WTC2021 cancelled, Denmark now to host WTC2022

21 September 2020


ITA-AITES has cancelled the WTC2021 conference due to the uncertainties arising from the coronavirus pandemic. The decision was taken by a vote of the 78 member nations of the ITA General Assembly which took place last week during the virtual WTC2020 congress.

WTC 2021 was due to be hosted by Denmark, despite the uncertainty over whether it would be in the form of a physical event in Copenhagen or a virtual-type conference. However, Søren Den Eskesen of the Danish organising committee explained that cancelling at an early stage was wiser than progressing further and having to cancel later on. Doing this helps avoid a WTC2020-type situation where expenses are incurred by all parties before cancellation takes place.

The decision to cancel WTC2021 in Denmark impacts future WTCs: Denmark will now be the venue for the WTC2022 event to be held in April of that year. This accommodation has been agreed provisionally by Mexico which was to have hosted the event in Cancun in 2022.

Other fall-out from the pandemic was the cancellation of the vote by ITA member nations which would have decided between Greece or Turkey as host for WTC2023. Both countries’ tunnelling associations have expended considerable resources in submitting their hosting proposals. The deciding vote will now be delayed pending an ITA General Assembly review of the 2023 selection process which will take place in January 2021.

Despite the cancellation of WTC2021, ITA will continue to stage virtual congresses and seminars throughout the year in conjunction with its ITACET, ITACUS, ITACOSUF and ITAtech committees.

With hindsight, the WTC2020 congress hosted by Malaysia and which ended on 16 September can only be seen as a success given the short time available for preparation under the unprecedented circumstances. Accessing all events turned out to be simple and fuss-free. For registered participants, the ITA has now extended online access to technical presentations and exhibitors to 23 September 2020.