The PacPrint Board has made a decision to again postpone the show, this time to the middle of 2022.
Covid-19 outbreaks have caused ongoing uncertainty across Australia. The the current situation in Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland, and South Australia has seen 13 million Australians in lockdown.
Sue Threlfo, chair of the PacPrint Board, says the decision to postpone the show to the middle of 2022 became ‘inevitable’. She says, “The past couple of weeks has demonstrated that, unfortunately, this pandemic is far from over. Realistically, we have come to accept that restrictions will continue to apply for some weeks and perhaps months to come. Consequently, these may impact not only on the venue arrangements, but on the ability of our exhibitors to properly prepare their stands.”
Along with PacPrint, the co-located Visual Impact and the Label & Packaging Expo. Visual Connections Australia and the Print & Visual Communications Association (PVCA) own the shows. The introduction of the Trans-Tasman Travel Bubble also gave organisers hope that New Zealand visitors would make the show. However, the virus has proved difficult to contain.
Exhibitor support
Originally slated for May 2020 last year, the shows moved to September of this year and now to June 28 to July 1, 2022. This latest move places the show into a time zone where most of the population will have had a vaccination. In addition, the new dates are the first available at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre for next year.
Threlfo adds, “As the situation has evolved, we have been in constant discussions with the MCEC and with Austrade, and the owners of the shows. We are all in agreement that the increasing uncertainty for our exhibitors and visitors has become untenable. So, we have made the exceptionally difficult decision to postpone the expo until 2022.
“The exhibitors support this decision and have indicated their commitment to the show remains unchanged.”
Organisers will continue to make the latest information, floor plans, and exhibitor details available on the PacPrint website.
