…integrates the event into Hannover Messe
By MKPE ABANG
Deutsche Messe has announced the immediate cancellation of CEBIT 2019 owing to “declining visitor numbers and a continuing reduction in space bookings.” Inaugurated in 1970, and held on the world’s largest fairground, in Hanover, Germany, CEBIT Hannover, as it came to be known, was one of the world’s most respected technology shows.
The latest CEBIT concept however, consisted of an exhibition, conference and festival.
Deutsche Messe stated that the “CEBIT topics related to industry will be integrated into Hannover Messe,” while new events focused on digitization are “in preparation.”
In the announcement cancelling CEBIT 2019 – which also effectively puts paid to CEBIT as a stand-alone event, Deutsche Messe said it is streamlining its event portfolio, and “will integrate CEBIT’s industry-related topics into Hannover Messe while also developing additional CEBIT topics into specialist events for decision-makers from vertical industries.”
The company was emphatic that “the realignment is due to reduced space bookings for CEBIT 2019.”
It explained further: “Technological developments within the digital economy have reduced demand for horizontal tradeshows such as CEBIT in recent years. Digitisation’s innovative impact is particularly evident in the industrial application industries. As such, many of CEBIT’s traditional core exhibitors have turned to events targeting these industries to generate new business,” the company explained.
“In recent years, many discussions within the German industry have involved the thematic overlap between Hannover Messe and CEBIT. It is now time to integrate the topics from CEBIT that are relevant for manufacturing, energy and logistics into Hannover Messe ,” said Dr. Jochen Köckler, CEO of Deutsche Messe AG.
“We are currently examining the digital market to determine which remaining CEBIT topics we will develop into new events.”
Effectively, CEBIT 2018 has come to be the last of this iconoclastic and once technology-trendsetting event. Also Deutsche Messe’s attempt to give CEBIT a new feel by moving it from March to June – CEBIT 2018 held on June 11-15 – hoping to tie it to Summer, failed to save the show.