CES 2021 in-person show in doubt as event draws closer

The scheduled start of major consumer electronics show CES 2021 is just over five months away. But many are wondering whether the annual event can still be held physically in Las Vegas, given the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.
The official word from the Consumer Technology Association, which owns and produces CES, is that the physical show is still a go. But it faces a host of challenges.
Clearly Las Vegas wants to open for business and is taking steps to make the city safe for visitors. But the Vegas area has seen a resurgence recently in Covid-19 cases. (See “Las Vegas’ Reopening Backfires Terribly” by Daily Beast.)
Also, even if the Consumer Technology Association wants to host an in-person CES 2021 show, many exhibitors and attendees might not come. Companies are emphasizing employee safety during the pandemic.
CES 2021 organizers say the next conference, set for Jan. 6-9, will be a smaller physical show. It will be complemented with a large online presence for people who can’t attend in person.
“It is a fact that CES 2021 will be a smaller show than it has been in recent years,” the CTA said in a note to industry professionals on June 30. “Fewer people will be able to travel to the United States and to Las Vegas, and many of our smaller and international exhibitors will not be able to travel to Las Vegas to exhibit this year. This will allow us to create more space to spread out and help enable social distancing.”
The Consumer Technology Association said it is working closely with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and the hotel venues on CES 2021 planning. However, it acknowledged that the in-person conference might be canceled despite its efforts.
“Though we are excited for CES 2021, we also recognize the possibility that new developments with the pandemic may require us to cancel the physical, in-person show,” the CTA said. “This would be a difficult decision but may be necessary. In that event, we will move forward with an all-digital show.
The CTA currently is planning two in-person CES Unveiled events in Europe ahead of CES 2021. CES Unveiled Paris is scheduled for Oct. 7 and CES Unveiled Amsterdam is set for Oct. 15-16. It usually holds a CES Unveiled event in New York in November, but no such event has been scheduled this year.
In mid-March, the CTA canceled its CES Asia 2020 conference, which had been scheduled for June 10-12 in Shanghai, China. Earlier this month, the organization said it decided to cancel all CES Asia events going forward.
Meanwhile, major events continue to be canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
On July 9, the National Retail Federation postponed its annual exposition and conference from January to June 2021 in New York City. It will hold virtual online events in January in place of the in-person show, the trade group said in a news release.
On July 15, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association canceled its annual Rose Parade, set for New Year’s Day 2021, because of the Covid-19 health crisis. Since its inception in 1891, the Parade has not occurred only three times – the wartime years of 1942, 1943 and 1945.

Related reading:

CES 2021 considering Covid-19 screenings for attendees (June 23, 2020: Tech-media-tainment)

The $100 billion conventions industry is starting to reopen after a months-long coronavirus shutdown (June 14, 2020; CNBC)

Photo: CES 2020 at Las Vegas Convention Center. (Consumer Technology Association)