London UK – The UK Government have announced that from October 1st, 2020 B2B exhibitions will once again be held in England. This much-anticipated news opens the doors for domestic and international business delegates from around the world to meet and share ideas, renew essential contacts and further innovation.
Oceanology International (Oi) 2020 is set to take place at ExCel London from 1-3 December 2020, which will make it one of the first major industry events to occur since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic led countries around the world into lockdown. Oi 2020 will benefit visitors from around the world with an unmissable and diverse range of ocean technology and innovation, on-water demonstrations and technical conference content, ideal to help re-establish ocean businesses in the context of the ‘new normal’.
The announcement follows a long period of intensive negotiations between the UK Government and the Association of Event Organisers (AEO) – of which Oi organisers Reed Exhibitions is a member – together with the Association of Event Venues (AEV) and the Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA). Chris Skeith, AEO CEO, said: “We are pleased to see that – after months of constructive conversations with the government – a ‘go date’ has been issued for the exhibitions industry, which plays a critical role for the UK economy, generating £11bn in economic activity and supporting 114,000 jobs.
“Organisers, venues and suppliers have worked tirelessly to create COVID-19 safe guidelines which create the framework for the safe re-opening of exhibitions in a COVID-secure way,” he continued. “These include, but are not limited to, the ability to track and trace our audiences and create bespoke events on a risk-assessed basis.”
Oi and ExCeL London have been working with the AEV (Association of Event Venues) and other key stakeholders to develop the All Secure Standard, an industry-wide benchmark to enable the safe return of organised events. Although around 10% of the venue will remain as storage for the NHS Nightingale hospital set up at ExCel during the pandemic, the vast majority of the venue (90%) has been restored to its original state, allowing the venue to fully function within the security of the new guidelines.
Throughout the pandemic, the Oi Portfolio has delivered a wide variety of content to help keep the industry connected and informed via the Inside Oi Hub, which was launched in April creating an online resource filled with webinars, blogs and videos designed to assist all aspects of the industry.
To assist exhibitors and visitors in understanding and preparing for exhibitions under the new framework, Reed Exhibitions have developed a ‘new normal’ guide, which is available here.
David Ince, Event Director, Oceanology International, said: “This is great news for the hundreds of companies we support and facilitate connections for, as well as the events industry. After some challenging times for all of us, having the opportunity to bring expertise together from all over the world in an innovative and collaborative business environment will be a great way to finish the year.
“We look forward to welcoming everyone to London in December to resume first-hand experiences and conversation, and will work tirelessly to ensure that exhibitors, delegates and visitors are kept safe and secure through strict adherence to current government and medical advice.”
For more information, visit www.oceanologyinternational.com
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
David Pugh
Saltwater Stone
Tel: +44 (0)1202 669244
d.pugh@saltwater-stone.com
Maria Harper
Head of Marketing, Energy & Marine
Reed Exhibitions
Tel: +44 (0)20 8439 8878
maria.harper@reedexpo.co.uk
About the Oceanology International Portfolio
Connecting the Global Ocean Technology Community
Oceanology International is the world’s leading marine science and ocean technology exhibition and conference. Beginning its journey in the UK in 1969, Oi has established itself as a truly global portfolio, with events running in London, San Diego, Shanghai and Abu Dhabi.
Oceanology International offers a series of global and regional forums where industry, academia and government share knowledge and connect with the marine technology and ocean science community, improving their strategies for exploring, monitoring, developing and protecting the world’s oceans.
The Oceanology International portfolio includes:
- Oceanology International – London: Oceanology International is the world’s largest exhibition and conference dedicated to serving all professionals working in the global marine science and ocean technology sector. The first Oceanology International was held in Brighton, in 1970. Today, its home is at ExCeL London. The Oi 2020 exhibition is ending its 50th anniversary celebration and is expected to attract 500+ exhibiting companies and 8,000+ attendees from over 90 countries. www.oceanologyinternational.com
- Oceanology International Americas – San Diego: Returning to the thriving US blue economy hub of San Diego, Oi Americas is a growing regional showcase of technology solutions and services with an expected audience of 2,750 attendees from 30+ countries. The third edition takes place on February 15-17, 2021. www.oceanologyinternationalamericas.com
About Reed Exhibitions:
Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events organizer, with over 500 events in 30 countries. In 2018, Reed brought together over seven million event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today, Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa and organized by 40 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions serves 43 industry sectors with trade and consumer events. It is part of the RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries.www.reedexpo.com
