Interview with Mr. Falk Senger, Messe München

electronica 2000 will look different

Even as the rates of infection continue to drop, electronica 2020 will certainly look different than its predecessors: What measures do you have planned to ensure the best possible protection for visitors and exhibitors?

“electronica is one of Messe München’s biggest events. In 2018, it occupied 17 of 18 halls. To be able to carry out such an event safely under the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, we need a special protection and hygiene concept. Messe München has already developed this and is currently coordinating it with the respective authorities. Concrete measures include setting up first-aid stations staffed by qualified medical personnel, disinfectant dispensers across the entire exhibition grounds, and the continuous use of cleaning services. Lastly, we benefit from the excellent infrastructure of the Munich exhibition grounds, which ensures the highest hygiene standards and is currently being improved even further.

Alongside such measures, in which you as organizer can become active yourself, you are also dependent on regulations that lie beyond your control, for instance, in the form of travel restrictions or, in the worst case scenario, a renewed lockdown. How do you prepare yourself strategically for such situations?

“With a 50 percent share of international visitors, travel restrictions naturally have an impact on a leading global trade fair like electronica. In this case, we expect the situation to continue to ease by the fall. We are, however, aware that the number of visitors coming to electronica from overseas will probably be lower.

More specifically: How is the risk distributed between organizer and exhibitors? Are there extended cancellation deadlines, for example?

“At this point in time, the known Messe München cancellation guidelines apply. If the trade fair is canceled, the participation fee will be refunded. We are also giving the companies more time to confirm their space. Finally, we are in close contact with the Munich hotels. In the case of pending binding cancellation deadlines for which payment is therefore required by our joint customers, the hotels have ensured us that they will be flexible, since it is in the hotel operators’ interest to maintain good customer relationships.”

electronica as a global meeting place for the sector is heavily dependent on the numerous direct personal contacts that are possible there. Would electronica as a purely virtual event be conceivable for you?

“You said it, electronica is dependent on the numerous personal contacts on site. Coronavirus has indeed given digitalization a huge boost. In the past ten weeks, I have taken part in far more video conferences than before in my entire working life. We will also incorporate this development into planning digital offerings for electronica. For me, for example, I could imagine “extending” the electronica conferences in digital form as a first step, in other words, allowing interested parties to take part who were unable or didn’t want to travel to Munich.”

1. Interview with Mr. Falk Senger, Messe München
2. electronica 2000 will look different