Events trade body rallies support for ICE as four more suppliers withdraw
The Association of Event Organisers champions UK vaccination policy as it encourages consumers to press ahead with plans
The Association of Event Organisers (AEO) has assured UK-based trade shows are safe after several more ICE exhibitors cancelled bookings.
The AEO, a trade body representing companies that host trade events, has moved to reassure potentially cautious firms, pointing towards a relaxation in government restrictions and success in the vaccination rollout in the UK.
More than 48 million people have been fully vaccinated in the UK and from 11 February, fully vaccinated travellers will no longer be required to undergo testing upon arrival in the country.
Chris Skeith, AEO CEO, said: “Thanks to the success of the vaccination programme, the UK is leading the world in terms of reopening and is very much open for business.
“Organisers continue to use the All Secure Guidelines, previously approved by government officials, which is a dynamic risk-assessed approach to create safe environments for customers,” he added.
Skeith’s comments come at a pertinent time for the industry as scheduled exhibitors for ICE 2022 continue to cancel their plans.
Slovenia-based gaming provider Spintec became the latest firm to pull out, citing both the pandemic, Brexit-related shipping issues and the lack of interest from international visitors due to the number of major exhibitors to have already pulled out.
Spintec said: “Not only is the volatile situation related to the ongoing pandemic preventing several of their partners to travel, recent withdrawals by the largest exhibitors are also bound to decrease the attraction for international visitors.
“Additionally, the effort to participate in the fair would be much increased this year due to more complicated Brexit-related import procedures [and] operational challenges due to the Easter holidays.”
Three Netherlands-based gaming providers Signs4U, REAC and Cash Support have also communicated their decision to pull out of the event, joining a raft of other suppliers.
Last week, R. Franco joined Novomatic, Zitro, Merkur Gaming and TCSJohnHuxley in withdrawing from the trade show which attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year and suppliers from across the globe.
ICE 2022 will take place at ExCeL London from 12 to 14 April after being postponed from the first week of February due to international restrictions over the Omicron Covid-19 variant.