Event management apex body prepares SOP to urge governments to allow the industry to restart in post pandemic phase

According to the stakeholders, since events, such as conferences, trade shows, sports, etc. inherently attract a large number of participants and visitors, it is feared that such mass gatherings may trigger the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In India, this sector accounts for the employment of 10 million people, who have been directly affected due to the crisis, said EEMA (Event and Entertainment Management Association), the apex body responsible for the sector’s activities.

According to EEMA’s President Roshan Abbas, the events industry was steadily following a double-digit growth rate when the pandemic struck.

In a recent release, EEMA said that the entire spectrum of M.I.C.E (meetings-incentives-convention-exhibition) is Rs 500,000 crore market, including organized and unorganized sectors put together, which have been affected by the pandemic.

These numbers are likely to go higher if entertainment-based events like live concerts, sports meet, religious events, and award ceremonies are considered.

Therefore EEMA recently took an initiative (by organising a webinar) to bring the relevant industry stakeholders together in delivering clear local guidelines and urge governments to give the industry permission to reopen.

It also released a guideline highlighting how the live sector can reopen safely after months at a standstill.

Roshan Abbas, President, EEMA

Said Abbas, “These SOPs have been meticulously planned taking into account guidelines issued by the Union government and multiple global associations, and have been planned across every vertical the event industry represents.”

Among its recommendations are enhanced protocols related to sanitisation, cleaning, hygiene, attendee management, venue requirements and more.

Siddhartha Chaturvedi, EEMA’s General Secretary, said, “The event industry already carries out comprehensive risk assessment, safety checks and logistical planning for every event, so including a Covid-19 mitigation plan as an extension of existing event planning mechanisms is easily achievable.”

The SOP document was officially released by Valsa Singh Nair, Principal Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Government of Maharashtra.

EEMA has also set up a Government Relations Committee chaired by Lalit Gatani and co-chaired by Samit Garg.

The Committee will be coordinating with the Union and state governments and discuss the SOPs developed by the industry to convince the authorities about their readiness to reopen.

EEMA simultaneously initiated a digital campaign to bring all stakeholders under one umbrella to urge the government to prioritize the reopening of the event industry.