What does the SPS 2020 hygiene concept look like?

The top priority for us as the organizer of SPS 2020 is the safety and health of everyone involved in the exhibition. Together with NürnbergMesse, we have therefore developed a comprehensive concept of organizational, hygiene and medical measures that will ensure a safe and successful SPS 2020 for everyone involved. In short: safety, safety, safety - there are no compromises.

What does the concept look like in practice?

We are taking organizational measures around the trade fair to ensure that the minimum distance of 1.50 m required by the Robert Koch Institute can be maintained at all times. In addition, there is sufficient space in the entrance and waiting areas of the halls and the mandatory wearing of face masks in the indoor areas of the trade fair. In addition, dispensers with disinfectants are distributed throughout the exhibition grounds and the halls are well ventilated. Part of the comprehensive protection and hygiene measures is also that there will be no ticket sales on site: All visitors must register online in advance! All other participants in the trade fair, from stand builders to exhibitors to us as organizers, must also provide their contact details so that the chain of infection can be traced if the worst comes to the worst. However, the probability of infection is low due to the aforementioned mask requirement.

How do you ensure that social distancing is maintained?

We are taking a number of measures to ensure that all trade fair participants can maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 m from each other. In the entrance areas of the trade fair and in the exhibition halls, we monitor and control the flow of visitors so that an excessive density of people is avoided and visitors can maintain the required distances. In the exhibition halls, for example, we deploy special staff to ensure that crowds of people are avoided and social distancing is maintained. We also create waiting areas and communication zones in each exhibition hall for visitors who would prefer not to visit a stand at the moment due to high visitor numbers. But of course, every participant at the trade fair, whether exhibitor, visitor, journalist or service provider, also has their own responsibility to maintain the specified minimum distances, just like in our everyday lives.

In recent years, over 60,000 visitors have come to the SPS. Will the number of visitors per day be capped this year?

The maximum number of visitors is based on the SPS event area. Based on the number of visitors in recent years and the size of the event area, we do not expect there to be any visitor restrictions.

Is there a maximum number of people per hall?

There is no official restriction at the SPS on how many visitors are allowed in a hall. It is important that social distancing rules are observed, as this is the basis of the trade fair's protection and hygiene concept.

Will there be an accompanying virtual program?

There will be a digital supplement to the SPS on site in Nuremberg. Visitors who cannot, do not want to or are not allowed to travel or are only on site for one day can use the virtual platform for a quick and comprehensive exchange with the exhibitors. In addition to a search function, it offers various functions such as matchmaking. Live broadcasts of the supporting program or the trade fair as a whole are also planned.

Some companies have travel restrictions for the entire year. How many visitors and exhibitors are you expecting at the trade fair?

This question is difficult to answer at the moment. How is the coronavirus infection developing in Germany? Will we manage to keep the infection rate at the current low level? At the moment, many districts in Germany are not reporting any new infections. If this trend continues and stabilizes, it will certainly have a very positive impact on travel activity and the willingness of visitors to travel, most of whom come from Germany or the DACH region. A higher infection rate may result in a lower number of visitors. Of course, we would be very happy if we could welcome between 50,000 and 60,000 visitors to the trade fair - always assuming that the stable development in Germany continues. Nevertheless, it is not the number of visitors that matters, but that the right people come, because then it is a very successful trade fair for visitors and exhibitors. The fact that the exhibitors support this is shown by the fact that we have the majority of exhibitors from previous years, i.e. all the major exhibitors, on board again.

Will Mesago recommend the use of the Corona app?

Personally, I would recommend everyone to use the Corona app. It is an ideal way to protect yourself and others from infection. For this reason, we recommend that all trade fair participants download the app on our website. However, I assume that the majority of our target group has already downloaded the app anyway due to their digital affinity.

Sylke Schulz-Metzner, Vice President SPS at Mesago Messe Frankfurt, answered questions from exhibitors and visitors at SPS in a live interview on July 22. The interview is an excerpt from the conversation, the recording can be found in our media library.