RAI cancels METSTRADE 2020
METSTRADE and RAI Amsterdam have announced that the Marine Equipment Trade Show, which was scheduled on 17-19 November in RAI Amsterdam, has been cancelled.
For more than 32 years, METSTRADE has been providing the most complete meeting place for the global marine industry. Organizers said due to the consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak, our mission cannot be accomplished successfully, therefore they believe it is the right decision to cancel this year’s show.
METSTRADE 2021 will take place on 16-18 November 2021 in RAI Amsterdam.
RAI Amsterdam is ready to accommodate METSTRADE in a COVID19-secure way, fully in line with all health and safety guidelines. The RAI has worked tirelessly to adapt all its facilities and protocols to enable events to be held in a safe, responsible and hospitable manner. However, given the uncertain worldwide situation organizers believe they cannot guarantee the high-quality show in 2020 with valuable face-to-face contacts with visitors which is expected from METSTRADE.
“We have worked towards a safe and successful METSTRADE with great dedication. The cancellation of the METSTRADE 2020 show has been a tough blow for my team and I, but listening to the multiple voices in the industry including the Exhibition Committee, ICOMIA, partners and the stakeholders this is the only right decision we could make,” Niels Klarenbeek, Director Maritime METSTRADE said. “Our team is working together with our partners on different virtual ways to connect the leisure marine industry in these tough times.”
ICOMIA members support the decision to cancel this year’s show and understand the current challenges.
“It has been an extremely tough decision and the COVID-19 pandemic has had a big impact on the industry,” Sara Anghel, ICOMIA’s president said. “ICOMIA endorses the decision of RAI Amsterdam and will cooperate with the METSTRADE team to be the homeport of the industry as soon as possible.”
“RAI Amsterdam has been hit hard by the current global crisis. We have remained hopeful about the continuation of METSTRADE until the very end, but the global situation has not improved significantly,” Bas Dalm, Executive Vice President Exhibition & Sales RAI Amsterdam added. “Although this decision hurts the entire leisure marine industry, it is the only right decision at this given moment.”
