Digital Signage Expo 2020 to go ahead amid coronavirus concerns

Event management says the virus will not hamper the upcoming trade show and conference

Show management of Digital Signage Expo (DSE) today issued a statement to address recent concerns surrounding the coronavirus:

With our trade show and conference staging March 31- April 3, and no outbreak of this virus in the U.S., we can confirm that DSE 2020 will take place as planned.

We have been closely monitoring the situation and will continue to do so over the coming weeks. The greater majority of DSE’s exhibitors and attendees are based in the U.S. There are currently no travel restrictions within the U.S., or to and from most international destinations. We don’t expect that to change prior to the show dates. So, travel to and from DSE 2020 should be as convenient and safe as ever.

The travel restrictions to and from China and South Korea have caused a select few of our 2020 exhibitors to cancel their plans to exhibit. This will not have a material impact on our trade show. Also, DSE traditionally does not have many attendees from China and South Korea (less than 2%). So based on the current restrictions to and from these countries, we don’t expect any attendance from either for DSE 2020.

While we’re committed to stage DSE as planned, we are also dedicated to the health and safety of all participants. We have assurances from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority that the convention center and all member hotels are maintaining high-level cleanliness and safety standards. As you likely know, Las Vegas is one of the world’s top convention destinations, so the safety of their visitors is a high priority. They, too, are monitoring this situation closely and will be ready to respond accordingly should anything change.

We’re happy to report that DSE 2020’s pre-show stats are very strong with nearly 3,000 registrants to date (that’s on par with 2019 when DSE posted its second highest attendance in its 16-year history). And, our exhibit floor will be packed with 150+ exhibitors. The exhibit also has some new features that we’re excited about and think you will be, too.

Now, we’d like to address the consumer media coverage surrounding all of this. Granted, we all need and want information so that we can be prepared. However, at the moment, most countries are not facing the difficulties that China is and they (we) may or may not for quite some time. There has been a great deal of speculation about the growth of the virus, but it’s just that, speculation. That’s no reason to be disarmed or uninformed, but it’s also no reason to panic.

The stats below were compiled by Worldometer, which is run by an international team of developers, researchers, and volunteers with the goal of making world statistics available in a thought-provoking and time relevant format to a wide audience around the world.

These are just a select number of the countries that they are monitoring with regard to the Coronavirus. You can view the entire list at https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/. 

As you can see, the real trouble lies elsewhere, not in the U.S. The virus takes two weeks to show itself. DSE will stage in five weeks. Something catastrophic is highly unlikely (or impossible) based on this timing. So, just as the British government advised as they were entering World War II, we think, with regard to DSE 2020, we should all “Stay Calm and Carry On.”

DSE, produced by Exponation LLC, will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center March 31-April 3, 2020 with access to the Exhibit Hall April 1-2. With more than 4,000 attendees and 150+ exhibitors, DSE is the world’s largest and longest-running conference and trade show dedicated to showcasing digital displays, interactive technologies and content platforms that create innovative and memorable customer engagement. Launched in 2004, DSE was the first event for the digital signage market and has been a significant contributor to the growth of this fast-paced industry. For complete details, visit www.digitalsignageexpo.net.