The trade show industry is slowly looking at ways it can move forward, from implementing new safety measures to carefully considering whether to proceed with in-person events.
“In times of tragedy and national crisis it is absolutely imperative that organizations be present in the moment by communicating with their employees about what is going on and what their stance is related to the event,” said Dr. Candace Parrish, assistant professor and director of strategic communication at Sacred Heart University.
The World Health Organization has released a document called Key planning recommendations for mass gatherings in the context of the current COVID-19 outbreak, which provides a checklist for conference and event planners while also assessing the risks and covering how to prevent disease spread for events that plan to move forward.
The event industry has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by primarily shifting from in-person shows to virtual events. ExhibitDay recognizes this and has released a free virtual event planning toolkit.
It's important that any injured or ill persons receive immediate attention. Emergencies may arise in various forms - a fall, a heart attack, you name it. One thing is for certain, no one can predict these things. What you can do is be ready for it. Even during a minor emergency, event staff may panic in the heat of the moment, leading to poor decisions.
