Chennai: As countries around the world start to reopen their economy, the events industry seems to have drawn the least interest.
Corporate events such as conferences and trade shows are very often bundled up with mass gatherings, which have been proved to facilitate Covid-19 infections. Therefore, events are usually part of the final phase of reopening, and for some countries that means waiting for a vaccine or a cure.
In India, this sector accounts for the employment of 10 million people which have been directly affected due to the crisis. The entire spectrum of MICE (meetings-incentives-convention-exhibition) is an Rs 5,00,000 crore market including organised and unorganized sector put together and Covid-19 is responsible for impacting jobs at a global level too. These numbers are higher when you add to it the entertainment-based events like live concerts, sports meet, religious events, and award ceremonies.
EEMA as the industry apex body and association has taken the charge in bring the event industry stakeholders together in delivering clear local guidelines and pressuring governments to give the industry a plan for going back to work.
EEMA organised an open webinar inviting all the industry partners and stakeholders to come together and released the EEMA’s reopening guidelines aiming to show Indian authorities the live sector can reopen safely after months at a standstill.
The webinar was attended by over 1000 industry stakeholders and the SOP was appreciated during the two hours session.
In his opening address, president, EEMA, Roshan Abbas shared that “the events industry that was steadily growing on a double-digit growth rate industry has seen a halt since Covid-19 has entered the global economy.”
He added: “These SOPs have been meticulously planned over the last few weeks taking into account guidelines issued by the government and multiple global associations, and have been planned across every vertical the event industry represents.”