Organizers of CES 2022 are pressing ahead with plans to host tens of thousands of people in Las Vegas next month, setting up the technology conference as a test for mass business gatherings at a time when surging Covid-19 cases are prompting other companies and groups to change plans.
Several participants including Amazon.com Inc., Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. and Twitter Inc., and at least one keynote speaker, T-Mobile’s chief executive, have withdrawn from the event.
The Consumer Technology Association is kicking off the biggest U.S. tech conference the first week of January with a scaled-back crowd and vaccine and mask requirements. While there’s a digital component, the organization expects 50,000 to 75,000 attendees at the Las Vegas Convention Center and other venues.
In a normal year, the show gathered close to 200,000 attendees, though it went entirely online last January.
“Right now, we have exhibitors building booths in Las Vegas,” CTA Chief Executive Gary Shapiro said Friday, adding that the exhibitor count was rising, not dropping. He said the event would proceed unless a government mandate made it impossible to host.
The newer Omicron variant is currently driving increased Covid-19 cases across the country. It’s causing companies such as Apple Inc. to reconsider plans to open their offices. JPMorgan’s big San Francisco healthcare conference, scheduled for mid-January, will be taking place online. And next month’s Davos Economic Forum has been postponed for the second straight year. The National Hockey League has called off this week’s remaining games, and some Broadway shows have gone dark once again.
Throughout the pandemic, the tech industry has tended to lead other sectors in taking health precautions. For the not-for-profit CTA, which represents the $422 billion U.S. consumer tech industry, CES is the trademark event. The show gathers companies from around the world to show off innovations and make deals with retailers, wireless carriers and other partners.
CES 2020, which hosted over 170,000 attendees and more than 4,500 exhibitors, was one of the last major U.S. events before the coronavirus lockdowns. The 2021 conference took place virtually, with companies such as Samsung and LG hosting news conferences online.
This year’s CES kicks off Jan. 3 with in-person press events. As of Tuesday, about 2,200 companies had committed to exhibiting at the show, with keynotes from Abbott Laboratories, General Motors Co. and Samsung Electronics Co. Digital show participants would be able to access more than 50 conference sessions and keynotes online.
T-Mobile late Tuesday said its CEO, Mike Sievert, wouldn’t deliver a planned keynote address in Las Vegas, nor would he give a presentation virtually. The company will “significantly limit” its in-person participation at CES, with the majority of its team staying away from the event, according to a news release.
CES 2020 hosted over 170,000 attendees and more than 4,500 exhibitors, and was one of the last major U.S. events before Covid-19 lockdowns.
Photo: AFP via Getty Images
Samsung said it is closely monitoring the health situation and is taking steps, such as having a smaller team on-site in Las Vegas.
Companies have adjusted to launching products online and participating with colleagues, partners and reporters over Zoom. However, the lack of an in-person component of CES has an impact on the tech industry’s deal makers, who find the show convenient for face-to-face meetings and chance interactions. Travel restrictions and quarantine requirements had already reduced the scope of this year’s show.
TCL, the Chinese giant that builds inexpensive TVs and smartphones, plans to attend the show in person, with most staff coming from its U.S. operations. Currently, China requires people to quarantine for 21 days upon returning to Hong Kong, which makes it difficult for TCL to send many people from its headquarters. Aaron Zhang, the Shenzhen-based CEO of TCL’s mobile division, is already in the U.S. ahead of the show.
“CES, for TCL, is very, very important,” said Stefan Streit, chief marketing officer of TCL’s mobile business. “[We] can, in one week, meet with everyone in the industry.”
On Tuesday, iHeartRadio canceled its CES concert party, which was to take place Jan. 6. In a statement, Amazon said, “Due to the quickly shifting situation and uncertainty around the Omicron variant, we will no longer have an on-site presence at CES.” Meta and Twitter had no plans to exhibit, but on Tuesday withdrew from holding meetings at the show. Casio, the Japanese electronics maker, said it wouldn’t be in Las Vegas because of “the intersection of Covid uncertainty and financial investment.”
The Israel Export Institute plans to host a pavilion at CES with 18 Israeli companies. The government’s ban on travel to the U.S. puts attendance in doubt, so the group is seeking an exemption from Israel.
In addition to the vaccine and masking requirements, CTA also recommends that attendees take a Covid test less than 24 hours before entering a CES venue. It will offer self-test kits to participants at check-in and provide PCR tests to international attendees who need them to fly home.
“People may feel uncomfortable the first minute or two, and then they adjust,” said Mr. Shapiro, the CTA chief. “Face-to-face is very important.”
Keri Althoff, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, commended the efforts CTA is taking, though she thinks it could do with even more testing. She said attendees should assess the risks before going to the show, particularly if they are vulnerable to serious infection. “A mass gathering of this size predominantly indoors does not sound like a good idea,” she said.
—Joanna Stern, Mike Colias and Drew FitzGerald contributed to this article.
Write to Shara Tibken at shara.tibken@wsj.com
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