Post COVID-19 Impacts on event and exhibition industries

Covid-19 pandemic drastically has been impacted the event and exhibition industry since the virus spread globally.  100 percent events & exhibitions Cancellation result has been noticed in all most every sector, moreover many of the events have been put off to 2021.

Global pandemic perishing business at huge level especially healthcare events and exhibition industry undoubtedly is the industry first being affected due to COVID-19. As we know that events and exhibitions hold mass gathering of buyers and sellers at huge level & contribute in furnishing huge business. Event and exhibitions trade is going through the toughest time because it is surrounded with uncertainty since we do not have any precise scope even for 2021. High probability is that Pandemic can take a new face in winters as reported in news hence, this has created a new problem for events and exhibitions because we can’t be assured specific time to schedule events and exhibitions in 2020.

This is the time where we have to heed on new protocols to re-establish events and exhibition business in India.

Mass gathering and technology

Show experts believe that concrete mass gathering is essential for trustworthy & transparent outcomes with customers and clients. Assuredly technologies are being used to promote and enhance events as digital marketing, social media platforms etc.

It also helps to provide feasible platform for reciprocity ideas, information and knowledge withal, the major question is that are virtual events useful or successful? Perhaps not.

People are more homelike with mass gathering as they believe in concrete exhibitions rather than virtual, however, because of this current pandemic the use of these technologies has increased rapidly and many business are running successfully but events cannot be organized utterly live.

Exhibitions are unlike other conferences and meetings; it cannot be set completely on digital marketing platform since trade shows, conferences, product display etc. is not possible through web meeting, consequently, it requires physical demonstration of services and products.

Crisis Planning

Cancellations in events and exhibitions have increased due to COVID-19 pandemic that enforces host and marketers to think on uncertainty planning. Mass gathering in exhibitions serves different purposes for doing and increasing business with economic growth, hence, Organising exhibitions and b2b trade events certainly require foretell for COVID-19 crisis. It has been seen that cancellation of events and exhibitions has impacted economic negatively.

Being an exhibition organizer it is vital to plan strategy to schedule the exhibition and events in case of cancellation because according to the present circumstances forecasting is more difficult to foretell than ever. Need to plan an outlook to avoid Investment decrement, revenue loss etc to get profit to ramp up business and economic.

We can’t be dependent on virtual mass gathering as this is not the future of exhibitions and events also not beneficial. Exhibition has to take place for mass gathering for trustworthy alliance only then the chances of heavy business and economic growth will be increased.

To make it possible and to be happen in coming days, weeks and months crisis planning has to be designed.

Insurance for exhibitions and events

 Organizing events and exhibition requires planning to reduce the loss and risk. Inclusive insurance plan is one of the paramount strategy should be taken place with excellent claim handling.

However, many of the insurance policies have not included claim for pandemics & war losses.

“According to P Nandgopal, Founder and Chief Mentor, Insurance Inbox, catastrophic policies usually do not have standard rules or terms and conditions and insurers write such a policy based on past trends and history. However, if the general terms and conditions are written in a way that cancellations happen due to a government order then the claims could be honoured.

“In this case, the cancellations were not due to the spread of the virus in itself but due to government order and lockdown etc. If such an interpretation is possible within the given terms and conditions, then those could be payable. Courts and the Ombudsman will take a view while interpreting this. Denying claims will be unfair unless these are very narrowly defined policies,” he said.”

Current situation in India is facing is COVID-19 pandemic and war with china which is utterly hazarding economic of the country. As it is already has proved that events and exhibitions are the biggest resources and contributors in country’s economic growth.

Fundamentally, insurance cover for pandemics and loss because of war should be offered.

Health and safety

COVID-19 has arisen many questions pertaining etiquettes, health and safety. Now hosting meetings, organizing events and exhibitions will not be as easy as it was; it will take a lot of planning, arranging safety and health protocols in order to re-start the exhibition and events.

Hygiene food arrangements disinfected sitting arrangements, maintaining social distancing, availing proper sanitization etc. has to make set.

Eradication of hand shaking culture is needful to do. Routine practice of hand washing process for 20 seconds, wearing mask, proper tests arrangements before ingress, disinfection of rooms, rest rooms, canteen, meeting rooms, entry doors etc.

How to control panic situation arrangements should be there, preventions of spread of virus equipments and kits etc., proper analysis and arrangement set ups for health and safety measures for visitors and staff, personnel and personal safety, outlook plan for crowd control.

Manifesto for safety and precautions guidelines need to be prepare to encourage the re-opening of events, trade shows and exhibitions by following the guidelines more confidently and carefully.