Les Artisanales de Chartres 2020 will take place … but in digital version. Elected officials of the Chamber of Trades and Crafts of Eure-et-Loir (CMA28) could not bring themselves to a pure and simple cancellation in an economic environment laden with despair and the predicted serious crisis.
The show goes to visitors
“We have thought about it for a long time and we are still coming to the same result: the Covid-19 will have won the 27th edition of the Artisanales de Chartres as people imagine it. It seems inconceivable to this day, without precise knowledge of the evolution of the virus in the coming weeks, to expose our teams, our 90,000 visitors over four days, and our 450 exhibitors “, confides Michel Cibois, president of CMA28, organizer of this flagship event in Eure-et-Loir for crafts. Thus, the small team of the CMA28 worked on the idea of reversing the paradigm: it is no longer the public who comes to the Artisanales de Chartres but the Artisanales de Chartres who invite themselves in the visitors’ salons.
The organization of Les Artisanales de Chartres 2020 maintained … for the moment
“Not wanting to give up on the professionals who do a lot of activity every year at the show, we said to ourselves that we had to keep it going thanks to new technologies. Thus, the 2020 edition of Les Artisanales will be virtual and will be held on the scheduled date, from October 8 to 11. Visitors will be able to go, from their living room or their garden, on a platform, which we are currently building, to surf in the stands and aisles of the Artisanales 2020 thanks to mobile phones, tablets and computers, ”adds Michel Cibois.
Not wanting to drop the professionals who carry out a lot of activity each year at the show, we said to ourselves that we had to maintain it thanks to new technologies.
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He ensures that the relationship, although it is virtual, will be direct with exchanges between professionals and visitors, demonstrations of products, services, etc. For this, the prices of the stands will be much cheaper than usual. For € 150 of contributions, artisans can be admitted to the virtual fair with training and creation of their digital environment.
The Region supports
For the financing of the event, even if nothing has been definitively signed, the historic partners are all in favor. “We decided to trust the CMA28 and its president to highlight our local know-how and the craftsmen of the territory. The concept of the virtual living room seemed to us interesting and will allow artisans to invest in digital to conquer new market shares, “underlines Harold Huwart, vice-president of the Regional Council in charge of economic development.
“Today, the Covid-19 poses the problem of the physical reception of salespeople. Craftsmen need to move forward, develop their business through e-commerce which grew 200% during containment. “
Ahmed Taghza
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