Without question, the biggest topic that had the toy industry buzzing this week had all eyes on Germany.
With the global spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant spurring new rounds of travel restrictions and closures, many questioned whether or not Spielwarenmesse eG — organizers of the 72nd Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair — would plow ahead with its planning.
The rumor mill pegged Dec. 15 as the ultimate decision date and today, the organizers broke their silence:
“Thanks to the latest decisions taken by the Bavarian government and the improving pandemic situation in Bavaria, we can continue as planned with our preparations for the trade fair,” says Christian Ulrich, spokesperson for the executive board of Spielwarenmesse eG. “The intensive and constructive discussions with industry representatives over recent days prove just how highly the Spielwarenmesse is valued as a networking and order platform. We will do everything we can to give them what they have asked for — a real trade fair experience in safe conditions.”
The rules, as they currently stand, include the 2G+ requirements and focus on boosters rather than testing. According to the organizers, those who have received a third vaccination at least 15 days prior to the event will no longer require testing. Of course, this is all subject to change.
The 72nd Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair is set to take place Feb. 2-6, 2022. For the latest, check out the trade fair’s official website.
