. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2020: a challenging year

Paul Riemens (CEO) and Maurits van der Sluis (COO) discuss one of the most challenging years in the history of the RAI. The COVID-19 pandemic affected the entire event sector in an exceptionally hard way. What started out promising to be a top year ended up with us having to keep our doors firmly closed for much of 2020. How did the directors experience this strange time and what choices did they have to make? How do they see things now more than a year since the pandemic began? And last but certainly not least, how is the RAI preparing for an event calendar that shows a very busy second half of 2021?

2020 promised to be the best year ever: How did it start?

“With so many events booked, 2020 was indeed set to be an extraordinarily busy year,” says Paul. "That’s why we worked so hard in 2019 to complete Hall 5 and brought various planned renovations and improvements forward. The nhow Amsterdam RAI hotel was completed and opened at the start of 2020. RAI Amsterdam equipped and made ready the underground parking garage to ensure we could make the most of this exciting new development. Proud of our new neighbour and such a landmark building, we were ready to perform to our max in 2020. But COVID-19 made for an entirely different year altogether, one in which we had to make many farreaching decisions based on uncertain developments. In a way, 2020 was a bit of a paradox. The more we knew about the virus and how to handle it within the RAI, the less we were given the opportunity to use this knowledge for our clients, exhibitors and visitors. But the actual start of the year proceeded as usual when we opened the exhibition calendar with Horecava."

Then the outbreak. When did this begin to play a role for the RAI?

Maurits: "In view of our international exhibitions and conferences, the RAI quickly started establishing new protocols and effecting new safety measures against COVID. The virus really started to have an impact in the run-up to ISE 2020. A number of exhibitors from Asia were experiencing issues due to flight restrictions, while some originally Asian businesses adapted their travel policy and withdrew from participation. In collaboration with the organisers and exhibitors of ISE we took additional measures to guarantee the safety and welfare of all those involved. This resulted in a successful final edition of ISE in the RAI, with over 1,250 exhibitors and more than 50,000 unique

visitors.

“The pandemic wasn’t as much a factor for the national events that immediately followed, such as the Huishoudbeurs and Nine Month Fair, as the virus had not yet been detected in the Netherlands. This was not the case for the 65th and last edition of the HISWA boat show, however. The spread of the COVID-19 virus led to all events in the Netherlands being shut down, which meant that on the second day of the exhibition the government ordered the event to be suspended.”

How did you manage the impact of COVID-19?

Maurits: "Our crisis team coordinated the process and communication from the very beginning. A commercial taskforce was dedicated to client relations and managing the postponement and cancellation of events, while an operational taskforce focused on the further development of COVID protocols and managing the consequences for employees and the venue. Our innovation platform accelerated the development of new revenue models such as digital and hybrid events.

“We developed special studios for hosting these events, and the financial taskforce supervised the various programmes, developed scenario analyses, enhanced the focus on managing cash flows, and succeeded in continuing and extending the financing of the RAI.”

Paul: "To get through the pandemic we established a crisis management organisation focused on four tracks: (1) the fast reopening of the RAI, (2) the accelerated development of new revenue models, (3) securing financial continuity, and (4) the further modernisation of the venue into an attractive multifunctional location. In concrete terms, these points were translated into the further development of

COVID protocols, a focus on cash management, cutbacks and a reorganisation, early refinancing, making use of COVID-related government support schemes such as NOW and GO-C, a maximum focus on digital and hybrid events, and the further development of our local area and the logistical concept for the RAI. While the latter may seem less relevant at this time, nothing could be further from the truth. The impact of the COVID crisis, both economically and socially, has intensified debate on the topic. We are on the city’s investment agenda and motivated to put our words into actions. Our goal is to create an area that adds sustainable value to Amsterdam

as a city.”

Shops remained open at the start of the crisis while the RAI had to stay closed. Did you understand this decision?

