Bulletin: COVID-19

Jan 28, 2021

We’re all being flooded by news and communications about COVID-19. Below we summarise information about how destinations are responding, which we hope will help you in planning your own mitigation and recovery strategies.

REGION WATCH

ASIA

Thailand’s strategies to boost International Exhibitions
Source: Edited excerpt from Travel Daily News
Date: 20 January 2021

Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) aims to be more segmented in its international exhibition promotion in 2021 giving high priority to 12 key industries to strengthen national development and put emphasis on the Asian market.

Asia-centric approach to increase online and offline trade shows to maintain Thailand’s position as a centre of international exhibitions in Asia.
Attracting new shows and clustering events, such as conventions and festivals whose content is aligned with the shows
Creating opportunities in potential regions, for example, Thailand LOG-IN Events planned for Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).
Collaborating with government agencies to promote large-scale trade shows and conventions under “One Ministry, One Expo” concept.
Promoting innovation and technology to enhance visitors’ experience through an online platform, create business opportunities, and lower physical touching points at the shows.

Hong Kong adapts online-offline program for business events in Q1 and Q2 of 2021
Source: Edited excerpt from CIM
Date: 12 January 2021

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) will reconfigure its industry trade fairs and conferences in the first half of 2021 as part of its ongoing efforts to find ways to help Hong Kong companies continue doing business during the pandemic. In addition to enhancing its hybrid model that combines online fairs with physical fairs and symposiums, the HKTDC will also organise new local exhibitions and hold a number of its key international conferences online, including those targeting the finance, creative and marketing sectors.

Penang Convention Bureau hosts virtual roadshow
Source: Edited excerpt from Impact News
Date: 25 January 2021

Malaysia’s Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) recently conducted its 4th Annual Penang Roadshow in India for travel agents in 4 prominent cities of Kochi, Chennai, New Delhi and Mumbai. This year’s show was carried out fully virtually followed by a Penang Night special dinner hosted for the Indian travel agents. The virtual show had a total of 25 registered sellers from Penang and the larger Malaysia travel and business events industry, and welcomed more than 200 buyers in total.

AUSTRALIA

Tasmania’s COVID-19 Safe Events Framework
Source: Edited excerpt from CIM and Business Tasmania
Date: 12 January 2021

The Tasmanian Government has launched A Framework for COVID-19 Safe Events and Activities in Tasmania to support event organisers to plan and hold larger-scale COVID-19 safe events from December 2020. Depending on the risk profile of the event, it will be classed as Level 1, 2 or 3, and different controls will apply depending on the level. The Framework applies to gatherings that exceed the ordinary gathering limits.

New South Wales unveils Visitor Economy Strategy 2030
Source: Edited excerpt from CIM
Date: 19 January 2021

New South Wales has outlined a strategy to host more major events as it looks to transform the state into the largest tourism hub in the Asia-Pacific. The Visitor Economy Strategy 2030 aims to aid recovery and turbocharge visitor economy growth through securing world-class events, boosting regional visitation and building new tourism icons and visitor experiences for the future. Developed by Destination NSW the strategy will also focus on the day trip market, worth an estimated AUD 10 billion (USD 7.7 billion) by 2030, and grow opportunities in regional NSW, with the aim of returning visitation to pre-pandemic levels by 2024. The Visitor Economy Strategy 2030 can be found here.

EUROPE

Germany launches Response Room
Source: Edited excerpt from German CVB
Date: 14 January 2021

The German Convention Bureau (GCB) launched its open innovation platform “Response Room”, initiated in cooperation with PCMA and the IMEX Group. The platform offers a global, interdisciplinary forum to innovate business events. The partners are looking to build a global community of meeting planners, organisers, suppliers, and event participants to jointly develop new solutions and innovative business models.

Scotland’s USD 7.27 million Pivotal Event Businesses Fund
Source: Edited excerpt from KONGRES and VisitScotland
Date: 20 January 2021

At the end of last year, the Scottish government announced that the business events sector was to receive £6 million (USD 7.27 million) from the £104.3 million (USD 126.48 million) Scottish Government package for tourism and hospitality businesses across the country. The Pivotal Event Businesses Fund, to be delivered through VisitScotland, will be prioritised towards those businesses that can evidence and demonstrate they play a pivotal role across the events industry in Scotland and are in financial difficulty as a direct result of COVID-19.

Austria’s USD 364.8 million meetings protection plan
Source: Edited excerpt from M & IT and Vienna CVB
Date: 14 January 2021

Under an approved EUR 300 million (USD 364.8 million) protective shield, the Austrian government will cover financial damage resulting from events being cancelled or restricted due to COVID-19. The Austrian guarantee of liability gives event planners planning security. Starting January 18, 2021, applications can be submitted via the Austrian Hotel and Tourism Bank (ÖHT). The first eligible event date is March 1, 2021. Applications can be submitted through June 15, 2021.