SISO Update
As we welcome summer and the warmer weather, we're beginning to see the slow, phased return to business around the world. As events industry professionals, we continue to not just hold strong but do our best to advocate for our industry and promote the importance of live events to the global economy. The constant stream of consumable content continues and our SISO Update series aims to distill and curate top resources to help you navigate and focus.
SISO Activities
Last week marked Global Exhibitions Day worldwide on June 3. SISO, our partners and many of you joined through UFI's GED and your various organizations to show up and stand up for our industry. Thank you! We support you and look forward to gathering together with you soon to share ideas, learnings, and to connect - in-person. A few reminders and recaps for you:
- SISO Summer Conference planning is underway! Plan to meet August 11-13 in Dallas, Texas! This year's program will include valuable enhancements for participants to experience holding events under this new environment we live in. Registration for SISO members this year is FREE for all of your staff!
- Global Exhibitions Day was different this year. Held virtually, UFI reported people and organizations participated from over 114 countries - well done! The key message across the world was that exhibitions are key to rebuilding economies. Whether you participated on June 3, or not, it's not too late to get involved and make a difference. Make your voice heard, visit UFI and IAEE's websites for resources and more details on how you can be an advocate for our industry.
- Catch up on SISO webinars, including:
- Miss SISO's Global Exhibitions Day webinar? Watch the June 3 Town Hall 2.0 “Continuing the Conversation,” featuring:
- Douglas Emslie, Hervé Sedky, Cassandra Farrington, and Greg Topalian
- Covering when they're holding their first shows and what they'll look like, insurance, virtual events, density and occupancy, and what a post-COVID-19 vaccine world may look like for trade shows
- Also watch:
- Miss SISO's Global Exhibitions Day webinar? Watch the June 3 Town Hall 2.0 “Continuing the Conversation,” featuring:
- Reminder: SISO is forming another new Special Interest Group, “Online Revenue SIG,” per requests from our members. This group will provide members a forum to share and network with each other about developing online revenue activities. Interested in participating? Contact Anna Osnower.
Moving Forward Updates
Day-by-day we've seen countries (and states in the U.S.) begin to relax social distancing restrictions. However, with recent protests and demonstrations - both across the U.S. and the world - there is also growing concern that these mass gatherings and other organized events could lead to spikes in COVID-19 cases that were previously on the downturn. Even so, we continue to monitor the varied responses and restrictions looking forward to more progress with each week that passes.
The Governor of Georgia signed a new executive order yesterday, June 11, which allows Conventions and Exhibitions to be held starting July 1. The order further details what convention centers must implement and enforce in terms of safety, upon opening. See pages 36 through 38 for specifics on conventions and pages 8-10 for rules on restaurants and dining services; which would apply to venue and hotel food service operations.
SISO is committed to advocating for our industry and the successful reopening of business and live events. We've found these couple links, updated daily, to be quite useful:
- Which States Are Reopening and Where Can You Hold Events
- Conference & Incentive Travel: Live Global Updates
Coalition Updates
SISO continues to actively work with the Go LIVE Together initiative in advocating for the protection of the events industry. Follow the coalition's news page for updates on shows and events that have (or will open live in the coming year), how individuals and organizations are creatively supporting our industry, and more. See its legislation page for updates and find resources you can use to advocate for events protection and necessary changes.
Go LIVE Together's governance committee sent letters to both the mayor of Chicago and the governor of Illinois on June 4 to further advocate for the inclusion of trade shows, conventions, and events in an earlier phase of their reopening plan than Phase 5. The letter respectfully laid out the reasoning, how important our industry is to the economy, and the hard work we're all willing to put in to ensure compliance with a safe reopening.
Resources
SISO is here to share resources, best practices, information, and more as you plan and/or adapt your event in the coming year. Visit our resources to address COVID19 page as well as the links below to useful and important updates.
- Available: PPE masks for order by members! Order here.
- Reminder: Reference the “All Secure” guidelines developed by Informa, Reed and Clarion.
- SISO proudly supports IAEE's recently released white paper, Essential Considerations for Safely Reopening Exhibitions and Events, which outlines:
- General principles for health and safety operations
- Communications, education, and awareness
- Exhibition and event operations
- Convention centre/venue cleaning prevention measures
- Legal considerations
Q&A
Remember, SISO is your community. We cannot wait to see you face-to-face as soon as possible. Until then, stay engaged with our community through SISO's social channels. Members engage in our online member forum. Have questions? Send those to info@siso.org.
If your trade show or organization has created new guidance or resources that would be beneficial to your SISO peers, please share those on SISO's online community. Thank you.
Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay strong. Stay connected.