NAB Show hopeful of fall 2021 return based on new data

The National Association of Broadcasters has conducted a study on the relocation of its annual trade show to October 2021.

In the data, which surveyed roughly 1,000 previous NAB Show attendees, nearly seven-in-ten expect to attend in-person events at this year’s NAB Show.

Industry Insights: COVID-19 impacts on this year’s trade shows

Three-in-five note the COVID-19 vaccine will, of course, be the most influential part of their decision process and 88 percent say they are likely to return once they feel the virus threat is mitigated.

The survey data comes from Freeman Event Research part of the Freeman group of companies which also handles logistics for the Las Vegas Convention Center and manages many trade shows around the globe. 

The 2021 NAB Show is currently scheduled for October 9-13, moving from its traditional April date. 

In a recent NewscastStudio Industry Insights roundtable, vendors offered a mixed reaction.

“We are in a wait-and-see mode. Obviously, we have to protect our team and partners from any danger, so we will decide about our participation during the first quarter of 2021,” said Claudio Lisman, president and CEO of Primestream.

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“If they are held, we will be at shows in the second half of the year, but the question will be in what kind of presence. The vaccine news is really promising, and the guidance from government health officials seems to indicate that we will be getting back to the old normal in the second half of 2021. But it still remains to be seen how many end users are going to be in attendance at the events, so while we are surveying our customers and prospects, we are keeping our options open on what level of investment we will have. But we will be there,” said Zixi’s senior VP of strategic alliances and marketing John Wastcoat.

NewscastStudio is also conducting a 2021 sentiment survey of its readers at this link.