(last updated: May 27, 2020)
The World Health Organisation has declared the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus a global pandemic on March 11.
UFI is supporting the work of global, regional, and national institutions who deal with this outbreak.
As part of the meetings industry, exhibitions are both very much affected by protective measures as they are a vital means to support industries in challenging times.
As an industry, we have shown time and again that we are supportive and resilient in difficult times. Our best response to this outbreak is to stay focused and calm.
On this page, we are listing some resources for UFI members and the industry at large.
Global Framework for Reopening Exhibitions and B2B Trade Events
Working with the global industry community, UFI has released a global framework that sets out how our industry will run events given the COVID19 conditions. The framework lists measures and advocacy messages for the dialogue with politicians and health authorities, and provides global industry guidance.
Exhibition & Events Industry Advocacy
The COVID-19 pandemic puts many businesses in our industry at risk. With our partners, UFI is working to advocate globally for specific support programmes from governments tailored to the needs of our sector. Jointly, we have already achieved success in many countries, and continue to work on this.
- Overview of support programmes in Europe
- Overview of support programmes in LATAM
- Overview of support programmes in Asia/Pacific
- Overview of support programmes in Middle East/Africa
Advocacy resources
Data, materials, and messages you can use when you talk to your lawmakers and stakeholders about support for our sector
- Global Assessment of COVID 19’s economic impact on trade shows and exhibitions
- Position Paper: Exhibitions and Live Events are the fast track to economic recovery
- Global Framework for Reopening Exhibitions and B2B Trade Events
- Letter to the European Commission on behalf of the exhibition industry
- Video Statement from JMIC President (and UFI CEO) Kai Hattendorf
- Statement from UFI President Mary Larkin
- Joint statement from UFI and SISO
Information on the virus
- The World Health Organisation (WHO) is the source of relevance, they have a dedicated web presence here: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
- The WHO provides daily updates here: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports/
- Global tracker of coronavirus cases by Johns Hopkins CSSE: https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6
- US Center for Disease Control: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
- European Centre for Disease Prevention: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/novel-coronavirus-china
Travel advice:
- Again, the WHO: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/travel-advice
- The WHO and the UNWTO (World Tourism Organisation) have issued a joint statement regarding the travel and tourism industry: https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/27-02-2020-a-joint-statement-on-tourism-and-covid-19—unwto-and-who-call-for-responsibility-and-coordination
- National governments issue travel advisories
Health advice:
- We have put together a template with precautionary advice. That template can be translated into your local language and used as display.
- The WHO has a good tool kit of material for travellers and trade show participants: WHO’s messaging on what travelers and participants in trade shows and exhibitions can do to stay safe.
Company advice:
- The WHO has issued a document called “Key planning recommendations for Mass Gatherings in the context of the current COVID-19 outbreak”.
- In the US, the CDC has issues a document called “Interim Guidance for Event Planners” Here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/mass-gatherings-ready-for-covid-19.html
- UFI and AIPC have produces a best practice guide for venues and centres on COVID-19 measures: Convention and Exhibition Centre Health & Safety: Managing COVID-19 Challenges
- We have put together UFI recommendations on how to deal with the outbreak within your company and some guidance around events you are running
Industry responses:
- We are tracking policy announcements from exhibition industry associations here: blog.ufi.org
- We are gathering case studies on exhibitions successfully dealing with the outbreak:
– GESS, Dubai, UAE – http://blog.ufi.org/2020/03/05/case-study-covid-19-handling-impact-for-gess-dubai-education/
– Aircraft Interiors and MRO Middle East – http://blog.ufi.org/2020/03/05/case-study-covid-19-handling-impact-for-aime/
– AIME, Melbourne, Australia – http://blog.ufi.org/2020/02/28/case-study-aime/
– Global Pet Expo, Orlando, U.S.A. – http://blog.ufi.org/2020/02/27/global-pet-expo-the-show-must-go-on-despite-covid-19/
– Integrated Systems Europe, Amsterdam, The Netherlands – http://blog.ufi.org/2020/02/18/case-study-ise-amsterdam-mike-blackman/
Additional resources:
- The Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) has issued a call to the whole Meetings Industry in response to the outbreak – you can read (and share) it here
- We are facilitating ongoing dialogue between exhibition organisers around the world – to be involved in this exchange contact info@ufi.org
- We are facilitating ongoing dialogue between exhibition venue operators around the world – to be involved in this exchange contact info@ufi.org
- Our UFI media partner m+a is tracking trade show postponements and cancellations around the world here: https://www.expodatabase.de/en/articles/125890-coronavirus-leads-to-exhibition-cancellations
- The WHO has stated that the world is also fighting an “infodemic”, as many fake stories are being pushed out predominantly through social media. “NewsGuard” is running a Coronavirus Misinformation Tracking Center that identifies and calls out news and information sites in the U.S., the U.K., France, Italy, and Germany that have been identified as publishing materially false information about the virus: https://www.newsguardtech.com/coronavirus-misinformation-tracking-center
