{"id":19069,"date":"2021-04-01T15:30:21","date_gmt":"2021-04-01T13:30:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expoconsulting.eu\/?p=19069"},"modified":"2021-03-31T21:34:12","modified_gmt":"2021-03-31T19:34:12","slug":"good-signs-of-reopening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expoconsulting.eu\/en\/good-signs-of-reopening\/","title":{"rendered":"Good signs for the reopening of trade shows and events"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our Marco Barozzi<\/strong> plays the guest again in the Exhibit Marketers Caf\u00e9\u2019s Virtual Lunch.<\/strong>
\nThe episode dwells upon how it has been a tough year for the industry<\/strong>. Despite the uncertain situation and the lockdown still in place in most European countries, people and companies<\/strong> are really eager to go back and walk the show floor<\/strong> again.<\/p>\n

Some events are back<\/h2>\n

Little, but meaningful signs of reopening<\/strong> are starting to show across Europe: last week in Spain<\/strong>, for instance, a regional show<\/strong> took place in-person for three days in Madrid<\/strong>, and another big one will take place in May.<\/p>\n

In Italy, the Bologna Children\u2019s Book Fair<\/strong> is scheduled from the 14th<\/sup> to the 17th<\/sup> of June, and the objective is to host it fully in-person<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Some bigger and more technological-oriented realities, such as Barcelona\u2019s Mobile World Congress<\/strong>, will go fully hybrid, but won\u2019t give up on the physical part<\/strong>. They strongly want to have the in-person event, coupled with the digital one, which is going to take place from June 28th<\/sup> to July 1st<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

In the UK, according to current data, events will be reopening from June 21st<\/sup><\/strong>.
\nHowever, a full reopening across Europe is not likely to happen before Q2 and Q3 of this year.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Green Certificates<\/h3>\n

What are Green Certificates?<\/h4>\n

With the official vaccination campaign<\/strong> rolling out in the past few months, the topic of \u2018green certificates\u2019 acquired increasing relevance.
\nGreen certificate, vaccine passport, health passport<\/strong>, whatever you want to call it, means that if you have a negative test, a vaccine, or any other type of document attesting you are Covid-free<\/strong>, then you should be able to travel<\/strong> (depending on the specific restrictions and country regulations) abroad and to attend events within the EU.<\/p>\n

In Israel<\/strong> something similar is already working: an app that basically puts a green card into your Apple wallet.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why are they necessary?<\/h4>\n

Green certificates are going be fundamental<\/strong> in the future.
\nOnce travel bans are lifted, people will be moving en masse again. Travel is a key factor<\/strong> related to the event industry, and that\u2019s why the European Exhibition industry Alliance<\/strong><\/a>, Emeca<\/a> – the European Major Exhibition Centres Association<\/strong>, UFI<\/strong><\/a> and local associations<\/strong> in many countries, are putting pressure on the EU to speed up the process.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s been a very good coordination<\/strong> between all the above mentioned entities with the aim to send a unified and clear message:<\/strong> it\u2019s time for a long-awaited comeback<\/strong>, it\u2019s time for trade shows and events to restart. Green Certificates are what we need<\/strong> to do it as soon as possible.<\/p>\n

The industry gave back what it could<\/h3>\n

Hopefully, these requests won\u2019t fall on deaf ears<\/strong>. Especially after all the efforts<\/strong> that all exhibitions and events organizations and institutions made to help face the pandemic<\/strong> during last year.
\nExhibition venues<\/strong> were converted into Covid-related facilities<\/strong> to ease the pressure on hospitals, some made their kitchens available to distribute food<\/strong> or made space available to be redesigned as shelters for the homeless<\/strong> (Fira Barcelona<\/strong> is an excellent example of this policy).<\/p>\n

Some major venues have also been converted into vaccination centers<\/strong> as soon as the first vaccine rolled out, in order to speed up the campaign.<\/p>\n

An eye to the future<\/h3>\n

Looking back at a whole year of restrictions and sacrifices, we cannot help but notice how the challenge to our industry was huge.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Times like those we have lived and are living call for new skills and a whole new way of thinking<\/strong> (out of the box). We need to face and solve problems with a different approach<\/strong>, by finding different solutions.<\/p>\n

As Marco Giberti<\/strong>, an accredited professional with decades of experience in the field would quote<\/a> from Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, \u201cWe must unlearn what we have learned\u201d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

To overcome difficulties<\/strong>, enjoy endless opportunities<\/strong> and embrace changes<\/strong> happening at an incredible fast pace.<\/p>\n

The industry needs to, but also CAN and SHOULD, restart<\/strong>. This time, for real.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n