Where is the equality? Orphans thrown crumbs whilst being kept on life support.

Events businesses disappointed with Covid support scheme
Updated / Friday, 12 Feb 2021 15:06

Exhibition companies had tried to pivot their businesses to online and virtual events
By Will GoodbodyBusiness Editor
Businesses operating in the events, exhibitions and trade show sectors have expressed their disappointment at a new Government scheme designed to help them survive through the pandemic. 
Announced on Tuesday, the Covid-19 Business Aid Scheme will offer firms whose turnover has fallen at least 75% due to Covid-19 restrictions grants of up to €8,000.
The support will be spread equally over two quarters. 
The €60m fund is designed to reach businesses that do not qualify for assistance under the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme or tourism support funds, including those in the events, exhibitions and trade show sectors. 
But the representative organisations for these so-called "orphaned" firms say the scheme is totally inadequate and will not make a significant difference.  
"We were offered crumbs and we don't understand why we are so different to SMEs supported by the CRSS," said Garret Buckley, chairperson of the Irish Exhibition Organisers' Association. 
Mr Buckley said the industry had expected that the new scheme announced by the Tanaiste would be similar to the CRSS, where qualifying firms can claim as much as €5,000 a week to cover their fixed costs. 
He said exhibition companies had tried to pivot their businesses to online and virtual events, but added that it is clear that for many events there is a need for people to be able to meet face to face. 
"There is desperation coming into it now," he said. 
Mr Buckley added that the sector, which employs 25,000 people here, was the first to have to shut down last March, and looks like it will be the last to reopen. 
He said governments in other countries where the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out is proceeding faster than in Ireland are giving event organisers a timeline for when they will be able to resume holding events, but so far the same things hasn't been forthcoming here. 
Representatives of the sector met with the Minister for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Robert Troy, today to express their concerns and outline their position. 


"While we acknowledge there are tons of things out there (to help businesses), none of them are hitting the mark for our members," said Roisin Callaghan, spokesperson for Events Industry Ireland. 
She said the new scheme amounts to the equivalent of €350 per week for businesses. 
"You may as well be on the PUP for that," she said, adding that firms in the sector want to keep trading. 
"The Government has said we can't work but they are not helping us to not work."
Ms Callaghan said most firms have now eaten into their reserves and yet the line of sight for the ending of the pandemic is shifting constantly. 
In a survey carried out last April by the association, 75% of respondents said their firms would o't last more than a year of closure and that anniversary is fast approaching.

IEOA Covid-19 Protocols Launched

Exhibitions an important outlet for SMEs and now possible under levels 1 & 2
 
The Irish Exhibition Organisers Association (IEOA) calls on exhibitors, SMEs and industry bodies to re-engage with trade fair and exhibition professionals as we enter 2021. This call was made as the IEOA launched their Covid-19 protocols, as well as on foot of Government clarity about the operation of trade fairs and exhibitions under levels 1 and 2 of Covid-19 Government guidelines. These IEOA-drafted Covid-19 protocols will be in place to ensure best practice health and safety standards are delivered once trade fairs and exhibitions recommence.
 
Robert Troy, Minister of State, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, with responsibility for Trade Promotion, was invited to the largest exhibition space in Ireland, the RDS, to acknowledge his support for enabling trade fairs and exhibitions to recommence in 2021.
 
Speaking at the RDS, Minister of State Robert Troy said: “I am delighted to see first-hand the level of preparedness that venues such as the RDS are making to ensure that they can reopen safely when permitted under public health guidance and the Government’s Living with COVID-19 Roadmap. A significant effort has been made by the industry to develop protocols for the safe return to business. I envisage no reason that trade exhibitions cannot reopen in Level 2, subject to a decline in trajectory of the virus.
“In the meantime, I welcome the innovation shown by venues and event organisers to move to virtual events, enabling businesses to engage online. As Minister for Trade Promotion I recognise the value of face-to-face engagement and business networking and I look forward to the reopening of the business events and trade shows in the coming months. 2021 is the year we make trade a priority, and I will continue to work with my Government colleagues to see the safe return of trade exhibitions which give businesses the space to make connections and work together. The Government is supporting event venues and the sector through wage subsidies, rates waivers and access to low-cost liquidity and while the Government acknowledges not all can avail of CRSS, work is ongoing to address the needs of legitimate businesses.”
“We’re a service industry that has an amplifying business effect for many other sectors” says Garret Buckley, Chair of the IEOA. “Our businesses have been closed since March. That has been devastating for our industry, but also the many SMEs that rely upon our events to get their product or service to market. The prolonged period of shutdown has been a severe blow to confidence, people were questioning if we’d survive at all. Minister Troy and his officials engaged with us early and his efforts have helped our industry in achieving clarity in a time of uncertainty. Government clarity is a crucial first step in restoring confidence.”
 
