CES Set For Las Vegas in January

CES, Las Vegas’ largest annual trade show, is set for for Jan. 6 to 9 in Las Vegas, according to the Consumer Technology Association’s Twitter account.

According to The Las Vegas Review-Journal planning is already underway and major brands have committed to the show.

“While we plan to produce another in-person event in Las Vegas, we all face new considerations around attending conferences, conducting business and traveling to meetings,” the statement reads. “Just as your companies are innovating to overcome the challenges this pandemic presents, we are adapting to the evolving situation. And we want to ensure CES continues to help you make the connections you need to grow your business and your brand.”

It’s still unclear when the novel coronavirus first entered Nevada, but a 2020 CES attendee said he developed flu-like symptoms after the early January conference and later tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies.

The first American to test positive for the virus didn’t emerge until Jan. 21: a man in Washington state who had traveled to Wuhan, China.

Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the CTA, which owns and produces CES, has said the association is not aware of any confirmed cases of COVID-19 connected to the event. He said his team was taking concerns seriously that the virus could have been present at the conference, which drew more than 175,000 people to Las Vegas — including more than 61,000 from outside the U.S.

CTA plans to expand the show’s digital reach amid the pandemic, with more livestreamed content and “other engaging digital and virtual opportunities.”