AIPC, the International Association of Convention Centres; ICCA, the International Convention and Congress Association; and UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, have joined forces to release Good Practice Guide: Addressing COVID-19 Requirements for Re-Opening Business Events – Version 2.
This Guide complements three earlier publications which were produced and distributed in March, April and May of this year:
- Good Practice Guidance to Covid-19 for Convention and Exhibition Centres
- Good Practice Guidance for the Use of Centres as Temporary Emergency Facilities
- Good Practice Guide: Addressing Covid-19 Requirements for Re-Opening Business Events
The Guide builds on the first report published in May and includes 12 mini case-studies and learnings from events which successfully took place during July and August around the world.
AIPC’s president Aloysius Arlando said: “This updated version includes lessons learnt from our members across our global community and some great examples of colleagues who have successfully re-opened for business and are happy to share their experiences with the entire industry.”
“(The guide) is a reflection of hard work and perseverance in the face of real difficulties and I recommend it to colleagues around the world. In particular, the case studies show a variety of different approaches and creative ideas to ensure events continue to be a success for all involved. There is something here for everyone, no matter what role they play in the delivery of conferences, congresses and events,” said ICCA President James Rees.
“Exhibitions and indeed the entire events industry have been among the worst affected by the pandemic. One of the first industries to be shut down in March, many parts of the world are yet to open their doors again. However, getting the green light to open our doors and reopen our events is only the first hurdle we are facing. We need to reassure our visitors and customers that they can be confident in coming to our events, to meet face to face and rebuild their businesses. As a face-to-face industry we always put the safety of our visitors first, and this Guide shows the many ways that as an industry we are working to implement the very best practices to achieve that,” said Mary Larkin, UFI President, and president of Diversified Communications USA.
As with previous Guides, this latest publication has been created as a collaborative project amongst different parts of the overall industry. It has been developed through the direct, practical experiences and expertise of members that are dealing with the impacts on a day-to-day basis.
Following distribution, the associations will be scheduling an online event to facilitate the implementation of the guidance provided in this publication and to assist members in interpreting its content into local actions.
The guide can be downloaded here.
