For the second year running, boot Düsseldorf has been forced to cancel one of the world’s largest boat shows due to mounting Covid infections and new regulations announced by the German government.
News of boot Dusseldorf’s cancellation follows an announcement by the North Rhine-Westphalia state government that no major trade fair events will take place in January due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus.

“We cancel the trade fair with a heavy heart,” said Messe Düsseldorf President & CEO Wolfram Diener in a statement to German newspaper, Rheinische Post. “We bow to health protection and see it as a civic duty.”

As of yet, show organisers have not made any announcements regarding this year’s event on their official websites, including a potential postponement date.

The Ministry of Health has adjusted the Corona Protection Ordinance from December 30, 2021. Large public fairs with more than 750 visitors at the same time are therefore prohibited until the end of January. The reason for this is the still expected significant spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus. In the week before Christmas, the new corona protection ordinance had stipulated a ban on spectators for major national events.