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IAEE Updates Essential
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The International Association of Exhibitions and Events® (IAEE) has updated its white paper, Essential Considerations for Safely Reopening Exhibitions and Events, which was originally released this past June to provide general information for consideration by exhibition organizers when planning for and producing an exhibition during a pandemic.
“IAEE’s Health and Safety Task Force has been diligent in its commitment to help show organizers and event professionals create a safe environment as we return to face-to-face exhibitions and events,” said IAEE President & CEO David DuBois, CMP, CAE, FASAE, CTA. “The updates made to the Essential Considerations for Safely Reopening Exhibitions and Events white paper reflect new developments that benefit our industry’s recovery.”
Essential Considerations for Safely Reopening Exhibitions and Events, 2nd Edition includes enhancements in the following areas:
Insurance considerations Travel considerations New FAQs throughout the paper Updated content on force majeure in legal section Enhanced risk assessment sections Addition of images from shows that have taken place since the first edition Additional updates from EDPA, ESCA and GBAC
Supporting organizations to Essential Considerations for Safely Reopening Exhibitions and Events include the Experiential Designers and Producers Association (EDPA); Exhibition Services & Contractors Association (ESCA); Exhibitor Appointed Contractors Association (EACA); Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a division of International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA); International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM); Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO); and United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.
Essential Considerations for Safely Reopening Exhibitions and Events, 2nd Edition focuses on the following topics:
General Principles for Health and Safety Operations Communication, Education and Awareness Exhibition and Event Operations Convention Centre/Venue Cleaning Prevention Measures Legal and Insurance Considerations Travel Considerations
A fully immersive, state-of-the-art hybrid event facility developed in partnership with
Anna Valley opened this week in a self-contained space at the London venue.
Aversatile, visually engaging studio that delivers broadcast-quality content from a digital platform has been launched at ExCeL London. ExCeL has partnered with market-leading audio visual supplier Anna Valley to establish a unique environment for organisers to deliver highly dynamic hybrid events
The facility offers customers the opportunity to diversify and broaden their reach by supplementing traditional content with online engagement.
The studio’s flexible set features an impressive, adaptable digital backdrop and stage floor, multi-camera and full sound system and lighting rig, as well as space for up to 30 delegates socially distanced in line with Government guidelines. Remote presenters with broadcast quality feeds can be included in studio activity and content can be streamed to platforms such as Zoom, YouTube and Facebook.
The studio is located in a central, self-contained area, above the venue’s main event halls – making it an excellent addition to a larger, live conference or hybrid event at ExCeL. Separate, but within close proximity are office spaces, green rooms, and production areas, as well as space to increase the studio footprint. Jeremy Rees, CEO, ExCeL London: "During this challenging time, we remain committed to providing our customers and guests with the best possible experience. This new state-of-the-art hybrid event studio supports us and them in our shared ambition of delivering world leading events.
While nothing beats meeting face-to-face or being amid the buzz of an auditorium, this studio will enable organisers to deliver exceptional audience experiences whether the event is attended in person or remotely.
And once larger, face-to-face conferences, exhibitions and events can return, this studio will act as a great addition for organisers seeking to reach a much larger audience."
Peter Jones, Managing Director, Anna Valley,
said:
"We are delighted to be working with ExCeL London to offer a superb virtual events studio within the venue. With our heritage in broadcast and reputation for providing live event and entertainment technology, we’re ideally suited to helping event professionals reinvent their physical shows as digital experiences and we’re really looking forward to working with ExCeL’s clients in this respect."
