The Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia (EEAA) is suggesting the MICE industry should create safety procedures for post-COVID events—then put them to the government.
EEAA President, Spiro Anemogiannis proposed that—instead of waiting for guidelines on public gatherings—the meetings profession can “solve this problem for government and health agencies rather than be told how we should operate.”
“In other words, we need to provide the solution and the operating framework rather than be included in any wider public gathering decree,” Mr Anemongiannis said.
“Our industry needs to convince government that to restart the economy, business events will be the safest and quickest way to reconnect all business.”
Alongside this, the EEAA is pushing the government to support event businesses with a cash injection or loan as cashflow losses may impact their ability to run events once restrictions lift.
The association said the current stimulus packages—such as the Jobkeeper program—may not be enough to keep event SMEs above water.
“Even if events recommence in some form in the second half of the year a lot of suppliers, operators and even venues may not have the cash flow to enter into contracts to actually deliver the products and/or the services,” Mr Anemogiannis said.
“Maybe something like a cash injection to industry SMEs or even perhaps a short-term industry free loan.”
