CES will go ahead as an in-person event next year

The CTA notes that “the meetings world is developing and implementing best practices, and we will assess and evaluate the latest solutions in the coming months.” It doesn’t have concrete plans to take temperature readings at entry points just yet, but it’ll “evaluate solutions for contactless thermal scans.” There’ll be increased access to medical aid and health services on-site as well. 

The organization will also encourage attendees and exhibitors to adopt best practices for the likes of shaking hands and wearing masks. When asked by Engadget whether face coverings would be mandatory or if CES would have a smaller capacity next year, a CTA spokesperson did not provide further clarification.

CES 2021 won’t take place for another seven months, and a lot can change in that time — including future waves of coronavirus infections — so it’s perhaps a little premature to make firm plans for next year. At least one CES 2020 attendee had COVID-19 around the time of the event, and many others often leave Las Vegas with a case of the “CES flu.”

In any case, the CTA says major brands have committed to next year’s show. CES 2021 will have a larger livestreaming schedule as part of the show’s expanded digital presence, and the organization says it’ll “showcase our exhibitors’ products, technology breakthroughs and ideas to the world, both physically in Las Vegas and digitally.” Whether it’ll actually be safe enough for a huge number of people to attend CES in person is still up in the air.

Update 6/3 3:15 PM ET: Noted that the CTA did not provide further clarification about masks or CES 2021 capacity.

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Comments

373
Shares

Real Life. Real News. Real Voices

Help us tell more of the stories that matter

Become a founding member

Subscribe to the newsletter news

We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe