Merkur Gaming sagt Teilnahme an der ICE in London ab

Merkur Gaming hat unter den gegenwärtigen Umständen die Teilnahme an der ICE in London abgesagt.

Der neue Termin zu Beginn der Osterferien (12. bis 14. April 2022) in dieser kritischen Zeit sei nicht akzeptabel, so das Tochterunternehmer der Gauselmann Gruppe in seiner offiziellen englischsprachigen Erklärung. Die Gesundheitsrisiken für die Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter seien durch die das Vereinigte Königreich erheblich heimsuchende Omikron-Variante derzeit zu groß. Als weitere Gründe für die Absage werden auch logistische Schwierigkeiten in Folge des Brexit genannt.

Gleichzeitig verleiht Merkur Gaming seiner Hoffnung Ausdruck, zu einem anderen richtigen Zeitpunkt und unter besseren Umständen das internationale Messegeschehen wieder bereichern zu können.

Hier die Erklärung von Merkur Gaming im Original-Wortlaut:

„We are completely unable to accept the new dates for ICE 2022. With the show running right up to the start of the Easter holiday period, the fact that the Covid pandemic – in the form of the Omicron variant that is currently rampant throughout the United Kingdom – is still a major health risk issue and the still to be seen additional logistical difficulties that stem from the UK’s Brexit withdrawal.

All of these factors combine to reach the inescapable conclusion that the visitor numbers (both those UK-based and those wishing to travel from overseas) will be severely impacted in a negative way, the show will be unable to present itself as the world leading event of recent years, and the practical difficulties for international exhibitors will also be greatly increased.

We have a clear duty of care for our employees and also for our business partners, customers and those who choose to attend the show and that must be a major priority. We regard Clarion Events and ICE itself as major factors in Merkur’s success in recent years. We hope to be able to re-engage with them at the earliest possible opportunity but that has to be at the right time, in the right place and in the right conditions.

We look forward to that positive collaboration, we regret having to take the decision that we are now announcing but, under the present circumstances, we are convinced that we have chosen the correct path as an example to and for the benefit of the entire international gaming industry.”