Maurits: "We have a century of experience in organising large-scale events and all the facilities in-house to do so safely. It is our core business! Our registration is automated, and we know who is where and when. We suddenly found ourselves in a situation in which

department stores were welcoming a thousand people, while we had to keep our doors closed. We understand that choices need to be made, but this was a case of double standards.”

Paul: "Of course we recognised that contacts should be limited. But it was a shame that we didn’t even get the chance to prove that it could be done well, not even on a smaller scale. It was also a missed opportunity for gaining experience and sharing this with clients and

suppliers."

When clients and suppliers are suffering, how do you keep yourself energised?

Paul: "It hasn’t always been easy. You see everyone in the organisation working hard on initiatives that then had to be cancelled due to newly announced measures. And this happened multiple times. Having to constantly shift your horizon is difficult, but we have a clear

responsibility and giving up is never an option. In accordance with the motto Never waste a good crisis we tried to utilise the

developments wherever possible.”

“The extent to which valuable meetings are missed in all markets just confirms that our business model is solid,” Maurits adds. “These firm foundations is further underlined by an agenda that is well-filled until beyond 2025. 2020 was a year in which I made personal developments myself that would otherwise not have happened, helping me maintain a positive outlook.”

How do you look back on 2020 personally?

Paul: “For the RAI, 2020 was the most intense year ever in terms of adapting our business and organisation. The crisis hit the RAI hard, and we went through some very difficult times. The reorganisation meant saying goodbye to many much-loved colleagues as we reduced our personnel by around thirty percent. At the same time, we’ve proven our resilience. The staff grew closer in a new way,

despite the physical distances.”

Maurits: "We are fighting together on our comeback. Like us, our clients and suppliers have been suffering too. We have tried to share the pain where possible and join forces to lessen the blow. Our tenants on the premises, The Roast Room and Strandzuid, were given discounts on their rent. In the events sphere we focused on maintaining our portfolio – mainly by postponing events to a later date. In addition, we facilitated the municipal health services (GGD) in the COVID testing process in any way we could. And we are still doing so today by accommodating the testing facilities and vaccination areas.”

Looking back at 2020, what would you like to say to the RAI staff?

Paul: "I genuinely want to thank and compliment them for their resilience and close relations. We worked fantastically well together in 2020 in a spirit of solidarity and perseverance. We supported each other when it was needed most and stayed creative. We saw a high level of engagement, despite people being afraid of losing their jobs and facing uncertain futures. This was even the case during the

reorganisation. And in this regard would like to express my gratitude to the works council, too.”

Maurits: "I couldn’t agree more. The reorganisation has seen a shift from specialists to generalists, a deliberate choice as we tried to transfer the specialist knowledge as well as possible and anchor it within the organisation. From the employees’ perspective, the time

ahead promises to be both interesting and educational.”

Testing and vaccinations are giving new perspectives for 2021. What will this mean with regard to events?

Maurits: "The vaccinations and the arrival of spring and summer should help us get the green light, and we hope to see people gathering on Europaplein as soon as possible. Our agenda is as good as filled from September onwards. We have never had so many events in a six-month period as we are planning to host in the second half of 2021. We will be using the spring to learn from events with smaller groups, including in field labs. This will allow us to practice and further perfect our roadmap."

And looking further ahead...Will the new normal be physical events, like before? Or will everything be going virtual?

Paul: "To me, 2020 is also a year in which we became even more convinced of our vision that physical meetings cannot be replaced by a PC monitor and online connection. The past year made abundantly clear that people are simply not as happy when we cannot have

close contacts with others. At the same time, digital options will improve. A lot is already possible, technically speaking, but the application often needs work. And I don’t mean with regards to airing a webinar – matchmaking is where the added value is. Although algorithms and smart technology can definitely contribute, for those times that we choose to meet physically, quality will become ever

more important.”

Maurits nods in agreement and starts counting his fingers: "Easy to reach, a comfortable and modern venue, an interesting city and a

hospitable welcome… All in all: a top-quality experience. Amsterdam and the RAI both excel in these long-lasting values.”