The Covid-19 pandemic has claimed another major food trade show, this time the Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America. The annual exhibition in Boston, originally slated for March 5-17, had been rescheduled to September 22-24 in hope that health and safety issues caused the novel coronavirus that originated in China late last year could be brought under control by then.
As of June 25, the number of confirmed Covid-19 infections globally had topped 9,467,000, with the death count exceeding 483,000. In the United States, there have been almost 2,383,000 cases and over 122,020 deaths attributed to the contagion.
“It is with great disappointment that we have to bring the news to our seafood community that we will not be able to meet in person in 2020,” said Liz Plizga, group vice president of Diversified Communications, the Portland, Maine-headquartered organizer.
She added: “Despite some re-opening measures nationally and locally, there are still far too many uncertainties about the impact Covid-19 will have on travel and mass gatherings this September. Accordingly, it is impossible to hold an event that would provide an experience the seafood community would find valuable.”
The show’s management team is contacting booked exhibitors to answer questions about the cancellation of the 2020 edition, and discuss opportunities to continue to build business and reconnect with seafood buying communities in the future.
The 2021 edition of Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America, which is scheduled for March 14-16 in Boston, is already off to a strong start with an 82% renewal rate, according to reported.
