Posted by
Barry Siskind
Community manager
The newspapers report that the airline industry is losing $ 200 million each day as a result of the volcano in Iceland and there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight. According to reports there have been over 6.7 million travelers stranded. These include travelers who vacation, conduct business and attend exhibitions.
What has the effect of the cloud of volcanic ash done (and continues to do) to the exhibition industry. We were just creeping out of the worse recession since the great depression and nature steps up to tell us, not so fast.
If ever there was a time for the exhibition industry to began sharing the effects they are feeling and the plans they are putting in place to mitigate the damage, it’s now. UFILive was created specifically for situations like this where we have no precedent to fall back on. We are all in uncharted territory and need to talk to each other now more than ever.
I am currently running VIV Europe, the most international trade show in the animal husbandry industry, taking place from April 20 to 22 in the Netherlands.
Effect so far: 120 exhibitor (mainly Asian) out of 560 could not make it, others made heroic efforts to be there (even 40 hours bustrips from Ukrain). In the end 85% floorspace is filled.
We responded with hospitality actions and extra promotion in European area (call for industry support)
Vistor number day 1 is 50% what it normally would have been, ofcourse lacking all overseas visitors from Asia, Middle East, Americas and Africa (though even some South Africans made it today!)
But also very positive atmosphere of solidarity on the show floor and comprehension towards us .
Keeping the spirit up is one, but my challenge is how to deal with the exhibitors who could not make it and want their investment back and the ones who do attend but cannot forfill their expectations and (will) start to claim at least something back.
Juridical everybody understand claims towards the organizers cannnot be made, however, since the show is part of a large international portfolio and many companies partcipate in regional versions of the show all over the wordl, some gesture is expected.
I am very curious about experiences of my colleauges.
Gerard Leeuwenburgh
Director International Exhibitions
VNU Exhibitions Europe
Posted by Vincent Gerard
I just spoke to Martin Sirk : he is also afraid of the reaction of the Insurance companies. I hope lots of Congress organizers are insured (more than exhibition organizers in my opinion, but I am not sure: is this maybe a question for our blog?), but……when the circumstances are out of proportion like this, what is reasonable, for who?
“Thanks to the concerted effort by Messe München and its international sales and association partners the reaction to the situation was very quick. We are expecting that in the course of the next two days business at the trade fair can continue without restrictions for the most part. We are offering delayed exhibitors support such as help with any equipment they still need for their stands,” said Klaus Dittrich, Chairman & CEO of Messe München GmbH.
Readr the whole stroy at http://www.bauma.de/link/en/15661687
See The Hong Kong Trade Development Council’s proactive approach to the volcano and their upcoming fairs. http://tpwebapp.hktdc.com
Dear collegues,
exhibtion cancellation for reasions out of organizer control sure will affect organizer/exhibitor relations ,one of the main aspects of exhibtion industry is trust of exhibitor to organizer , such cancellations or even non mature event will made bad effects on standing events just like VIV , I know all visitors from Sudan to VIV they could not make it even myself , organizer should provide some pay back or partial refund for subscription amount or provide future free entry to maitain organizer / exhibitor relations , any how in this way sure organizer income or profit will decrease or even loss will appear , one of my experiments with cancelled or unmature events I lost a Gold Sponsor for ever not only me but all exhibtion industry in my country , they lost confidence on us and other organizer althaugh we made full refund for sponsorship fund , any how for VIV I agree with Mr. Gerard that VIV and organizer VNU gained much sympathy from industry people all over the world just for the event is world class event all visitors and exhibtitors present or abscent felt the sorrow the the event was not as expected aI comment it is just like football match lost by a team but it is not the end of the team may matches will come and the team will win again
Osama Mustafa
President & CEO
Expo Team Co. Ltd. – Sudan