Theassociation.News Standard Operating Procedure(SOP) / Preventive measures to be taken while holding of Business to Business (B2B) Trade Exhibitions to contain spread of Covid-19
1. Background :
The exhibition industry enables business opportunities across all industries by directly connecting the buyers with the sellers, and these B2B market places also serve as a major stimulus for industrial and commercial development in the regions where these are held. The Ministry of Home Affairs has permitted Business to Business (B2B) exhibitions outside the Containment zones only, from 15th October 2020. To prevent spread of COVID19 infection, it is important that necessary preventive measures are followed during such events, and the SOP aims to minimize all possible physical contacts between Exhibition organizers, service providers, Buyers/Sellers/ Exhibitors/ business visitors and maintain social distancing and other preventive and safety measures against COVID-19. 2. Scope:
The document outlines various generic and precautionary measures to be adopted, in addition to the specific measures, for holding Business to Business (B2B) Exhibitions. The measures to be put in place are divided under the following categories viz:
Measures to be adopted by Venue Provider(s) Measures to be adhered to by Fair/Exhibition Organizers Measures to be adhered to by Service Providers Measures to be followed by Exhibitors Measures to be followed by Business Visitors / Delegates
The competent Authority may implement additional measures within their jurisdiction as per their local assessment and in line with activities permitted by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) as per MHA orders issued under Disaster Management Act 2005 from time to time. Generic Preventive Measures:
The generic preventive measures that include public health measures are to be followed to reduce the risk of COVID-19. These measures need to be observed by all: the venue providers, exhibition organizers, service providers, exhibitors, business visitors/delegates and are as follows:-
Persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant womenand children below the age of 10 years are advised to stay at home, except foressential and health purposes. Fair/Trade Exhibition Organizers to adviseaccordingly.
The other generic measures include simple public health measures that are to befollowed during the trade exhibition at all times. These include:-
Physical distancing of at least 6 feet to be followed as far as feasible.
Use of face covers/masks to be made mandatory.
Practice frequent hand washing with soap (for at least 40-60 seconds) evenwhen hands are not visibly dirty. Use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers (forat least 20 seconds) can be made wherever feasible.
Respiratory etiquettes to be strictly followed. This involves strict practice of covering one’s mouth and nose while coughing/sneezing with atissue/ handkerchief/flexed elbow and disposing off used tissues properly.
Self-monitoring of health by all and
reporting any illness at the earliest to state and district helpline.
Spitting shall be strictly prohibited.
• Installation and use of ‘Aarogya Setu’ app shall be mandatory for all with smart-phones.
4. All the stakeholders, the venue providers, exhibition organizers, service providers, exhibitors, business visitors/delegates, shall also ensure the following:
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A. Measures to be adopted by Venue Provider(s)
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3. The self-assessment through Aarogya Setu Mobile App is recommended for all the entrants and is mandatory for ones with a smart-phone. All the entrants should be instructed not to have a close contact with anyone if they are experiencing any of the symptoms in respect of the virus.
Venue Provider should setup health/first-aid kiosks manned by optimal staff with adequate equipment like thermal guns and hand sanitizers at all entry/ exit gates of the venue for mandatory thermal scanning and hand sanitization of all the entrants. All Security and cleaning staff should use Face Mask, Face Shield and Gloves.
Preferably multiple and separate entry and exits for visitors shall be ensured. The structure/ space/venue for the event must also ensure adequate natural crossventilation.
The Exhibition halls shall be disinfected before giving possession.
A well-planned garbage disposal policy should be implemented.
For air-conditioning /ventilation, the guidelines of CPWD shall be followed which emphasize that the
temperature setting of all air conditioning devices should be in range of 24-30 degree
relative humidity should be in the range of 4070%,
re-circulation of air to be avoided to the extent possible, intake of fresh air should be as much as possible and cross ventilation should be adequate. The air handling unit is required to be cleaned and maintained regularly to maintain adequate in-hall temperature / air movement as recommended by health authorities.
Adequate number of CCTV should be installed in the venue/ campus, including inside the halls and the F&B locations, to closely monitor visitor movement to ensure social distancing and control overcrowding at any point. There should be adequate AV unit for announcement to manage the crowd movement.
A dedicated lane for vehicles movement with single entry and single exit of the vehicles needs to be created. The round robin arrangements should also follow this dedicated lane. The drop-off points and parking points should be identified. The spaces for parking of vehicles should be clearly defined so as to maintain social distancing in the parking areas. The parking space provided should have adequate distancing norms between vehicles.
