10 STATEMENT RAI Amsterdam


cancels METSTRADE 2020


M


ETSTRADE and RAI Amsterdam have announced with great sadness that the Marine


Equipment Trade Show, which was scheduled to take place at the RAI Amsterdam exhibition centre from 17-19 November, has been cancelled. The event is the world’s largest trade exhibition for equipment, materials and systems for the international marine leisure industry and is organised by RAI Amsterdam in co-operation with the International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA). Its target group includes yacht builders, naval architects, refit yards, distributors, dealers, wholesalers, captains, marina owners and marine equipment manufacturers worldwide. For more than 32 years,


METSTRADE has been providing MARINA INDUSTRY • AUGUST 2020


the most complete meeting place for the global marine industry. Due to the consequences of the Covid-19 outbreak, the organisers’ mission cannot be accomplished successfully and therefore they believe that it is the right decision to cancel this year’s show. METSTRADE 2021 will take place on 16-18 November, next year RAI Amsterdam is ready to


accommodate METSTRADE in a Covid-19-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, the venue believes it cannot guarantee the high-quality show in 2020, with valuable face-to-face contacts with visitors, which is


expected from METSTRADE. Niels Klarenbeek, Director Maritime METSTRADE, is naturally disappointed, but also optimistic. He stated, “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. 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. Sara Anghel, ICOMIA’s


new President, said: “It has been an extremely tough decision and the Covid-19 pandemic has had a big impact on the industry. ICOMIA endorses the decision of RAI Amsterdam and will co-operate with the METSTRADE team to be the homeport of the industry as soon as possible”. Bas Dalm, Executive Vice-


President, Exhibition & Sales at RAI Amsterdam, is saddened by the decision to cancel the METSTRADE show. He explained, “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. Although this decision hurts the entire leisure marine industry, it is the only right decision at this given moment”.


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