POST LOCKDOWN- COVID 19 IMPACT ON EXHIBITIONS
The global pandemic has permanently changed the events and exhibitions industry. Indeed it can be argued that the exhibitions and events industry was the first be affected by the effects of the COVID-19. The trade impact of the coronavirus epidemic for India is estimated to be about 348 million dollars and the country figures among the top 15 economies most affected due to the pandemic. The slowdown of manufacturing in China is disrupting world trade and could result in a 50 billion dollar decrease in exports across global value chains.
The most affected industries suffering heavy losses because of the pandemic estimated at –
Chemical Sector – $129 million
Textiles and Apparel – $64 million
Automotive sector- $34 million
Electrical machinery – $12 million
Leather products- $13 million
Metals & Metal products – $ 27 million
Wood products & furniture- $15 million
Will we adapt to a new way of marketing and communications, with the old ways of working seeming outdated, or will it simply snap back to business as usual? Will virtual events be the new normal? Undoubtedly the events and exhibitions industry is incredibly resilient, and our human need to interact and exchange information face-to-face will result in a recovery in time. However, the impact of Covid-19 will have changed how we work forever.
Virtual Exhibitions vs In-Person Exhibitions
The world’s changing and we’re seeing a lot more virtual exhibitions, conferences & meet ups popping up everywhere. So what should you focus on? Virtual or in-person exhibitions?
2020 saw a massive shift of offline exhibitions coming onto the digital ecosystem. But there’s an even bigger jump in the number of communities & organizations launching their virtual exhibitions for the first time. Virtual exhibitions are growing rapidly in both quality & quantity. In-person exhibitions will always have their own charm but now they can be augmented with an online version that provides a broader reach & experience.
Remember, the key to hosting a successful virtual exhibition is choosing the right kind of hosting platform. Although the format of virtual platforms is quite restrictive as compared to in-person exhibitions where one can set up huge stalls/booth to showcase the entire product range.
But signing into a virtual exhibition with an online showroom or virtual booth can make a brand stand out in clutter. Virtual Booth Experiences enable your business to present your product range in the form of an interactive online experience. It is an innovative tool that can be shared with your clients via email to give a real life experience of your product range on a virtual platform. It is a game changer when exhibiting physically is not an option.
A virtual booth has several features:
Password Protected: Files can be shared with password protection feature
to prevent unauthorized people from opening and can help protect that confidentiality.
Zero file size: Files can be shared via online links so there is zero download time.
Restricted sharing: Files can be shared with specific permissions to prevent further mishandling of data.
Cost Effective and Dynamic Solution: You can dramatically increase your product visibility, by leveraging your investment for your exhibit booth or your showroom.
What is the importance of reopening exhibitions?
A blanket regulation for all events and exhibitions will negatively impact economic recovery after the current pandemic. The participants of exhibition and B2B trade events are focused on doing business, exchanging information, and sharing/transferring knowledge. It is entirely possible for exhibition participants to maintain the required distance from each other and achieve their business goals. The density of people at exhibitions can be maintained at lower levels than at other types of large events due to a number of reasons – for example, exhibitions often take place over a number of days, and the space occupied by an exhibition is much larger than at other types of events. As a result, B2B exhibitions can be managed and operated in a similar way to supermarkets and other retail outlets that have continued to function successfully and safely throughout the COVID-19 crisis.
The global exhibition industry will reconnect and rebuild businesses, industries and economies following this unprecedented period of industrial and economic stagnation. The size and far-reaching impact of the exhibition industry are demonstrated by the “Global Economic Impact of Exhibitions” report from December 2019, which calculates the total economic impact of exhibitions to be €167 billion per year globally.
The exhibition industry recognises that unspecified mass gatherings are highly visible events with the potential for public health consequences if they are not planned and managed carefully. In the context of the COVID-19 outbreak, large-scale events were the first to be shut down. Our industry is supporting the response to the current health emergency by making our exhibition pavillion available to host emergency hospitals, testing facilities, logistics centres, healthcare workers and homeless people, as well as offering other support.