The F&B service providers to be advised that proper hygiene be maintained and the infrastructure be disinfected regularly. They may be advised to offer prepacked food to the extent possible and to avoid a buffet-style set-up to avoid queue-ups. Digital payments must be encouraged. The F&B outlets / counters shall mandatorily install glass partitions as a physical distancing measure. The serving personnel should wear masks and gloves. The F&B services providers will be required to follow the guidelines issued by the relevant government agencies. The business visitors/delegates to be encouraged to bring their own water bottles. There should be a provision of tissue papers near water dispensers, Tea/Coffee makers etc. to avoid direct contact with hand. All equipment should be as far as possible made contactless.
To maintain social distancing the number of individuals that can be permitted in any given hall, stall/ booth and toilet/ washroom at any particular time at any particular time may be moderated such that the latest MHA/ MoHFW guidelines on social distancing are complied-with, which currently translates into a 3.25 sq. m per person in the halls. (10,000 sq. m hall should have a maximum of 3076 persons; a 5,000 sq. m hall should have a maximum of 1538 persons.)
Isolation centre should be created by the venue owner on a permanent basis. B. Measures to be adhered to by Trade Exhibition Organizers
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5. 6. 7. The Trade Fair/Exhibition Organizer should assess the risk involved by doing a thorough pre-event review of the event prior to the planned dates. The Organizer should also analyze the health and safety situation of the zones of the expected attendees, both national and International.
Based on health and safety analysis of visitor origin cities, the Organizer should avoid promoting their events to visitors from affected areas whose visit to the event may possibly impact the health and safety of other visitors at the show.
A plan should be prepared well in advance about conduct of each activity separately (exhibitions, meetings, shows, food/catering arrangements etc.)
B2B arrangements shall be permitted outside the containment zones only. Fair /Trade Exhibition Organizers, venue providers, service providers, exhibitors and business visitors from containment zones shall not be permitted.
Keeping in view the physical distancing norms, event sites should have adequate floor area at all locations which are likely to be visited by public. The Organizer should ensure that the number of business/trade delegates into the Venue, in respect of their event, is regulated as per txxhe Govt. guidelines during that particular time. Physical distance of a minimum of 6 feet, when queuing up for entry and inside the venue as far as feasible. Specific marking for the purpose may be done at various places like, queues at entry and exit of halls, in front of registration desks,
in front of booths/stalls in the passageways etc. Fair/Exhibition Organizers should stagger the operational hours of exhibition so that there is organised gathering. The Organizer may also be requested to plan for staggered exit of exhibitors and business visitors / delegates at the closing time of the show on each day.
The Organizer should maintain record of all the entrants & participants who will enter the venue in respect of their event. They should be able to provide traceability support of suspects to local health authorities, if required. In line with 8. 9. Theassociation.News the govt. guidelines, the entrants screened-out based on travel history/symptoms/ information based on the medical interview sheet may be refused entry. Availability of information of any overseas COVID-19 cases that were detected during or after the event should be passed on
to their respective embassies. The Organizer must ensure that they, along-with the exhibitors, visitors, staff/labour belonging to all the agencies for Construction and Decoration (C&D), Food and Beverages (F&B), Security, Housekeeping etc. hired by the organizer and any other staff deployed by them, in connection with the exhibition/conference, are aware of and are following all the precautionary measures advised by the Govt. Authorities, in respect of
Covid-19 virus, from time to time. Appropriate arrangements for personal protection gears like face covers/masks, and other logistic like hand sanitizers, soap, sodium hypochlorite solution etc. shall be made available by Fair/ Trade Exhibition Organizers/exhibitors for their staff as per requirements
10. The Organizer should regularly play recorded messages/announcements on the precautionary measures, good practices and relevant information in respect of the virus during the full tenancy period. Regular Health and safety announcements may be made in English and local languages. They should promote ‘Namaste’ greetings as a replacement to handshakes. It should highlight availability of onsite doctors and ambulance. Signage/ boards are to be installed at all prominent places, about preventive measures to be followed by entrants and also that spitting inside the premises will be prohibited. A short advisory on social distancing in all signage, digital messages, boards etc may be included to reinforce the standard signage.
11. Business visitors should be given prior information on what they should carry, which includes face mask, water bottle, hand sanitizer. xii. The Organizer should advise all the entrants to practice hand washing etiquettes (even if the hands are visibly clean) with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub/sanitizer with at least 70% alcohol content.
