2022 attendees of the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show should be prepared to have their proof-of-vaccination records readily available, the annual tech event announced Tuesday.
The Consumer Technology Association announced that those attending CES 2022 in person in Las Vegas will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
2022 is the first year attendees will return after an all-digital conference in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We all play a part in ending the pandemic through encouraging vaccinations and implementing the right safety protocols,” said Gary Shapiro, president of the CTA, in a release. “We are taking on our responsibility by requiring proof of vaccination to attend CES 2022 in Las Vegas.”
CTA leadership said they are following safety measures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and could announce modified protocols as the date approaches for CES 2022.
CES 2022 Expected Attendees
The attendee list for 2022 includes over 1,000 companies already such as Amazon, Dell, AMD, AT&T, Hyundai, Daimler AG, Google, IBM, Panasonic, Intel, Lenovo, LG, Sony, Qualcomm, and Samsung just to name a few. CES 2022 will also feature a digital event running in parallel to the in-person tech conference event.
CES 2022 is scheduled to take place January 5th – 8th, with select media days on January 3rd & 4th.
About CES
CES is an annual trade show organized by the Consumer Technology Association. Held in January at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Winchester, Nevada, United States, the event typically hosts presentations of new products and technologies in the consumer electronics industry. It is described by organizers as the world’s largest technology trade show.
First held in 1967, CES has hosted several product launches and new product announcements made by major corporations. Past events have included over 4,000+ exhibitors showing off their latest products to about 150,000 attendees. Sponsoring organizations encompass sellers of consumer electronics, along with the media who cover it.
The event is expected to feature “marketplace” areas where vendors will present new products in key product categories: wearables/simplified tech, home entertainment technology, connected cars and automotive technology, innovations for wellness, and emerging technologies.
History of Consumer Electronics Show
CES was founded in 1967 by the Association of Consumer Electronics (ACE) as the U.S. counterpart of the International Electricity Show (IEE), which originated in London, England in 1910. It took the name International Consumer Electronics Exhibition in 1971, and changed to the current name in 1976.
In 1995 the U.S. Congress banned trade shows from being held in Las Vegas exceeding a specified number of days, so for one year it was renamed “CES/DVD” (for Home Entertainment) or “CES/High-Tech Consumer Electronics”.
The next year it was renamed “CES Unveiled”, and in 1997 it was changed again to “CES Online”. It acquired its current name the following year.
CES 2022 Location
Initially, Las Vegas served as a venue for the first several CES shows; however, as the shows grew, the venue was changed to various sites: New York City (1971, 1973), Harrah’s Atlantic City (1974) and Caesars Palace in Las Vegas (1975-2010). In 2011, the show moved to Las Vegas Convention Center.
Las Vegas is a logical choice for its primary city sponsorship given the importance of consumer electronics manufacturing and innovation to the Las Vegas economy. One such example is Panasonic, which advertises all devices showcased at CES as “The best of CES.”
What to Expect at CES 2022
CES is not open to the public, and reporters are invited to register online.
There are almost daily reports on many aspects of consumer electronics from companies which will be exhibiting at the show. These reports have often been picked up by major networks and transmitted further in print or broadcast media worldwide.
CES traces its roots to 1967, when the U.S. Federal Government’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) required an exposition of consumer electronics products for industry leaders and press in order to stimulate sales for domestic consumer electronic products while America was still recovering from World War II. In 1967 as many as eight manufacturers showed off their products at what was called Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, in New York.
In 1968 it became the International Consumer Electronics Show (ICES) and shortly after that show was referred to as “the Super Bowl for seven days” of the electronics industry. According to CEA, on average about 150,000 people attend the show each year. They also state that media coverage of CES is more extensive than the Super Bowl, which attracts a viewership of about 100 million Americans.
This year over 4,000 exhibitors are scheduled to participate in CES (including media companies and product reviewers), with some claiming that “the entire Las Vegas Strip” will be bustling with electronics activity.
In addition, Las Vegas is located along the direct point-to-point route between Los Angeles and San Francisco. It also offers an attractive “quick way up” for exhibitors who exhibit at multiple shows.
Commercial space in Las Vegas is limited, although there are a large number of properties that rent non-gaming meeting and event space. But it’s not cheap.