The company says leading representatives from the European confectionery trade and industry are also looking ahead to the trade fair and are ready for the re-start.
Running alongside ProSweets Cologne, both trade fairs will offer detailed protection and hygiene advice as part of the #B-SAFE4business concept developed by Koelnmesse.
New measures in place for next year will include continuous online ticketing with complete registration, significantly wider aisles, extensive hygiene measures and the obligation to wear a mask in all sections except when seated at the stands or in the food service area.
Furthermore, Koelnmesse says it has launched the project #B-SAFE4businessVillage, with the aim to give exhibitors of upcoming trade fairs an idea over the next months of how trade fairs can be made possible under coronavirus hygiene and safety distance regulations.
Prototype trade fair
Starting this month, a prototype of a trade fair event with various stand construction concepts and event formats will be simulated in Hall 9 of the exhibition space spanning approximately 5,000 m² and will include an app that controls the visitor flow or a camera-based people-counting system.
Oliver Frese, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse, said: "We will act in line with the needs of the respective industry for each individual event. All of these measures support our customers in being able to plan and realise their trade fair appearance as efficiently as possible in spite of the current challenges.
Even if we will probably still not be able to match the international dimensions of the previous events at the beginning of the New Year and even if the participation is significantly more focused: For example, there is going to be a strong European emphasis at ISM and ProSweets Cologne. But the trade fairs will take place in order to give the industry important impulses directly for the new fiscal year.”