Hundreds of industry-specific events were cancelled across 2020. Trade fairs and business exhibitions typically require several months lead-in, but for IEOA members planning has already begun to enable a restart in Spring 2021. IEOA members are also aware that a movement to Covid-19 level 3 or higher could prevent their event from taking place at short notice. “That is a risk that we will have to weigh up and consider. Some of our members are at a point that it is a risk that they are willing to take” says Garret Buckley.
 
"But some standard practices in our industry give us natural advantages and allow us to run safe events. They are incorporated into a series of robust and implementable protocols to ensure the safety of all exhibitors, visitors and staff, which the IEOA drafted as part of our engagement with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. These protocols have been reviewed by the Health and Safety Authority and the Department of Health, and we are satisfied that they will contribute to making trade fairs one of the safest indoor environments possible. Trade fairs and exhibitions can resume on the basis of these protocols, without requiring a national vaccination programme to be completed, as has already happened in Asia and parts of Europe”.
 
These protocols include contact details for all persons on site either attending or working at any event; pre-registering of all attendees; use of event management professionals experienced in people movement; one-way systems; staggered pre-arranged time allocations; 4m2 per person, using spacious professional venues; and use of multiple entry and exit points.
 
Speaking on behalf of the RDS, Commercial Director Michele Griffin said: “The RDS has been the premier venue for many of the country’s longest established trade fair organisers, in some instances we have professional relationships going back decades. Just like our clients, our venue has been in effective hibernation since March. We had two months trading in 2020 with over 200 events postponed or cancelled. We have worked diligently with the IEOA and are confident that their health and safety protocols are fully operable in professional, spacious venues such as ours. The economic uplift from a recommencement of trade fairs goes beyond the event industry, potentially benefiting hundreds of indigenous SMEs from many different sectors. Our years of experience across diverse sectors tells us that face-to-face selling at trade fairs and exhibitions can be vital for many companies. It not only gives them sales leads, but a chance to test new products or services which they can then amend or alter based on feedback.”

Irish Exhibition and Trade Fair Organisers Call for Level Playing Field

• Clare companies miss out on trade fair sales 

 
Autumn is the busiest season for trade fairs and exhibitions*, and for the many SMEs who exhibit at trade fairs, these exhibitions deliver an important sales pipeline.

3,000 SMEs were already booked to take part in trade fairs within the months ahead, and with many September trade fairs and exhibitions now postponed and future trade fairs and exhibitions in jeopardy, the Irish Exhibition Organisers Association (IEOA) is calling for equal treatment to that of retail businesses who engage with thousands of customers every single day.

Recent cancellations include the Wedding & Honeymoon Show and Vitality. For Killaloe business, Palm Free Irish Soap company, the cancellation of Vitality at Dublin’s RDS came as a disappointment.

“Trade fairs and exhibitions are a vital way of connecting small businesses like ours with new customers. We exhibit at a couple of trade fairs every year and last year, Vitality expo really delivered for us in terms of sales.

“We were booked to exhibit at this year’s event and are saddened that the September event is no longer taking place as the event had the potential of connecting our Killaloe business with customers from throughout Ireland,” adds Kathy Hoynes, co-owner of the Palm Free Irish Soap company.

Whilst the IEOA organisation and many exhibitors are in complete support of the Government’s advice based on health and safety being paramount, IEOA members are frustrated by the lack of a level playing field.

Comparable to retail, trade fairs and exhibitions should not be defined as ‘mass events’, therefore the IEOA is calling for the number of people admitted to trade fairs or exhibitions to be determined by the size of the venue or hall in which it takes place.

“We have already produced and distributed robust guidelines which clearly show how trade fairs and exhibitions can operate in a safe manner, and it goes without saying that the health and safety of our employees, exhibitors, contractors and visitors is our number one priority.

“We are NOT organising mass events such as concerts, sporting events or large social events,  and are calling for the Department of Business to recognise that exhibitions and trade fairs must be treated equally to that of retail,” adds Garret Buckley, Chair, IEOA and Managing Director of EventHaus.

