After becoming the first major flooring trade show to postpone its event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Domotex Asia/ChinaFloor is now primed to become the first flooring trade show to host an in-person exhibition since the outbreak of the virus. The show, originally scheduled for March, will take place Aug. 31–Sept. 2 at the New Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai.
After becoming the first major flooring trade show to postpone its event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Domotex Asia/ChinaFloor is now primed to become the first flooring trade show to host an in-person exhibition since the outbreak of the virus. The show, originally scheduled for March, will take place Aug. 31–Sept. 2 at the New Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai.
The exhibition space spans 105,000 square meters (1.1 million square feet), with more than 800 exhibitors from 36 countries.
Organizers are taking several steps to prevent the spread of the virus, including requiring face masks for all attendees and exhibitors in the building; installing temperature-measuring walk-through gates at the main entrances of the venue, along with further temperature checking within the halls; and requiring all exhibitors to have bottles of disinfectant at their booths. Complimentary masks will be provided to those who don’t have one, and there are stations selling bottles of sanitizer on site in case exhibitors run out. All bathrooms will also be equipped with disinfectants.
New policies issued by the Shanghai government and exhibition venue require all visitors to apply for pre-registration with passports/IDs and to state in advance which dates they will be visiting the show. This measure will help organizers control the visitor flow and maintain a certain number of visitors at the same time, while also providing specific information about visitors in case they need to be contacted later on to track and verify health conditions, according to event organizers. The information is protected and will not be used for any other purposes, an event spokesperson added.
Although it is an in-person trade show, the exhibition is also billed as a “hybrid event.” Organizers launched Global Flooring Connect, an online networking and matchmaking platform designed to connect international flooring buyers, suppliers and manufacturers unable to attend in person due to travel restrictions. It will also live-stream onsite events during the show, as well as host webinars and booth and factory tours.
The show will be the 22nd edition of Domotex Asia/ChinaFloor, which attracts about 40,000 people visitors yearly, according to its website. Organizers stated the show is carrying on this year in an effort to help the flooring industry recover, and to restart business dealings on a global scale.
“[The show believes], with strong confidence stemming from China’s steady and successful recovery from the pandemic, in offering an opportunity to support and revitalize the industry and keep the much-needed Asian hub for flooring up and running.”
More information on the upcoming show can be found here.
