CTA, Having Cut Staff, Sticks With Physical CES 2022: Shapiro

Few details are set in stone for CES 2022, except for CTA’s commitment to return to a physical show Jan. 5-8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, CEO Gary Shapiro told us. “Nothing’s off the table,” Shapiro said when we asked if CTA will limit show attendance to crowds smaller than the customary 170,000 or impose COVID-19 vaccine or testing conditions. It’s “possible” CTA will require proof of a vaccine as a condition for registering for CES 2022, said Shapiro. “A lot of groups are trying to figure that out. You see what others are doing and you get to best practices. A lot of lawyers and HR people are looking at the same questions.” Canceling CES 2021 “financially was a huge hit for us,” said Shapiro, refusing to disclose the damage, except to talk about the impact in headcount terms. “We did have a staff layoff,” he said. “We cut expenses dramatically.” CTA’s workforce is about 130, compared with 190 pre-pandemic, he said.