With the green light just given by the Italian Government, Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags do not make a sector that has already waited long enough wait any longer for the opportunity to return to a physical fair where it is possible to interact with one another, scheduling the respective 95th and 6th editions of these two fairs from 18 to 20 July, in the Riva del Garda trade fair district. The dates are one month later than the normal summer edition: the new positioning on the trade fair calendar was chosen after asking the opinion of the event’s international stakeholders, following a programme that wants to provide businesses and their activities with certainties and the perfect timing in presenting the Summer 2022 collections. At the same time, it aims to guarantee that the activities of event are undertaken in complete safety. In this regard, a special sanitary protocol has been developed with measures concerning access and presence of visitors to the fair, with the creation of structured and rational paths, and an internal triage service with quick post-demonstration swab tests.
A courageous decision that would like to mark the restart of recovery for the sector, which was hit very hard by the pandemic: “In the 15 months that have passed since the last physical edition of the fair, digital has enabled us to contain the unpleasant consequences that the pandemic has had, and continues to have on the footwear and leather goods markets. Nevertheless, the fashion industry continues to be very strongly linked with the real experience: it needs to touch and feel components, materials, designs and products - underlined Alessandra Albarelli, Managing Director of Riva del Garda Fierecongress, and organiser of the event. - At this moment in time, a physical event would provide a concrete and timely opportunity for the companies in the industry to restart, and an opportunity that we would like to augment through the digital know-how that we have acquired during this period of forced arrest.”
The formula proposed will integrate the physical with digital, bringing to the forefront a hybrid network, capable of uniting, positively, the two elements in a proactive manner. Thus, in this perspective of synergy between the two channels, starting from June 13th and continuing until 30th September 2021, the Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags community will have the opportunity to access the virtual platform which, over the past few months, has paved the way towards a return to the physical fair, with a path that is oriented towards business, networking and updates, packed with proposals and innovative ideas. A tour that combines the best of online and offline, and which will culminate with the physical edition of the fair from July 18th to 20th: “Trade fairs are a crucial tool for supporting the economic and industrial systems of the countries involved, and, for them to get back in full swing, the effort required is great and complex - concludes Roberto Pellegrini, Chairman of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi. – It is necessary to look to technology and safety in order to be competitive and it will be a long job for sure, but the important thing is to enable traditional organisational processes to coexist with the new opportunities offered by digitalisation, forming a virtuous integration which will be fundamental in getting the entire system going again”
These are the next dates of the events:
95th edition of Expo Riva Schuh: 18/19/20 July 2021
6th edition of Gardabags: 18/19/20 July 2021
Digital connection to the Swapcard Platform: 13 June – 30 September 2021
