The Marine Equipment Trade Show — Metstrade — has been canceled. It was scheduled for Nov. 17-19.
The team issued a press release this morning announcing the cancelation after reviewing possibilities with partners including the International Council of Marine Industry Associations, RAI’s exhibition committee and other stakeholders.
Metstrade and RAI Amsterdam teams had worked tirelessly to ensure the event would be in compliance with the most stringent health and safety standards. However, an uptick in Covid-19 cases in Europe, and likely more cancellations from exhibitors, forced the show’s dissolution.
“We have worked towards a safe and successful Metstrade with great dedication. The cancellation … 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,” said show director Niels Klarenbeek in the statement. “Our team is working together with our partners on different virtual ways to connect the leisure marine industry in these tough times.”
Bas Dalm, executive vice president of exhibition sales at RAI Amsterdam, said that they held out as long as they could before deciding to cancel the event.
“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,” Dalm said. “Although this decision hurts the entire leisure marine industry, it is the only right decision at this given moment.”
Metstrade is looking into virtual alternatives for a November event, with an announcement to come in the coming weeks.
“It has been an extremely tough decision and the Covid-19 pandemic has had a big impact on the industry,” said ICOMIA president Sara Anghel. “ICOMIA members support the decision to cancel this year’s show… and will cooperate with the Metstrade team to be the homeport of the industry as soon as possible.”
Next year’s Metstrade will take place on Nov. 16-18 at RAI Amsterdam.
