Diversified Communications, the organizer of Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global, is considering 23 to 25 June, 2020, as the new dates for the seafood exhibition, which had been scheduled for 21 to 23 April.
Seafood Expo Global was postponed on 10 March due to public health and safety issues posed by the global COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Travel and mass gathering restrictions also played a role, Diversified Communications Group Vice President Liz Plizga said. In its original announcement, Diversified said it would provide new dates for the expo on 18 March.
Diversified said in a series of emails sent today to exhibitors, pre-registered attendees, and high-volume key buyers that limited availability of the Brussels Expo and a desire to give exhibitors and visitors likely to attend the expo time to plan were the main drivers behind the selection of the late June timeframe. But Plizga said Diversified wanted to collect as much feedback as possible regarding the proposal, given the uncertainty facing the seafood industry as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt business globally.
“Before we go out with an announcement, we wanted to hear from you first,” Plizga wrote. “Based on exhibit space availability and considering the size of the event and the time necessary for move-in and move-out, the Brussels Expo has available dates to hold the event on 23 to 25 June, 2020. We understand there is still some unknown around the COVID-19 situation and therefore we would like to know if the dates would work for you and your company.”
Plizga said the June dates were the first provided by the Brussels Expo, and that Diversified would not go forward the prospective dates unless it was safe and prudent to do so.
“As COVID-19 continues to impact our seafood community worldwide, we understand that business might not be top of mind. However, we also recognize that business must go on,” Plizga said. "The June dates were provided based on exhibit space availability and considering the size of the event and the time necessary for move-in and move-out.”
Diversified will strive to keep its customers and others impacted by changes to Diversified’s seafood events informed “to every extent possible,” Plizga said. Additional information will be shared by Diversified with exhibitors once it is available, she added.
The Portland, Maine, U.S.A.-based company has not released the results of the poll or made a final decision on new event dates for Seafood Expo North America.
