Category: Events

  • ITSHub Canceled as Coronavirus Spikes

    ITSHub Canceled as Coronavirus Spikes

    Photo courtesy of Messe Dortmund

    Messe Dortmund has canceled its ITShub event, which was scheduled to take place Nov. 3-4, 2020, at the Dortmund Exhibition Center in Dortmund, Germany.

    Messe Dortmund announced ITShub hybrid platform earlier this year, as an interactive substitute for the InterTabac and InterSupply trade fairs, which have been postponed to 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Rising virus infections around the world have now prompted the organizers to call off ITShub, as well.

    “The way infections have been trending over the last few weeks has unfortunately made our plans for this successful ITShub pilot considerably more difficult to achieve,” said Sabine Loos, managing director of Westfalenhallen Unternehmensgruppe, in a statement.

    “Feeding the online part of a hybrid event with content for virtual visitors naturally requires a panoply of physical events, but the travel associated with being physically present remains a real challenge—especially for international participants—and in the end this is what led to the event being cancelled.”

  • InterTabac Adapts to Pandemic

    InterTabac Adapts to Pandemic

    Intertabac before the coronavirus pandemic
    Photo: Messe Dortmund

    Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the InterTabac and InterSupply trade fairs will take place in the form of an “ITS Hub” this year. Scheduled for Nov. 3-4, 2020, the event will combine elements of a physical event and virtual platform.

    “Our event brings together the best of both worlds, reflecting the diversity of the tobacco industry and tobacco production, and merging the advantages of a conventional trade fair and an online event,” said Sabine Loos, managing director of Westfalenhallen Unternehmensgruppe.

    According to Loos, the event will feature physical zones where companies can present their products and then move to separate “communication islands” for further discussions or product samples. The physical areas have been designed with partition walls and adequate space to allow for social distancing. In addition, the event will have a stage and a video spot connecting the real world and the digital world.

    The central point of contact on the Internet is a digital platform on which visitors aged 18 and over will be able to register and follow the program on site.

    “When it comes to the live streaming of the on-stage program and individual product presentations—complete with simultaneous interpreting—we’ll be using tools to enable direct interaction, ensuring everyone has as ‘normal’ a trade fair experience as possible,” said Loos.

    “We are also currently preparing offerings such as tobacco product samples that exhibitors and partner organizations will be able to send to verified users’ homes,” said Loos. “This means that one of the signature aspects of InterTabac and InterSupply—smelling, tasting and experiencing the various products—will be preserved even during the current pandemic.”

    Access to the online content will be free of charge.

    The next regular-format InterTabac and InterSupply shows are scheduled for Sept. 16-18, 2021.

  • The Global Forum on Nicotine 2020 Moves Online

    The Global Forum on Nicotine 2020 Moves Online

    The Global Forum on Nicotine (GFN) will take place online June 11-12, 2020, following the cancellation of the face-to-face event in Warsaw due to Covid-19.

    The conference is free of charge and open to everyone with an interest in nicotine science and policy.

    During the conference, experts will discuss advances in nicotine science, the ethical arguments in favor of tobacco harm reduction and the human rights issues for all those who advocate for the right to health will be explored.

    “As always, and perhaps even more so in this critical year, GFN is open to everyone with an interest in nicotine science and policy,” said Paddy Costall, co-director of the conference.

    “It is open to everyone who wants to reduce the toll of tobacco-related death and disease worldwide. And it is open to everyone who recognizes that global tobacco control will fail without the strategic addition of tobacco harm reduction, in the form of widespread access to safer nicotine products. We look forward to welcoming you on the 11 and 12 June—and hope to see many of you in Warsaw, where we plan to meet again in June 2021.”

    Participants can register now.

  • InterTabac Postponed, Organizers Working on Alternative Format

    InterTabac Postponed, Organizers Working on Alternative Format

    Photo: Messe Dortmund

    The InterTabac and InterSupply trade fairs planned for Sept. 18-20, 2020, in Dortmund, Germany, will not be held in their customary formats this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The traditional versions of both fairs will be postponed to Sept 16-18, 2021

    The decision was taken by agreement between the organizer, Messe Dortmund and the partner associations representing the tobacco industry, tobacco product wholesalers and retailers.

