Advertising event Dubai Lynx 2020 cancelled due to Covid-19 impact

The annual Dubai Lynx media and advertising event, which was postponed from March to September 2020, has now been cancelled for this year, it was announced on Wednesday.

The next festival will now be held from March 7-10, 2021.

As the impact of COVID 19 continues to be felt across the world we've taken the decision to cancel #DubaiLynx 2020. Our customers priorities have shifted & we don’t want to be a distraction during these difficult times. We'll continue the festival once again from 7-10 March 2021. pic.twitter.com/JWzApLbgjV

— Dubai Lynx • دبي لينكس (@DubaiLynx) April 8, 2020

“The impact of coronavirus continues to be felt both globally and across the MENA region. Health and economic concerns are now determining the priorities of societies and businesses across the world. Our customers and partners in the MENA creative marketing and media industries are facing unparalleled challenges and the need to protect companies and people, and to support consumers, is their priority during this challenging time,” a statement said.

“Our difficult decision follows in-depth consultations with our partners and customers in response to the unprecedented global situation. We therefore felt it important to remove uncertainty and provide clarity to our community around the running of the Dubai Lynx Awards and Festival.”

No Lynx awards will be judged in 2020, it was confirmed. All passes and tickets, for the festival and awards, will be transferred to the next festival.

Ian Fairservice, vice chairman of Dubai Lynx, said: “During this global crisis, we want to support our customers and partners and respond to the needs of the wider marketing and creative industries across the region.”

Lynx is co-owned by UK-based Ascential and Gulf Business‘ parent company Motivate Media Group.

Several events across the world and regionally have been postponed or cancelled this year due to the impact of Covid-19.

The Tokyo Olympics – slated to begin in July 2020 – has now been pushed to 2021.

Meanwhile, organisers of Dubai Expo 2020 have also reached out to the BIE, the World Expo governing body, to delay the six-month long event by one year.

The six-month long expo was scheduled to start on October 20, 2020 and run until April 10, 2021.

A final decision on postponement can only be made by the BIE’s executive committee and the general assembly.

Read more: Expo 2020 Dubai organisers seek one-year delay due to coronavirus