How can we create a Preparedness Plan?
A preparedness plan will assure your partners and attendees that you are taking COVID-19 seriously. It will also help you more confidently welcome your attendees to an event. Exhibition solutions to create and maintain an action plan is on a webpage of your event website.
Action plans should be developed to mitigate all risks identified in the risk assessment. Some actions will be for the public health authority to deliver, some for the local health service provider, and some for the event organiser; each action plan should specify who is responsible for delivering the actions, what timescale for delivery, and how and by whom delivery will be assured. Action plans should include:
Integration with national infectious disease emergency planning and response plans
Command and control arrangements to facilitate rapid communication of information and efficient situation analysis and decision making.
Any appropriate screening requirements for event participants – will participants be screened for COVID-19 symptoms on arrival?
Treatment – how (and where) will ill participants be isolated and treated?
Decision trigger points – who will decide whether affected participants can continue or resume their role in the event; what trigger points will indicate the need to reconsider or revise the plans, what would trigger postponement or cancellation of the event?
Exhibition booth design and Exhibition Pavilion to be social distancing compliant by effective design interventions.
Is it important is to get mandatory insurance cover for exhibitions and events?
While it would be remiss of any event or exhibition organiser to skimp on insurance, many insurers have excluded communicable diseases from their policies, especially after previous outbreaks of SARS and Avian Flu. On top of flooding and terrorism, the insurance industry will take yet another hit from thousands of coronavirus claims and will be taking steps to protect itself.
Event specific insurance policies that include cover for Coronavirus type illnesses will undoubtedly become very difficult to find, and will be subject to stringent terms. Looking forward, insurers may continue to offer communicable disease cover as an optional extension; however this will in most cases exclude Covid-19.
Undoubtedly, insurance for events large and small will become a must have (surprisingly this has not always been the case), because let’s face it the next disaster may take a different form.
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How to establish Establish Health and Safety Rules for Your Event?
Will we ever go back to shaking hands?
Will anyone with a cough be a persona non grata at an event?
Will large-scale exhibitions temperature-check all delegates as they enter the arena or exhibition hall?
Some of these will certainly feature in the immediate post Covid-19 world, but memories are short and old habits will soon return. However some practices will become the norm. For many years cruise ships have had hand sanitizers sited around ships to protect passengers from Norovirus, which is an ever-present threat. So it will be at busy exhibitions and events as we add coronavirus protection to the checklist.
The basic general principles for reducing transmission of COVID-19 which will be followed:
Stay away from the event when ill
Persons who feel unwell (i.e. fever, cough, and requiring admission to hospital) should stay at home and keep away from work, school, or crowds until symptoms resolve. This applies to participants as well as staff.
Promote hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette
Promoting appropriate hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette in exhibition venues requires informational materials that reach a range of age groups and varying reading and educational levels. In addition, soap and water or alcohol hand-sanitizers and tissues should be easily accessible in all common areas, and especially in exhibitions medical treatment sites.
Isolate persons who become ill while at the exhibition.
Organizers should plan for the likelihood of persons becoming ill with fever and other typical symptoms of COVID-19 during an exhibition. Establishing isolation areas in on-site medical treatment clinics/facilities where such persons can be initially assessed and triaged should be considered. The isolation area should be equipped with the necessary supplies to facilitate hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette. In addition, medical staff attending persons who are ill should wear a mask, then dispose of it immediately after contact and cleanse hands thoroughly afterwards.
Where possible, event organizers should consider distancing measures to reduce close contact among people during the exhibition. Exhibition design should be covid compliant.
POST EVENT REVIEW
After the event, if public health authorities suspect transmission of COVID-19 has occurred, meeting organizers and participants should support the response of authorities. Meeting organizers must liaise with public health authorities and facilitate the sharing of information about all symptomatic participants. Individuals who develop symptoms within this period should isolate themselves, seek medical attention and inform the appropriate public health authorities of their potential exposure. As always, it will be important for lessons from any event to be identified by after action review so that they can be passed on to future event organisers.
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