IEOA Publish COVID–19 Roadmap to Safe Exhibitions

This document, supported by IFSA in relation to CATEX 2021, describes the steps that Irish Exhibition Organisers Association (IEOA) members in conjunction with Venue Operators shall take to reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19 in an exhibition setting.

This protocol sits within the Government’s National Return to Work Safely Protocol and general COVID-19 prevention advice. As associate members of UFI – the global association for the exhibition industry, the IEOA have accessed and incorporated the best practices and recommendations that have been developed for both the European and Global exhibition industry.

---

DOWNLOAD THE ROADMAP TO SAFE EXHIBITIONS

Exhibition Organisers and Venue Operators are committed to providing a safe place to facilitate business between attendees and exhibitors. Both Exhibition Organisers and Venue Operators take responsibility for managing events in a way that minimises the risk of spreading COVID-19 by employing a robust framework to manage all aspect of the event. The key to a safe return of exhibitions and trade fairs is strong communication and a shared collaborative approach between Venue Operators, Exhibition Organisers and exhibitors.

The IEOA represents members who organise and deliver exhibition and trade fairs, serving major vertical industries including Construction, Hospitality, Tourism, IT, Pharma, Food and Beverage, Weddings, and many more.  As such, the IEOA members and their exhibitors will play a vital role in the recovery of the Irish economy. 

​As we look to September, and aligned to the Irish Government’s Roadmap, the IEOA are planning for exhibitions and trade fairs to re-commence on 1st September 2020, under new
draft protocols, which ensure the public’s safety.

This will protect thousands of direct jobs within SME exhibitors' businesses and thousands of indirect jobs, including those in the exhibition supply chain; in addition to helping Irish SMEs to
generate business, contributing to Ireland’s overall economic recovery.

Event industry bodies across the globe are aligned to the work of the IEOA and are calling for:

• ​Recognition that exhibitions and trade fairs are more analogous to shopping centres than mass entertainment gatherings.
• A common understanding of the sector and a coordinated approach across Europe.
• Acknowledgement of the contribution of exhibitions and trade fairs to the wider economy - venues, contractors’ businesses, hospitality and travel.
• Smaller national and regional exhibitions and events to be the first to open their doors. 
• The alignment of exit measures and lifting of travel restrictions with the permissions to hold exhibitions and trade fairs. 
• Creation of health and safety first measures for a secure business environment, including management of visitors adapting floor plans, hygiene measures, technology solutions and cashless payments.
• Increased Government support to the existing measures taken by each country, which primarily focus on the short-term.

For More Information see: www.ieoa.ie