The chief of technology conference Web Summit shrugged off Covid-19 (coronavirus) concerns by pledging to hold an in person event later this year, bucking a trend toward virtual formats or outright cancellations.

In a tweet, Web Summit CEO Paddy Cosgrave said the event “is going ahead this year in Lisbon” and organisers will adhere to the “strictest health protocols” from the Portuguese government. The event is scheduled to run from 2 November to 5 November: in 2019 it attracted more than 70,000 attendees from 163 countries.

There is currently a ban on gatherings of more than 20 people in Portugal.

So far in 2020, Covid-19 resulted in the cancellation of all major events planned by GSMA and IBC2020, while tech giants including Apple and Google switched to virtual formats for key annual showcases and developer conferences.

However, some event organisers have vowed to continue with physical events, including the Consumer Electronics Show (scheduled for early 2021) and IFA, albeit with the latter planning to limit attendee numbers to safeguard health.