    The parties involved have agreed to work on an alternative format to take place in autumn 2020 leveraging the strengths of the trade fair for tobacco products and smoking accessories and of the trade fair focusing on the manufacturing process for tobacco products, e-cigarettes, pipes and shisha tobaccos.

    “Even though there have been signs of relaxation in Germany in recent weeks regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, and local authorities have again made it possible to hold trade fairs with limited attendance while observing appropriate hygiene measures, we as organizers continue to pay particular attention to our responsibility to protect the health of everyone involved”, explained Sabine Loos, managing director of Westfalenhallen Unternehmensgruppe, the parent company of organizer Messe Dortmund.

    “As a result, working closely with our partner associations, we have decided to jointly develop a new concept for this autumn, and to present it in detail shortly.”

  • PCA 2020 Vegas Trade Show Cancelled

    PCA 2020 Vegas Trade Show Cancelled

    Credit: Timothy S. Donahue

    The PCA 2020 Convention & Trade Show, the cigar industry’s most important event on the calendar, has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Formerly called the the IPCPR Convention & Trade Show, the event was scheduled to take place July 10-14 at the Sands Expo Center at The Venetian in Las Vegas.

    After months of public statements that the trade show would go on, the organization has decided to cancel the event, according to a story by Charlie Minato of Halfwheel. Last week, multiple manufacturers indicated they had been informed by the organization that its intent was to cancel the event this week, less than 60 days before the start of the trade show.

    “After much deliberation and careful discussions of every aspect of our annual convention and trade show, the PCA Board and the Associate Member Advisory Board have made the difficult decision to cancel our current event scheduled for July,” said Pearce in a press release. “The annual event is an important fixture in the premium tobacco industry, and we were very excited to bring a whole new experience to the industry this year. However, the public health and safety of our attendees, staff and volunteers outweighed any other considerations in our collective decision-making process.

    “We understand how important this event is to the business needs of both our manufacturers and our retailers, so we are redoubling our efforts to create innovative new ways to aid our members this year.”

    The organization said it will release further details about those programs in “the coming weeks.”

  • Growing Optimism About Intertabac

    Growing Optimism About Intertabac

    Photo: Timothy Donahue

    The Westfalenhallen group of companies is increasingly hopeful that, with appropriate measures in place, the Intertabac exhibition, scheduled for Sept. 18-20 in Dortmund, Germany, will take place. The event and trade fair industry worldwide has been affected by the coronavirus epidemic. “Nevertheless, due to the latest signals from politics, we are a bit more positive about the organization of trade fairs in Dortmund, [Germany],” said Sabine Loos, managing director of the Westfalenhallen group of companies.

    The authorities are currently determining under what conditions trade fairs could take place after May 31. Discussions focus on hygiene measures and limiting the number of participants. Specifics are expected to be announced soon.

    “Afterwards, we will evaluate these measures and, on this basis, coordinate our further course of action—especially with regard to InterTabac and InterSupply,” said Loos. “We assume that voting on this should be completed in late May and early June.”

    Messe Dortmund is working to create concepts for holding trade fairs. At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, various measures were successfully introduced at the exhibition center in Dortmund, and an awareness campaign on various channels indicated the correct handling of the hygiene area. With the upcoming loosening of Germany’s lockdown from June 2020, new conditions will be imposed on trade fair organizers. These will be incorporated into the overall concept of Messe Dortmund and included in the planning for InterTabac and InterSupply.

  • Tax Free World Association Cancels Duty-Free Conference

    Tax Free World Association Cancels Duty-Free Conference

    The Tax Free World Association (TFWA) has canceled the 2020 TFWA World Exhibition and Conference scheduled for Sept. 27 to Oct. 2 due to the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

    The TFWA board and management committee took into account the continuing uncertainty surrounding the travel and health situation as well as the worldwide fall in industry activity.

    “By agreeing significant reductions to space rental fees, making changes to the format and working with our partners in Cannes to reduce the cost of taking part in the event, we did what we could to attempt to ensure the TFWA World Exhibition and Conference could take place,” said Alain Maingreaud, TFWA president.