12. The Organizers should encourage pre-registration of business visitors / delegates to minimize queues at the registration area and seek health declarations from all attendees in a pre-exhibition entry safe zone. All attendees should be registered in order to ensure traceability, if needed at a later date. Contact-less entry should
be encouraged. 13. Adequate number of ticket counters/registration counters shall be planned duly ensuring physical distancing norms. The Organizer should consider minimal social contact while setting up their Registration area. Queue masters could be used to manage movement flow. Registration counters set up by the organizer could have transparent glass partitions to act as a barrier to physical contact
14. The Organizer shall also encourage online registration with the option of printing of entry badges at home. Further, QR Code may be generated during the registration and the entry can be allowed inside the hall by scanning the QR code by the Organizer.
15. The Organizers should encourage use of technology to minimize human interface. The organizer should ask its exhibitors to encourage the use of e-brochures to minimize contact and paper wastage.
16. The Organizers should be advised to monitor the number of business visitors / delegates in a particular hall by technology-enabled/ other means by tracking the inflow as well as outflow of visitors in real-time. As soon as the hall reaches saturation as per the hall-wise occupancy load notified by Government agencies, inflow may be restricted. Number of people in the elevators shall be restricted, duly maintaining social distancing norms
17. The furniture and other surfaces (frequently touched or otherwise) present in each of the halls and going to be used in respect of their event need to be wiped with disinfectant regularly by the Organizer.
18. During the event, the Organizer should ensure that there are sufficient hand sanitizers/soap/ tissues in all the washrooms. Their housekeeping agency should be strictly instructed to regularly monitor the hygiene of all the halls including the washrooms. All the tissues should be in closed bins. Visitors and staff should be advised to dispose of used face covers/masks in covered bins available at premises. The housekeeping agency should ensure that the used tissues are thrown into closed bins immediately after use.
The CPCB guidelines available at https://cpcb. nic.in/uploads/Projects/Bio-Medical-waste/
BMW-GUIDELINESCOVID_1.pdf may be referred to for bio-medical waste management (mask, tissues, etc.) 1.
19. If Organizers are providing transport shuttles, Theassociation.News they should be cleaned regularly. Avoid transportation to/fro from any Containment Zones, if identified by the Government.
20. The Organizer should encourage use of pre-fabricated material while constructing stands to ensure minimum time spent by the stand fabricators, fitters etc. The organizer should also instruct the C&D agent to disinfect the booth construction material etc. Stand Contractors should use mechanized trolleys / pallets etc. to minimize human labour while bringing / taking out material out of the halls.
21. The Organizer should encourage use of pre-fabricated material while constructing stands to ensure minimum time spent by the stand fabricators, fitters etc. The organizer should also instruct the C&D agent to disinfect the booth construction material etc. Stand Contractors should use mechanized trolleys / pallets etc. to minimize human labour while bringing / taking out material out of the halls.
22. The Organizers will construct minimum of one
Isolation Room of minimum 3m x 3m (four sides & ceiling covered, with lockable door), which would be manned by the Fair Organiser staff adept in handling a COVID-19 patient and would have adequate facilities like PPE kit, face masks and sanitizers. The Fair /Exhibition Organizer would also ensure to identify and safely transfer the identified suspected COVID-19 patient to the isolation room till arrival of medical team or transferring to a COVID Hospital. Disinfection of premises shall be taken up if the person is found positive.
23. The Fair/Exhibition Organizer should ensure that the paramedic ambulances that are inside the venue for their event are manned by full-time doctor/healthcare staff/nurses with personal protective equipment like mask, visors, gloves etc.
24. The Fair/Exhibition Organizer shall set up and chair Core COVID-19 response team with involvement of senior officials of all service partners and venue. The organiser should
Identify and convey emergency contact numbers to all the stakeholders on repeat basis C. Measures to be adhered to by Service Providers
till the exhibition dates. Duly filled in Self health Declaration forms shall be collected from all Stand Fabricators
3. 4. 5. 6. Service providers shall park their vehicles at designated places till they get clearance from Venue
Owner to enter. Vehicles shall be parked by maintaining social dis-
tancing. All service providers shall undergo thermal scanning at entrance of the exhibition venue by main-
taining social distancing. Cleaning and regular disinfection (using 1% sodium hypochlorite) of frequently touched surfaces (doorknobs, elevator buttons, hand rails, queue barricades, seats, benches, washroom fixtures, etc.) to be made mandatory in all public utility
common areas.
