The global wine event ProWein has postponed its 2020 trade festival, which had been set for mid-March in Düsseldorf, Germany. Fear of the spreading Coronavirus prompted the move.

“This decision was not an easy one for all concerned,” says Thomas Geisel, Lord Mayor of the City of Düsseldorf, and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH. “But the postponement at the present time is necessary for Messe Düsseldorf and its customers in view of the increasingly dynamic developments.”

Each year ProWein attracts 6,800 vendors from 61 nations, along with 60,000-plus attendees.

In coordination with all partners involved, ProWein will discuss an alternative date in order for the annual event to proceed at a later time. The postponement also affects the initiative “ProWein goes city,” running parallel to ProWein.

The event and its host city followed the recommendation of the crisis management team of the German government, along with the uncertainty of numerous exhibitors and visitors at ProWein, and the complicated travel situation, especially for international customers.

“Our customers, partners and employees trust us,” says Werner M. Dornscheidt, CEO of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, which is behind the event. “Not only when it comes to the professional and successful handling of major international events in Düsseldorf. They can also have this trust in us when we make decisions about critical situations in the interests of their safety.”