Health professionals are advising against blanket bans on events in light of the coronavirus outbreak. While some countries have decided to enact these (France for events with more than 5,000 people, Switzerland for those with more than 1,000, China by banning public events), others are reviewing on a case by case level. At the same time, the price businesses, industries, economies will have to pay short and long term due to event cancellations is becoming clear: - no trade show floors: no new business - no conferences: no industry developments - no meetings: no quality dialogues between professionals And that is even before we address the imminent question on how all those service companies that have invested into serving their clients at shows that get cancelled last minute will be reimbursed - IFES, an association representing this side of the business, is already talking about companies dropping out of business there. As the OECD slashes it’s forecast for global growth, it is important that we discuss how to keep trade shows and industry meetings going, striking the right balance between keeping people safe from a health threat today AND keeping people safe mid to long term by stabilizing trade and economies.
Elyse Kaplan
4y
Kai, thank you for continuing to keep us informed and am looking forward to becoming part of the conversation and solution.
Better to be safe than sorry. Many companies have already put their employees under travel restrictions. This is also one of the reasons why events are not taking place, despite the fact that they are organised in a ‘safe’ regions. Exhibitors don’t wont to disappoint their clients, with half of the crowd missing. Postponing events can be a solution as well as the virtual meetings, which are already happening. ‘motor show Geneva: the organizers have decided to live-stream the press conferences and presentations of the world premieres’
Jason Brown
4y
The stories pumping up how we shouldn't cancel shows are far too rah-rah and self serving. The sentiment of the audience is the key thing. If we are forcing people to attend because we've not postponed the event, and yet the audiences are asking questions as to whether it should go ahead, we're ignoring our primary reason raison d'etre - serve the market. Per other comments, lets get ahead of the problem and figure out how best to serve the community - and to not listen to rah-rah "everything is ok" when our audiences are spooked.
I fully agree! However I think virtual events can be a solution at these sad times for event organizers cancelling/postponing. You can do virtual 1-1 meetings as on an exhibition booth, you can do workshops with Q&A, interactive roundtable discussions and keynotes. All from behind your desk without traveling or spending money on hotels. You'll be suprised to see how well attendees and exhibitors rate virtual events.
Björn Kempe
4y
True Kai - lots of lobbying to be done to ill informed politicians for cities, states and entire countries from Far East all the way to EU not to let this happen again
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4yMost of the participating companies are bound to a budget for the running year now faced with cancellations and/or postponement. Of exhibitions mostly in Far East having in most cases paid already for their booth air tickets hotels goods in transport etc etc getting not a penny back from airlines hotels and/or organisers. For these made costs mostly unable to do once more in the same budget year. This also applies for country paviljon organisers. Creating lots of problems. More participants cancellations etc. So even postponement in the same year will not be a great help. We resale in this case need government support like Hongkong Government offered to their organisers And participants of shows in their country. That’s the kind of support we need in these difficult circumstances We trust organisers Will contact their resp Government and ask for financial support for the concerned shows/ participants That’s what we need to overcome this disaster. Henk g Lacet. International Maritime Consultant. Far East