CES 2022 and the Return of In-Person Conventions – What to Expect with In-Person Trade Shows and Conventions

It’s green lights all the way for the CES 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The annual consumer electronics trade show, where top electronics brands showcase their latest innovations, is coming back to Sin City, and this time the four-day event will be a hybrid live and online show. Could the comeback of CES signal the return of in-person events and conventions?

CES 2022 Live and Online

The good news was announced on April 28, 2021 by the Consumer Technology Association. CTA President and CEO Gary Shapiro mentioned CES’ anticipation to come back to Las Vegas. The city has been its home for more than 40 years! Shapiro said they look forward to meeting previous and new presenters who have expressed how vital CES is to their businesses. CES helps them find new customers and fosters relationships with existing clients and partners.

CES is the first trade show to be held at the new West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center and to use Elon Musk’s The Boring Company technologies. Because of the pandemic, organizers had no choice but to cancel the 2021 live event in July 2020. CES 2021 was solely online to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

A Las Vegas digital agency can help prepare businesses for the return of in-person conventions. Optimize your website for consumers using local search for events and build your brand in Las Vegas.

What to Expect in CES 2022?

CES returns to Las Vegas for another four-day trade show event on January 5, 2022. As always, the show will kick off on Wednesday until Saturday. Returning local and foreign companies include Amazon, AT&T, Dell, Daimler AG, AMD, Hyundai, Google, Lenovo, IBM, LG Electronics, Intel, Qualcomm, Panasonic, Sony, and Samsung Electronics. 

Around 15% of CES participants are foreign companies. CES 2022 also welcomes new participants such as Indy Autonomous Challenge, Sierra Space, and Caterpillar. CTA’s coronavirus safety measures are currently in the works. These were developed with the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as state and local health authorities and safety rules.

During previous CES trade shows, the event occupied the entire convention center area including the Sands Expo and Convention Center as well as some parts of Aria and Westgate. The Mandalay Bay Convention Center was primarily for media preview events. A press release was posted on April 28, 2021 regarding the 2022 event but the exact locations of the event participants in the convention centers were not disclosed.  

The Show Must Go On

The Las Vegas Review-Journal has published Gary Shapiro’s take on the return of CES in 2022. He underscored CTA's stand on the role of innovation and technology in creating a better world by helping to solve the biggest issues related to health, environment, energy, mobility, and so much more. CES is an international event, branded as the world’s largest technology and electronics event with people coming from all over the world.

On the other hand, Shapiro acknowledges that there will be some gaps in CES 2022 as some major companies have stated their intent to avoid or minimize their participation in the 2022 event. He said that he understands their health concerns as they want to avoid exposure to Covid-19 and possibly avoid quarantine in the city.

Shapiro said CES 2022 must go on as most of their members are smaller businesses. The event will likely be different from previous ones as it's riskier, but canceling the event will negatively affect thousands of SMBs, innovators, and entrepreneurs who have invested in their products.

Finally, Shapiro says that they are also aware that CES 2022 could be a spreader of the latest Omicron variant. They are doing their best to prepare by requiring participants and visitors to wear masks, offering free tests, and requiring proof of vaccinations upon entry. CES is under a vaccinated bubble with safety measures and a lot of space for everyone to observe social distancing.

Other In-Person Conventions to Watch Out for this 2022

Despite the threats posed by the Omicron variant, many companies are optimistic about normal business levels returning. HBR.org says that as the coronavirus has evolved, business owners have also improved their strategies to avoid infections and keep their workers healthy. Employers continue to be creative, adaptable, and flexible in containing threats and handling outbreaks should other coronavirus variants appear.

One indicator that companies are more confident of their health measures is the increasing number of in-person events such as trade shows and conferences. Aside from the Consumer Electronics Show, the Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal in November expects around 40,000 participants. To participate, visitors must be fully vaccinated or they may present negative COVID-19 test results. Masks are optional for attendees of this event.

Another event is the Render-Atlanta software engineering conference in mid September. This event also requires vaccination proof or negative test results for attendees. The organizers of this event will also provide free daily tests for its 400 participants, and masks are required. All attendees will get wristbands with colors that tell their comfort levels of human interaction while inside the conference venue. A person with a red wristband does not want physical touching and will only interact using virtual fist bumps and air high-fives. Meanwhile, those with a green wristband are okay with physical interaction such as high-fives.   

The Events Industry Council said that before the pandemic, trade shows and in-person conferences generated $1 trillion in revenue from direct spending and attracted millions of participants from all over the world. Meanwhile, the Center of Exhibition Industry Research has studied the economic effects of B2B trade shows in the U.S., noting that these events were expected to create around $105 billion revenue from indirect and direct spending last year. This number was reduced to $24 billion. The group also noted that recovery should be expected in 2023.

What Does This Mean for Local Businesses in Las Vegas?

If your business is located in Las Vegas, you need the help of a Las Vegas Local SEO Agency to prepare your business for the return of in-person conventions and trade shows. With a Las Vegas SEO Agency, you can jumpstart your local business, be at the first pages of Google search, and rapidly increase your revenue quickly and efficiently.