With B2B business, it is particularly important to establish personal contacts and discuss solutions as well as experience products at first hand - this is the only way to achieve business objectives. These aspects are therefore also the cornerstones of the Christmasworld, Paperworld and Creativeworld trade fairs. Messe Frankfurt has devised a concept that includes detailed organisational, hygiene and medical measures to ensure safe personal contacts.

The protection and hygiene concept will already be implemented at the first events in autumn 2020 and at next year's spring fairs on the Frankfurt am Main exhibition grounds - this also applies to Christmasworld (29.1.-2.2.2021), Paperworld, and Creativeworld (30.1.-2.2.2021). It was drawn up and approved in recent weeks together with the relevant authorities of the State of Hesse, and follows the recommendations of the Robert Koch Institute.

"As organisers of the trade fairs, the safety of all exhibitors, visitors, partners and employees is of paramount importance for us. At the same time, we are keen to provide manufacturers and dealers with a great opportunity to relaunch their business with our platform. Thanks to the protection and hygiene concept, we are able to facilitate the personal contact that is so important at our trade fairs with the necessary safety. Because, following the lockdown, the need for personal encounters and physical exchange is immense in our segments and we are delighted to be able to make this possible again", says Julia Uherek, Group Show Director Consumer Goods, Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH.

Messe Frankfurt protection and hygiene concept

The top priorities of the protection and hygiene concept are the rules concerning distancing and hygiene. These and other measures to improve safety and hygiene are based on the applicable provisions and requirements set out in Hesse's ordinance on restricting contact and operations due to the Corona crisis issued on 7 May 2020. In accordance with this directive, the constant supply of fresh air and registration of participants are further pillars of the concept in addition to hygiene measures and maintaining a safe distance.

The physical distancing rules entail a redesign of the exhibition halls and stands: accordingly, stands must have a minimum size of 18 square metres to maintain a safe distance of 1.5 metres between exhibitors and visitors and between visitors themselves. In addition, some aisles between the stands will be significantly widened to create five-metre-wide boulevards that can be used for two-way visitor traffic. Narrower aisles with a width of three metres will be used for one-way visitor traffic.

Stand construction also needs to be adapted to comply with the rules on hygiene and keeping a safe distance. This can be achieved by reducing the amount of space required for presentation areas and shelving - thus allowing more visitors to access the stand simultaneously. Other possible solutions are meeting tables with the required seat spacing or transparent partition walls. To make it as easy as possible for exhibitors to implement these new regulations, Messe Frankfurt is offering prefabricated stand construction concepts for the 2021 events that take all the measures into account. 

Disinfectant dispensers are provided throughout the entire exhibition grounds, at the entrances and exits and in the halls to ensure comprehensive hygiene. Contact surfaces such as counters, tables, showcases, displays and exhibits are regularly cleaned and disinfected after visitor changeover. High-traffic areas on the site are cleaned more frequently and intensively by the service staff. 

The hall ventilation will also be optimised to the best possible level. The air in the exhibition halls will be completely replaced by fresh air approximately three to five times every hour, thus ensuring a continuous exchange of air. The efficient ventilation technology in the halls and aisles provides the ideal supply of up to 100% fresh outdoor air.

With its catering subsidiary Accente, Messe Frankfurt will continue to provide culinary services for its guests - in compliance with the applicable catering guidelines in Hesse.

Exhibitors and visitors to the fair are required to register in full, including a self-declaration of their current health status. To ensure the tracking of all participants, tickets are only valid on certain days. Online tickets enable full electronic registration as well as contactless payment and access.

Face masks covering the nose and mouth are another important element in preventing the spread of the Covid19 virus. The wearing of such protective masks is mandatory in all areas where it is not possible to maintain the minimum distance of 1.5 metres.

Protection and hygiene concept continuously under revision

"We are very pleased to have elaborated a concept in agreement with the authorities that enables us to carry out trade fairs safely and in this way make personal meetings in Frankfurt am Main possible once again. In doing so, we are offering international industries a business platform with which they can initiate business contacts for 2021," says Julia Uherek. It is expected that the protection and hygiene regulations will be updated in line with official requirements by the time the spring trade fairs take place in January. These amendments will be published here on a daily basis:www.messefrankfurt.com/hygiene

You will find all the information concerning Christmasworld, Paperworld and Creativeworld at:

www.christmasworld.messefrankfurt.com
www.paperworld.messefrankfurt.com
www.creativeworld.messefrankfurt.com