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Ruth Carter
Guest Editor
Editorial Director Martin Fullard
Portfolio Director Duncan Siegle
Junior News Reporter Olivia Powell
Production Controller Sabrina Boucher
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Exhibition News Magazine
You know things are improving when exhibitors stop asking for their money back
What a difference a month makes . Boris ’ announcement of a roadmap back to being alive again has put a spring in everyone ’ s step . We are a community which thrives on both meticulous planning and last-minute firefighting and have felt exceptional paralysis as we were forbidden to plan and were not invited to the firefighting party . But all that is changing now , and the furnaces are being relit as we focus on getting back to business .
This month ’ s edition of EN really highlights a growing confidence among all parts of the exhibition industry . While we are delighted to see the start of activity again , no one believes that this will be a full blown ‘ bounce back ’. Organisers , contractors , associations and venues all feel a new level of confidence about our return to live events , but that confidence is seasoned with pragmatism and realism . The Government have been clear that anything can change with regards to timeframes , and I doubt we can backburner our rescheduling skills as yet . They have also been clear that the money pit will need refilling and we can be confident that they will be knocking at the door of our customers and clients which will have a knock-on effect on us .
But what the past 12 months have highlighted more than ever , is that we are an industry overendowed with an exceptional ability to innovate , adapt and thrive . Every person I have interviewed has almost shouted positivity at me about the future . We have created new routes to market with our digital offerings , we have redeployed resource creatively and successfully , we have shared and shared and shared , we have embraced the mantra of ‘ move fast , break things , learn , repeat ’.
I found myself lovingly stroking my high viz jacket at the weekend in anticipation of being back on the show floor and am genuinely looking forward to seeing all of you at our own industry event , International Confex , which is running ( Boris-willing ) on 22-23 June at ExCeL London . We all need to be there as we have to light the way back to live events for our customers .
If anyone deserved the saying of ‘ what doesn ’ t destroy us , makes us stronger ’, it is the exhibition industry . 2021 , we are ready for you and we have never been in better shape .
Ruth Carter , guest editor , Exhibition News
March-April — 05