Organizers for ISM, the world’s largest fair for sweets and snacks, are outlining the precautions they’re taking for next year’s event.

Koelnmesse has launched #B-SAFE4business, the safety and hygiene program that will cover both ISM and ProSweets Cologne, slated to run concurrently from Jan. 31 to Feb. 3. So far, 535 companies have registered for ISM, according to a list on the event website.

This includes, among other things, continuous online ticketing with complete registration, significantly wider aisles, extensive hygiene measures and the obligation to wear a nose and mouth mask in all sections except when seated at the stands or in the food service area.

Furthermore, Koelnmesse has launched the project #B-SAFE4businessVillage, which will give the exhibitors of upcoming trade fairs an idea over the next few weeks of how trade fairs can be made possible also during the coronavirus pandemic under observance of hygiene and safety regulations. 

As of October, the prototype of a trade fair event with various stand construction concepts and event formats will be simulated in Hall 9 of the Cologne fairgrounds on space spanning approximately 5,000 square meters. Diverse Koelnmesse sections and service providers will present new trade fair products there, which enable a coronavirus-compatible organization, such as an app that controls the visitor flow or a camera-based people-counting system. 

"We will act in line with the needs of the respective industry for each individual event,” said Oliver Frese, executive director and chief operating officer of Koelnmesse. “All of these measures support our customers in being able to plan and realize their trade fair appearance as efficiently as possible in spite of the current challenges. But the trade fairs will take place in order to give the industry important impulses directly for the new fiscal year. In addition, in the form of the already announced, new digital industry tool, Matchmaking365+, we will be taking an important step in the direction of the hybrid trade fairs of the future and are thus extending the digital reach of both trade fairs beyond the mere duration of the trade fair itself."  

From October 2020 onwards, "Matchmaking 365+" is for the first time providing the companies exhibiting at ISM with additional digital opportunities for establishing contacts and networking with customers. These also include product presentations, video content and other information in the digital "Exhibitor Showrooms.” Virtual meetings per video, chat or audio are also possible. Access to the digital trade fair platform is free of charge for registered exhibitors, trade visitors and media representatives.