The IEOA is optimistic that exhibitions and trade fairs will be included in the July Stimulus package, which would play a crucial role in securing thousands of jobs both directly and indirectly throughout the entire supply chain.

The organisation is also calling for the introduction of a voucher scheme which will enable SMEs to cover some of the costs in participating in future exhibitions and trade fairs, and in return help stimulate Ireland’s recovery. 

Speaking about her future hopes, Kathy Hoynes, co-owner of the Palm Free Irish Soap company continues: “It’s a difficult time for all businesses and sales, particularly to gifts shops, are understandably not what they were. We have another trade fair booked for December and are very hopeful that it will go ahead as it could provide a lifeline for us after an unprecedented year. 

“The IEOA’s call for a voucher scheme would be a very welcome measure. It would encourage many SMEs, like us, to exhibit, trade and make new sales which will be so important as we all move forward.”

Trade fairs and exhibitions are a crucial sales funnel for many Irish SMEs as they are effectively marketplaces which connect buyers with sellers.

Expanding on the voucher scheme, Garret Buckley adds: “The IEOA is calling for the introduction of a voucher scheme of approximately €1,500, which will enable businesses to participate in future trade fairs and exhibitions, helping to secure vital sales at a time when every business needs it most.
“As well as directly benefitting exhibitor SMEs, this scheme would have a positive ripple effect throughout our supply chain, securing business for our many third-party contractors and suppliers.”

The IEOA is calling on the Department of Business and Health & Safety Authority to engage with the Association, include trade fairs and exhibitions in the July Stimulus package and to consider the merits of the introduction of the SME trade fair voucher scheme.

For further information on the IEOA  Roadmap to Safe Exhibitions and Covid-19 protocols, see http://www.ieoa.ie/safe-exhibitions.html

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Irish Exhibition and Trade Fair Organisers Call for Level Playing Field

• IEOA calling for equal treatment to retail
• July stimulus package has the potential to save 0000s of jobs
• Trade fair voucher scheme to play pivotal role for SMEs

 
Just six weeks away from the busiest season for trade fairs and exhibitions*, members of the Irish Exhibition Organisers Association (IEOA) are now making critical decisions on September to November trade fairs and exhibitions.

With many September trade fairs and exhibitions now postponed and future trade fairs and exhibitions in jeopardy, the IEOA is calling for equal treatment to that of retail businesses who engage with thousands of customers every single day.

Whilst the organisation is in complete support of the Government’s advice based on health and safety being paramount, IEOA members are frustrated by the lack of a level playing field.

Comparable to retail, trade fairs and exhibitions should not be defined as ‘mass events’, therefore the IEOA is calling for the number of people admitted to trade fairs or exhibitions to be determined by the size of the venue or hall in which it takes place.

“We have already produced and distributed robust guidelines which clearly show how trade fairs and exhibitions can operate in a safe manner, and it goes without saying that the health and safety of our employees, exhibitors, contractors and visitors is our number one priority.
“We are NOT organising mass events such as concerts, sporting events or large social events,  and are calling for the Department of Business to recognise that exhibitions and trade fairs must be treated equally to that of retail,” adds Garret Buckley, Chair, IEOA and Managing Director of EventHaus.

The IEOA is optimistic that exhibitions and trade fairs will be included in the July Stimulus package, which would play a crucial role in securing thousands of jobs both directly and indirectly throughout the entire supply chain.

The organisation is also calling for the introduction of a voucher scheme which will enable SMEs to cover some of the costs in participating in future exhibitions and trade fairs, and in return help stimulate Ireland’s recovery. 

Garret Buckley explains: “Trade fairs and exhibitions are a crucial sales funnel for many Irish SMEs as they are effectively marketplaces which connect buyers with sellers. For many years, our members’ trade fairs and exhibitions have proved to be lifeline in securing future sales for exhibitors across a wide array of sectors.

“The IEOA is calling for the introduction of a voucher scheme of approximately €1,500, which will enable businesses to participate in future trade fairs and exhibitions, helping to secure vital sales at a time when every business needs it most.

“As well as directly benefitting exhibitor SMEs, this scheme would have a positive ripple effect throughout our supply chain, securing business for our many third-party contractors and suppliers.”

With exhibitions and trade fairs taking place in vast venues such as The RDS, space can be totally configurated to ensure physical distancing. Controlled pre-event registration will facilitate contract tracing and the IEOA protocols detail many more procedures which will ensure the safe and controlled re-opening of trade fairs and exhibitions.