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The bio-medical waste (mask, face covers, visors, PPEs etc.) generated may be disposed off in accordance with the hazardous waste disposal guidelines.
While setting-up the Exhibition:
Arrange maximum pre-fabrication of the confirmed stand design at own premises.
8.
Ensure necessary social distancing among workers, supervisory staff etc.
While Transporting the prefabricated materials to exhibition venue:
Sanitize the delivery vehicle and all materials before loading.
Driver and other personnel involved in transportation of material must ensure social distancing and wear all necessary PPE.
Ensure contact-less transportation of materials to the exhibition venue.
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Complete stand build up maintaining social distancing at the site. 10.While Dismantling:
Sanitise the stall along with furniture, fixtures etc. before dismantling the stall.
Dismantle and deliver all material back to the warehouse using sanitised vehicle and mandatory use of masks and other required PPE by the driver and other personnel.
Avoid any unnecessary stopover during transit. 11. Duly filled in Self health Declaration forms shall be collected from all Logistic Providers . 12. Sanitise the logistics and warehouse facilities along with all equipment before use by the workers.
13. During Pickup and Transportation:
Exhibitor goods shall be sanitized before packaging.
Pick up and ensure contactless transportation of the exhibitor goods to the exhibition venue. 14. During Re-transportation:
Sanitise the exhibitor goods before pick up from the venue.
Re-transport to the port of origin. D. Measures to be followed by Exhibitors
1. Aarogya Setu Mobile App is recommended for all the persons manning the stall and is mandatory for the ones with a smart-phone.
2. All the stalls should have hand sanitizers. They should ensure that a sufficient gap (of two yards) is maintained at all time between the people manning the stall. All the personnel at the stall should use Face Mask, till COVID-19 is prevalent.
3. Every stall should have a covered dustbin.
4. To maintain social distancing the number of individuals that can be permitted in any given stall / booth at any particular time may be moderated such that the latest MHA / MoHFW guidelines on social distancing are complied-with.
5. Exhibitors should encourage Digital Payment Options at
Food & Beverage (F&B) outlet E. Measures to be followed by Business Visitors / Delegates
1. i. Aarogya Setu Mobile App is recommended for all business visitors/delegates and mandatory for the ones with a smart-phone.
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3. Visitors should pre-register themselves.
The business visitors/delegates should not enter the venue ground if their temperature is not normal.
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5. Visitors to be allowed entry only if using face cover/masks. The face cover/mask has to be worn by all, at all times, while in public places.
Frisking of persons entering the venue, if planned, shall be
undertaken after thermal screening. Personnel involved in frisking shall wear triple layer medical mask (in addition to gloves). Proper hand hygiene shall be maintained by such personnel every time they change their gloves.
6. The business visitors/delegates must ensure that they maintain a sufficient distance (of about two yards) from other persons at all the time. Proper physical distancing shall be maintained while exiting the premises too.
7. The number of visitors inside the event venue shall be restricted in accordance with the order issued by Ministry of Home Affairs from time to time.
8. Seating arrangement in the exhibition halls, food courts, meetings, etc. to be made in such a way that adequate physical distancing of 6 feet is maintained
9. In case a person falls sick, he must report to the COVID help desk.
10. Visitors should adhere to all the guidelines prescribed by the Trade Exhibition Organizer F. Additional SOPs for holding Conferences during Exhibitions
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5. Identify closed door conference areas for any conference sessions planned during the exhibition with seating and avoid any standing attendees. Preferably the conference sessions can be held in an Open air Conference Hall.
Speaker / panelist chairs to be placed ensuring safe distancing.
Ensure social distancing for attendees and sanitization of conference area after regular intervals.
For holding B2B meetings during the event, a suitable facility ensuring sufficient space must be created to hold the meetings. The Meeting table must be separated by a distance of at least 6 feet. Not more than two people are allowed to sit at the table at a time for the B2B meeting. Face shield along with mask and hand gloves must be made mandatory for the B2B participants.
