FESPA Global Print Madrid moves to Amsterdam in March 2021

FESPA Global Print Expo will move from Madrid to Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and is now scheduled to run from 9-12 March 2021 instead of October 2020.

The flagship international event will be held at Amsterdam’s RAI Exhibition Centre, again co-locating FESPA Global Print Expo, European Sign Expo and Sportswear Pro.

“In March 2020 we took the decision to delay FESPA Global Print Expo by six months in the face of the advancing pandemic and its implications for our exhibitors and visitors. Since then the development of COVID-19 has been dynamic and unpredictable. While many regions are now gradually emerging from lockdown, at this point in time we cannot be confident that we could match exhibitor and visitor expectations of a FESPA event if we were to go ahead in October this year,” said FESPA CEO Neil Felton.

“Early March 2021 offers the strongest alternative, giving our exhibitors and visitors time to recover and ourselves time to prepare fully for any new operational requirements. Feedback from the market indicates that, having faced the considerable commercial challenges of 2020, our community will welcome FESPA Global Print Expo in March 2021 as an important platform for business recovery and forward progress early next year.”

Amsterdam is a popular and proven destination city for FESPA events, having played host to successful exhibitions in 2006, 2009 and 2016. Its accessibility via road and rail from so many areas of northern and central Europe will be an advantage for many visitors at this time.

FESPA Australia President Nigel Davies welcomed the decision to postpone the show.

“The cancellation was expected as parts of Spain return to lockdown and many thought the October date was too soon anyway. March may still be difficult for people in Australia but we look forward to when we can safely attend. Companies need the insights that only tradeshows of this scale can provide,” he said.

FESPA is scheduled to return to Munich in 2022.