Gary Fitz-Roy, managing director Expertise Events, told Jeweller that the dates were shifted as a result of interstate border closures, as well as to make the overall Trade Days schedule more cohesive.
“While the Trade Days are state-based, some suppliers need to travel interstate," Fitz-Roy explained.
"I believe the [interstate] borders will be opened by mid-February, but we wanted to build in time and confidence [for attendees and exhibitors]. The COVID-19 vaccine will also start to roll out in February, which will build confidence, and the Trade Days now flow from one to another with less of a gap between,” he added.
All other Trade Days – including the Gold Coast, Adelaide, Perth, and Melbourne Gift & Lifestyle Fair – are still scheduled to proceed as planned, with a final update on all Trade Days to be provided on 16 February.
The original February Sydney dates would have been concurrent with the annual members' meetings of two buying groups – Independent Jewellers Collective and Showcase Jewellers. It is not yet known how the date change will impact the groups' participation in the rescheduled Sydney Trade Days.
Nationwide Jewellers, Australia's largest buying group, is still expected to participate in all Trade Days.
In a statement, Fitz-Roy reiterated that online events had not satisfied retailers’ need for tactile products and face-to-face interactions: “Recent retailer surveys across a number of industry sectors have all supported their desire to come together at a dedicated trade event, and the Trade Days are set to re-invigorate retailers and suppliers alike.
“The whole premise of the Trade Days was to ensure retailers don't all have to decide to travel to one destination – but rather we provided each state with a solution to reconnect.
"Some haven’t seen a company representative face-to-face for 12 months or more!” he said.
With the Sydney dates shifted to mid-March, the first Trade Days event will take place on the Gold Coast at the newly-renovated QT Hotel, which has previously hosted jewellery events.
“The opportunity to meet face-to-face and reconnect can’t be underestimated,” Fitz-Roy said. “We have developed a raft of safety plans and are committed to unite the industry where we minimise travel of large quantities of people and maximise the time in each city for retailers to meet, share experiences, and discover new ranges.”
If the Trade Days are cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, attendees' deposits will be refunded.
The amended Trade Days schedule is as follows:
• Gold Coast: 7–8 March at QT Hotel
• Sydney: 13–14 March at ICC Sydney (previously 20–21 February)
• Melbourne Gift & Lifestyle: 20–22 March at Melbourne Exhibition Centre
• Adelaide: 27–28 March at Adelaide Convention Centre
• Perth: 10–11 April at Perth Convention Centre
In addition to the 2021 Trade Days, the International Jewellery & Watch Fair is scheduled for 28–30 August at the ICC Sydney Convention Centre.
More reading:
Buying groups throw support behind new industry Trade Day events
New dates for Expertise Events 2021 Trade Days
Dates announced for early 2021 jewellery Trade Days