The National Directives for COVID-19 Management and the relevant guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, relevant State Governments etc. shall be strictly complied with during all activities.
Message from Mr.Balvinder Singh Sawhney Asst Sec General, FICCI
Reopening of exhibition after a hiatus of 6 months is a welcome step taken by the government. Economy is witnessing green shoots and further opening up of B2b exhibitions will catalyse both commerce and investments in India and strengthen Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan,”. Positivity is at galore as the global community look forward to the resurgence of Indian Exhibition Industry. The morale of the stakeholders is boosted and we at FICCI thank the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of commerce for this fitting decision.
Exhibition’s is the key to the revival of economy. Besides, playing an integral role in promoting trade, investments & networking, it has been at the forefront of various initiatives. Indian exhibition industry has been very conscious of its perception and has set a benchmark in all times. And while we have enough evidence that the immediate future of trade shows is not in doubt, we also understand there will be changes that will occur as organizers, venues, general contra tors, and others plan towards implementing the SOP’s set by the Govt.
The road to resurgence and re-building the trust of patrons will not be a cakewalk. We need to be astute and exude extreme caution in paving way for Trade Fairs 2.0, scope of laxity is minimal. Phygital or hybrid events can be an interim solution to garner international participation until the travel embargos are lifted. I am confident that the Indian Exhibition Industry is committed to deliver the highest quality of exhibitions with utmost professionalism, strict adherence to the SOP’s and safety of all, being the highest priority.
With these humble and careful beginnings, Indian Exhibition industry is geared up to lead by example!
Balvinder Singh
CEIR Teams with Swapcard to Research Event Matchmaking
Before and During Pandemic
The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) has joined with Swapcard, a leading AI-powered engagement and matchmaking platform for premium events, to publish Matchmaking Before & During COVID-19: How North American B2B Exhibition Organizers Use Technology to Connect People and Products, which examines how exhibition organizers can effectively approach attendee matchmaking in the virtual and hybrid event formats that have become predominant in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Attendee matchmaking is more important than ever today. It was important prior to the pandemic to help assure attendees and exhibitors maximize their face-to-face (F2F) engagement at physical trade shows. Today, where most in-person events are paused and instead are happening virtually, meaningful F2F engagement is a major challenge. This study provides an understanding of attendee matchmaking pre-COVID, as well as what organizers were looking for at the outset of the COVID-19 outbreak.
“This study offers very useful insights to use attendee matchmaking in a way that maximizes the outcomes for their participants, both exhibitors and attendees,” said CEIR Vice President of Research Nancy Drapeau, PRC. “Inevitably, this will only strengthen the value of exhibiting and thus enhance retention.”
CEIR is a longstanding provider of objective research aiming to support the needs of stakeholders in the B2B exhibition industry. COVID-19 is forcing stakeholders to evolve and innovate at a rapid pace in the quest to survive this health crisis. This joint initiative with Swapcard aims to provide insights that help organizers evolve their events and provide offerings to keep pace with the fast-changing business environment.
“CEIR’s foremost interest is helping stakeholders through this historic crisis,” said CEIR CEO Cathy Breden, CMP, CAE, CEM. “We are privileged that CEIR was chosen to do this research, in recognition of its reputation for providing reliable, objective insights that are representative of the industry.”
IICC - New Landmark in Making - Indian
Exhibition and Convention Space
The IICC (India International Convention & Expo Centre) is smart city project being driven by Government of India. With a total area of 300,000m2, IICC is India’s largest convention and exhibition complex.
IICC has five large exhibition halls, a multi-purpose convention centre, the largest auditorium in India capable of holding 10,000 people at one time, as well as multi-arena facilities for 6,000 people. With a total of 3,500 guest rooms within 1 km, as well as shopping, entertainment and office facilities, IICC is an ideal venue for exhibitors, exhibitors and buyers to enjoy the convenience and fun of visiting IICC, India’s largest complex of its kind.