    “Since making those changes, we have monitored the situation daily and been in constant contact with our members and partners. The way in which the situation has developed with the economic impact of the crisis becoming increasingly serious amid continuing uncertainty over restrictions on travel has forced us to review our plans.

    “The management committee was unanimous in its decision to cancel the 2020 edition and in its desire for the association’s events to play a central role in the industry’s recovery from 2021.

    “The cancellation of TFWA World Exhibition and Conference will have a significant impact on the association’s finances, but thanks to the sound management of our resources up to now, we have been able to build reserves to help us cope with difficult periods such as this.

    “We remain determined to do all we can to help our industry emerge from its most difficult period, keep our members and partners informed and help coordinate our industry’s response to the current crisis.”

  • Coresta on Track for Vienna

    Coresta on Track for Vienna

    Coresta will hold its 2020 congress in Vienna, Austria, from Oct. 11–15.

    The theme of the congress is “Integrated Science: Opportunities and Challenges,” and it will be hosted by Japan Tobacco.

    The congress will be held at the Hilton Vienna Hotel. Early-bird registration will run through Aug. 5, 2020, and a working program will be available at the end of June.

    “The forthcoming congress is an opportunity for delegates to share their experiences and advancements in science with a focus on opportunities and challenges now and in the future,” Coresta wrote in its newsletter.

    Those wishing to present papers at the congress can submit abstracts through Coresta’s website. Submissions close May 15.

  • World Tobacco Europe in Sofia Rescheduled for October 2020

    World Tobacco Europe in Sofia Rescheduled for October 2020

    Photo courtesy of Quartz Media

    In light of the continuing fight against Covid-19, the organizers of World Tobacco (WT) Europe have announced that the event will now take place Oct. 27–28, 2020.

    More than 1,000 tobacco professionals from across Europe were due to convene in Sofia at the end of May when the Bulgarian capital was originally due to host the event.

    “We are obviously disappointed, but the safety of our attendees and staff must come first. We now have a clear window of opportunity to revisit our plans for the event and will be using this time to ensure we are delivering a powerful platform for the industry to begin its recovery after Covid-19,” states Tony Crinion, managing director of Quartz Business Media, organizer of the highly successful series of WT Events.

    “We would like to thank all our exhibitors, sponsors, visitors and speakers for their continued support and patience during this challenging time. Please stay safe and well, and we look forward to bringing the industry together again very soon,” Crinion adds.

    All existing bookings, content and visitor registrations remain in place and will be transferred automatically to the new dates. 

    With leaf cultivation dating back to the late nineteenth century, Sofia has a long and proud association with the tobacco industry, and tobacco remains an important cash crop for the entire region. 

    Supported by industry associations, major suppliers and manufacturers from across the continent, WT Europe provides a unique opportunity for the European tobacco industry to focus on the latest issues surrounding the sector and to strengthen communication between players in the industry.

    Exhibition of international suppliers 

    Visitors will be able to try new products and see the latest innovations from international suppliers, including Aiger Engineering, KT International, Socotab EOOD, Star Agritech International, Focke & Co. and Miquel Y Costas.

    Products on display will include agricultural machinery; processing and packaging equipment; flavoring and aromatic materials; packaging solutions; tipping and plug wrap; adhesives; inspection, testing and laboratory equipment; and tobacco products.

    Two-day conference program

    Organized by the European Leaf Tobacco Interbranch, the conference includes a carefully designed mix of keynote sessions, panel discussions, technical presentations, case studies and Q&A sessions all under the central theme of “The Future of European Leaf Tobacco.” 

    Sessions will study market updates, regulation developments, sustainability, the EU common agricultural policy, impacts of the single-use plastic EU directive, international trade issues and alternatives for the tobacco supply chain.

    The exhibition and conference are free to attend for preregistered visitors. Further information can be found at wtevents.com/europe.

    Please add WT Europe to your event calendars:

    World Tobacco Europe

    Oct. 27–28, 2020

    Inter Expo Centre, Sofia, Bulgaria

    www.wtevents.com/europe