Page 3 - PET worldwide issue 03/2021

Comment

Hoping for a

return to normality

A virtual trade fair cannot replace a physical show: ence, however. No one will blame the sector, either,
this was the conclusion reached after four days of for not wishing to repeat the exclusively digital
Interzoo.digital. The first digital edition of the world- show format in 2022. Everyone is hoping for a swift
leading pet sector fair was not a flop, however. In- return to normality; in other words, a live Interzoo
teresting talks, discussions and company presenta- next year.
tions offered a lively mix that included something Most of the 336 exhibitors participating in the
for nearly every visitor. Chats and video conferenc- digital pet products show had low expectations ini-
tially, and many were even pleasantly surprised by
the outcome. Other companies did not want to join
the digital venture and decided to dispense with ap-

“DESPITE DIFFICULT CONDITIONS,
THE WZF HAS ACHIEVED SOME SUCCESS
IN BREAKING NEW DIGITAL GROUND”

pearing at the show. Since the retailer turnout for
Interzoo.digital was generally confirmed by the ex-
hibitors to be poor, as had been feared, critics of the
digital Interzoo format may also feel their misgiv-
ings were borne out.
es with sector players were easy to manage too, In summary, despite difficult conditions, the
provided that the technical transmission worked WZF has achieved some success in breaking new
properly, which was not always the case. digital ground and along the way has provided the
Interzoo organiser WZF was able to keep its pet sector with some important ideas on how to
promise to offer the pet supplies sector a platform communicate even in a pandemic. Trade and in-
on which it could network and present itself during dustry could benefit in future from the experience
the coronavirus pandemic. All things considered, derived from this event.
Interzoo.digital offered contact and information op-
portunities that were considerably more compre-
hensive than those encountered at previous digital
B2B fairs in the pet sector. The world’s leading pet
supplies show was therefore able to provide impor-
tant digital stimuli for the pet sector. Ralf Majer-Abele
In the run-up to the show, the organisers made
it abundantly clear that they would have preferred a Phone +49/72 43/575-230
live Interzoo event this year. The pandemic did not r.majer-abele@daehne.com
permit an international fair with a physical pres-

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