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Europe’s Photokina Industry Association Suspended Until Further Notice.
In view of the continued massive decline in the markets for imaging products, Koelnmesse has decided to suspend photokina in Cologne for the time being.
“Unfortunately, the general conditions in the industry currently do not offer a solid basis for the leading international trade fair for photo, video and imaging,” says Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse. “This tough cut after a 70-year history was very difficult for us. The development of the industry, with which we have always had a close and trusting partnership, hurts us very much. But we are facing the situation with a clear, honest decision against continuing the event, which unfortunately has no alternative for us. “
Even before the corona pandemic, the imaging market was on the move, with double-digit annual declines. The dynamic increased massively in 2020 and was most recently associated with a decline of around 50 percent. At photokina, which has been the first address for the imaging industry for generations in Cologne and is one of the particularly positive and emotionally charged brands in the trade fair world, this has made itself felt in the recent past.
Since 2014, Koelnmesse, together with the Photo Industry Association, has been drawing conclusions from the downturn in the market and has responded with fundamental concept adjustments and high investments in new exhibitor and visitor segments. “These conceptual changes, like a change of cycle and a change of date, ultimately did not fundamentally improve the situation of the event,” says Managing Director Oliver Frese, Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse. “Today more is being photographed than ever before, but the integration of smartphone photo and videoography as well as image communication, for example via social media, could not compensate for the loss of large parts of the traditional market. So the overall situation is with the quality standards of photokina as a world-renowned brand.
Koelnmesse made its decision in close consultation with the Photo Industry Association. PIV chairman Kai Hillebrandt: “Our partners in Cologne have done everything to keep photokina as the leading global trade fair. In fact, the event in 2022 could not have met the expectations of the entire imaging community. That is why we on the part of the association are taking this unfortunately inevitable step. We would like to thank the Cologne team for a great 70 years together! “Contact: http://www.photokina.de, http://www.koelnmesse.de, http://www.piv-imaging.com
https://www.pbs-business.de/news/monitor/27-11-2020-die-photokina-wird-bis-auf-weiteres-ausgesetzt/
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