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BRAIN reports that many US companies have allowed their staff to decide on whether to fly to Taiwan or not.
"Some companies have decided to send a full complement, others to reduce attendance, and some to cancel altogether."
Carine Joannou, president of G. Joannou, the Jamis maker, told BRAIN:
"We don’t want to risk any of our people, and it’s not like we don’t go to Taiwan with frequency."
However, SARS hasn’t spooked SRAM: the Taipei show will see 10 SRAMers from the US and two from SRAM’s European office.
"We consulted with our folks at our facilities in Taiwan and made sure everything was okay," Michael Zellmann, SRAM’s public relations and media manager said on http://www.bicycleretailer.com
Many execs from Specialized have cancelled:
"They’re postponing the trip. They can have the conversations they need later, or by another method," said Sandi Saenz, Specialized’s executive secretary.
Tom Armstrong, Cannondale’s communications manager, said the show could be a ghost-town:
"It’s not so much the epidemic, as much as we’re concerned that nobody else is going. We’re hearing reports that not only our competitors but a lot of our vendors are pulling out, and we’re worried it might not be worth the time away from the office and the expense."
Last week, BikeBiz reported that execs at Cycleurope were probably not going to go to the show, and BRAIN now reports that Cycleurope’s Brian Montgomery of the Paris-based European Bicycle Manufacturers’ Association is among those not planning to attend:
"I’ve decided not to go, and the company as a group has decided in a mutual decision not to go. There’s hardly any way of going to Taipei from Europe that doesn’t include Hong Kong."
Magura Germany has decided to cancel its Taipei show booth after researching which of its OEM customers were planning on still going to the show. Many of its US and European customers have decided not to travel, although few of its British customers had any such qualms.
And with less overseas visitors to the Taipei show, Brits are expecting to clean up. Mike Poyzer of Super Cycles said: "I’m still going. For once, I’ll be able to make all my appointments and I’m sure a lot of time will be made for those who decided to go despite all the health scares."
http://www.taipeitradeshows.com.tw/…/cycle
For the latest info on SARS go to the World Health Organisation’s website:
