Wednesday, October 7, 2020 - 21:48English

 The most important international trade fair for the volume footwear sector and the showroom for bags, leather goods and accessories will take place in January 2021, moving back to its traditional dates.

This unprecedented moment in history that the world is currently going through, and the desire to adapt to the situation with the utmost flexibility and spirit of innovation, have forced Riva del Garda Fierecongressi to shift the 94th edition of and the 5th edition of Gardabags to Saturday 16th to Tuesday 19th January 2021 in the Riva del Garda Exhibition Centre.

After a very carefully considered dialogue with all those involved – exhibitors, visitors and both international and local stakeholders – plus direct discussions and online surveys with Representative Institutions and International Agencies, last summer, Riva del Garda Fierecongressi had decided to bring the events forward to December 2020. The aim was to safeguard the relevant markets relating to the two events and give companies a positive impulse, by means of an early re-activation of the supply chain.

“The changing international situation has forced multi-national companies to put a stop to business travel until December 31st this year, and has caused significant limitations to the issue of visas. This has forced our company to opt to return to the traditional position within the international trade fair calendar – stated the Chairman of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi, Roberto Pellegrini – with the desire to continue to ensure that exhibitors can meet with their long-standing interlocutors, especially the Europeans, more than 80% of the total, as well as new clients, thanks to the potential offered by the digital world. It is a choice which will also enable visitors to have a complete preview of the new fashion trends, to plan their orders well in advance and make a timely analysis of the changes in the footwear market.”  

Expo Riva Schuh and Gardabags will be accompanied by a series of “phygital” elements, aimed at reducing the distance and finding alternative solutions for the close-knit network of relationships and exchange that generally make up part of every trade fair and which facilitate discussion and dialogue within the sector. 

A brand new idea will be the “Hybrid Stands”, special, personalised, exhibition spaces which can be shared or rented individually by the companies at the exhibition. The stands will be manned by multi-lingual staff, suitably qualified and appropriately trained, whose role will be to take care of the sample collections (pick-up, display and shipping at the end of the event) and who will also manage the rapport and negotiations by video conference between the client and the exhibitor. 

Amongst the latest additions will be ‘Prime,’ the new Buyer Programme which, by means of a series of online and offline opportunities, will guarantee various advantages to all those enrolled, such as access to a matching platform, digital routes, events, previews and exclusive services.

Riva del Garda Fierecongressi’s commitment is great, aiming to facilitate participation in the fair for exhibiting companies and buyers alike, both from an economic point of view and also that of organisation and logistics: special agreements have been drawn up with consultancy companies specialised in financing for businesses and also with agencies for promotion abroad and internationalisation. These synergies are aimed at providing all those involved in the exhibition with clear and precise indications as to how to access special funding and obtain economic incentives or to simplify expatriation procedures. 

“The start of the long-awaited extension works to the Riva del Garda Exhibition Centre, which, as from January 2021 will offer new solutions for the position of car parks, are proof of the optimism with which the company and the trade fair are moving forwards in this strange moment in history, heading towards the future,” added the Chairman, Roberto Pellegrini.

The 94th edition of Expo Riva Schuh and the 5th edition of Gardabags, scheduled for January 16th to 19th 2021, will take place will all due respect for the health regulations in force to safeguard the health of all those involved.

 

Press release

94th edition of Expo Riva Schuh and  5th edition of Gardabags

Riva Del Garda, October 7th 2020