, the VNU Group has modified its show calendar to ensure successful inter-regional exhibitions during the second half of 2021
The schedule changes will result in the postponement of six major events in the agribusiness sector organised by VNU Asia Pacific, VNU Europe and its partners. The events were originally planned to take place in the coming months in Southeast Asia.
“Our exhibitions mobilise and connect cross-regional markets. High-quality visitors from several economies is the client expectation for these shows. This is especially true with VIV Asia, our flagship event for the Feed to Food portfolio and the leading platform of its kind throughout the entire Asia-Pacific region,” said Heiko M. Stutzinger, managing director of VNU Asia Pacific and Director VIV worldwide/VNU Europe.
“After consultation with our esteemed co-organising partners, exhibitors, and respective venues, we have decided to take action in advance and postpone VIV Asia, Meat Pro Asia, Free From Food Asia, ILDEX Vietnam, ILDEX Indonesia and Aquatica Asia until the second half of 2021,” announced Stutzinger.
VIV Asia and co-located events postponed until September 2021
VIV Asia and the newly co-located events, Meat Pro Asia and Free from Food Asia were originally scheduled for March and are now scheduled to take place on 22-24 September 2021 at IMPACT, Bangkok, Thailand.
“Global travel restrictions have remained, and Thailand continues to enforce a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all visitors entering the country. Our local office in Bangkok is monitoring the cautious measures that the Thai government is taking due to the concern of a second COVID-19 wave, as witnessed in other countries,” stated Panadda Kongma, director of VNU Asia Pacific.
“VIV Asia alone attracts more than 50,000 professionals, with 70% of participants visiting from outside of Thailand. Vaccines seem to be stagnant in the trail stage throughout multiple countries and are not likely to be broadly distributed until early 2021, thus limiting the ability for many companies to plan for business trips. As organisers, we believe that a high-quality show with an expected number of international buyers can come to fruition by postponing the shows until September 2021,” explained Zhenja Antochin, senior project manager of VNU Europe.
VIV Asia 2021 is scheduled to take place at the same exhibition halls (Challenger 1, 2, and 3) as previously planned for March. Additionally, Meat Pro Asia is confirmed to take place at Challenger 1 and Free from Food Asia at Hall 4.
ILDEX Vietnam postponed until July 2021 | ILDEX Indonesia and co-located event postponed until November 2021
To facilitate good attendance for the Asian agri-business shows planned in 2021, VNU Asia Pacific and partners have also decided to reserve new dates for ILDEX Vietnam, ILDEX Indonesia and Aquatica Asia.
ILDEX Vietnam will now take place from 21-23 July 2021 at SECC (Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Following in Q4, both ILDEX Indonesia and Aquatica Asia will take place from November 24-26, 2021 at ICE (Indonesia Convention Exhibition), Jakarta, Indonesia.