The IEOA is calling on the Department of Business and Health & Safety Authority to engage with the Association, include trade fairs and exhibitions in the July Stimulus package and to consider the merits of the introduction of the SME trade fair voucher scheme.

For further information on the IEOA  Roadmap to Safe Exhibitions and Covid-19 protocols, see  http://www.ieoa.ie/safeexhibitions 

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Irish Exhibition and Trade Fair Organisers Call on Government Clarity
-3,000 SMEs awaiting date for exhibitions and trade fairs to commence-
 
Representing the majority of event companies who organise trade fairs and exhibitions in Ireland, the Irish Exhibition Organisers Association (IEOA) is calling for clarity from Government on whether trade and consumer exhibitions can recommence this Autumn.

With the economy gradually re-opening, IEOA members’ trade fairs and exhibitions deliver a vital sales pipeline for thousands of businesses. In September and October alone, over 3,000 small businesses are already booked to exhibit at IEOA member events.

For exhibitors such as Bernadette Kennelly Wedding Cakes from Navan, September’s Wedding & Honeymoon Show is a crucial opportunity for Bernadette to secure essential sales for the remainder of the year and the following year.  

"I have exhibited at the Wedding & Honeymoon Show for 15 years, and as a small, cake-making business, without this show my business has no profile, voice or representation in the wedding industry,” explains Bernadette.

Bernadette is just one of thousands of SMEs who have recently reopened their businesses following lock-down, and for whom trade fairs and exhibitions are an essential way to meet new customers, launch products and secure future sales.

Garret Buckley, Chair, IEOA and Managing Director of EventHaus comments: “Collectively, our trade fairs and exhibitions are responsible for generating millions of euro in sales for our exhibitors, many of which are small Irish businesses who depend on our events for sales.
“Our events are essentially ‘marketplaces’ and they will provide SMEs with a valuable opportunity to stimulate their sales in the post-lockdown era.” 

At a time when generating new business has never been more important, the IEOA is calling for clarity from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation which will enable the sector to plan for its safe re-opening.

To assist the Government, the IEOA has already published its own roadmap for members, which includes guidelines and protocols* which have been circulated to the Department of Business and to the Health & Safety Authority. 

Garret continues: “With all exhibitions and trade fairs cancelled since mid-March, we now need certainty to facilitate planning for our Autumn events. We are confident that our proposed protocols will enable our events to operate safely, fully adhering to Government guidelines on social distancing.”

Recognising that the Government is working through the phases, the IEOA is calling for action now as timing is crucial in the planning of events, with minimum lead times at two months but in most occasions is much longer.

“It goes without saying that the health and safety of our employees, exhibitors and visitors is our number one priority, and our robust guidelines clearly show how smaller, niche events can run smoothly in a safe manner,” says Garret.  

In addition to delivering business for exhibitors, many other contractors, such as venues, stand-construction, catering, lighting, cleaning, and security businesses, depend on income from trade fairs and exhibitions. 

Michael Duffy, Chief Executive of The RDS adds: “Large venues throughout Ireland have the capacity, resources and professional expertise in 'people movement' to assist event organisers hold trade fairs & exhibitions in a safe and responsible way, adhering to Government guidelines.

“The lead-in times for exhibitions and trade fairs are typically six months or more, with many people involved. Quarter 4 is always the busiest time of year for such events, with many SMEs receiving bookings or orders for the following year - never more vital than in these times. Those involved in events September and October need time and some level of certainty and clarity on future guidelines in order to prepare for these events now.”

Many European countries, including France, Germany and Switzerland, have recognised the importance the trade fairs and exhibitions to the overall economy, confirming that exhibitions can take place from 1st September 2020. Detailed report: https://www.dropbox.com/s/zsjnmftteinb9qn/World%20Show%20Update.pdf?dl=0

The total Irish events industry represents 35,000 workers (Full time Equivalent) and a market value Industry Output of €3.5 billion*. In Europe, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI) valued direct spending from European trade fairs and exhibitions in 2018** at €39.5bn, with the sector employing 358,000 across European nations. 

The IEOA is calling upon policy makers to understand the importance of its members’ events, and how they will play a vital role in accelerating the overall economic recovery in Ireland.

For further information on the IEOA  Roadmap to Safe Exhibitions and Covid-19 protocols, see http://www.ieoa.ie/covid-19-campaign.html

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