Global Recovery Insights 2020 report published
- Latest data from global study shows no evidence of a major customer shift away from live events - A majority of exhibiting companies expects a fast return to pre-COVID levels of investment into the marketing channel
UFI and Explori are today publishing the first edition of the Global Recovery Insights 2020 report, which presents the findings of a global study conducted by live event research specialists, Explori, in partnership with UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, and supported by SISO, the Society for Independent Show Organizers. The study findings, based on more than 9,000 responses from across 30 countries, show that exhibition visitors and exhibitors overwhelmingly prefer live events, and that there is no evidence of a major shift away from face-to-face meetings. Although the intended frequency of participation has dropped for both groups, this is only marginally the case for exhibitors, indicating a clear desire amongst exhibiting companies to return to on-site show floors. The social aspect of events remains a critical draw for both groups, who rely on live events to create connections within their communities. Study participants, globally, believe that this aspect of events cannot be served effectively by digital events. There is a clear message from visitors that the quality of exhibitors is paramount, while exhibitors are now also valuing visitor quality, over quantity. There are signs that budgets will also be restored quickly, with 53% of exhibitors expecting their show investments to return to pre-COVID-19 levels within 12 months, while 28% report that their investments will return as soon as trade shows start running again. Whilst funds allocated to live events have been put on hold, overall marketing budgets were yet to see severe cuts as of late summer. Both visitors and exhibitors will look at their previous experiences when deciding to return to a show. They will turn to show brands they trust to deliver both robust safety measures, and, perhaps more importantly, a high-quality audience. “This study delivers important insights and reassurance to organisers and the wider industry, as they plan ahead in these uncertain times. It underlines the clear preference and importance of being able to meet in-person to do business, and the desire for both visitors and exhibitors to again meet face-toface. It also underlines the negative impact all industries are experiencing as a result of industry events not going ahead,” said Kai Hattendorf, CEO and Managing Director at UFI. Sophie Holt, Managing Director at Explori, added: “On behalf of Explori, UFI and SISO, I would like to thank all of the organisers and partners who participated in the study, making it the largest and, possibly, most-timely we have ever undertaken. I hope it is of value in shaping thinking over the coming months and in supporting those who advocate for the industry. The results are extremely encouraging, and I look forward to sharing more insights over the coming months as the research progresses.”
Theassociation.News
Co-located Paperworld India, Corporate Gifts Show and Interior Lifestyle India presented by Ambiente India slated in March 2021
Set to be held after a hiatus of one year due to the course taken by the pandemic that caused business and travel disruptions globally, the co-located fairs are now set to bring the industry back for business on the most awaited platform to connect with suppliers of the consumer goods segment.
While 2020 has undoubtedly been a challenging year bringing economic activity to a near standstill, there is a clear indication of optimis amongst India Inc. with signs of economic revival despite near-term challenges. Therefore, re-starting the business year under the new normal, the 2021 edition of co-located fairs will undoubtedly be marked in trade calendars as three days of face-to-face business networking – to meet buyers and suppliers in-person, sign deals and source solutions for the ‘new normal’ demand.
Moreover, bringing school, office, home décor, houseware and corporate gifting suppliers together, the synergic advantage of the co-located fairs Paperworld India, Corporate Gifts Show and Interior Lifestyle India presented by Ambiente India will present a single-sourcing business platform to re-start trade discussions and return confidence in the market.
Initially slated in January 2021 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai, the co-located fairs are now set to take place from 11 – 13 March 2021 at the same venue. Scheduled in the first quarter of the year, the new dates bring in ease of planning, preparation and participation for all stakeholders. Mr Raj Manek, Executive Director & Board Member, Messe Frankfurt Asia Holdings Pvt Ltd: “The decision of the strategic re-organisation of the consumer goods shows in India was to create synergy and mutual collaboration – the need for which is being felt now more than ever. The industry is geared up to take on 2021 and this will be the convergence point for the sector.”
“The Indian consumer goods industry has been reeling under the negative impact since the onset of the pandemic, and for us it was even more important to bring the industry together on a much-awaited Paperworld India, Corporate Gifts Show and Interior Lifestyle India Bombay Exhibition Center 11 – 13 March 2021 ordering platform. We are looking forward to welcoming the entire industry for a safe, successful and highly productive show in 2021.”
added Mr Minesh Modi, Director, Netlink Solutions
