We’re all being flooded by news and communications about COVID-19. Below we summarise information about how destinations are responding, which we hope will help you in planning your own mitigation and recovery strategies.
REGION WATCH
ASIA
Hong Kong launches USD131 million subsidy scheme for business events
Source: Edited excerpt from CIM and TTG MICE
Date: 29 September 2020
On October 3, the Hong Kong Government launched the Convention and Exhibition Industry Subsidy Scheme worth HKD1,020 million (USD131 million) to help ease financial burdens on the local convention and exhibition industry and help it attract domestic and overseas exhibitors, buyers and conference delegates to Hong Kong. The Subsidy Scheme offers to cover a 100 per cent venue rental cost for organisers of exhibitions and international conventions held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and AsiaWorld-Expo
Hong Kong focuses on regional source markets
Source: Edited excerpt from M & C Asia
Date: 16 September 2020
Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is working on re-engaging and attracting event planners from regional source markets as well as having discussions with other destinations on forming travel bubbles, lending confidence to the business events sector’s recovery. HKTB is also working on Open House Hong Kong – a co-platform between the government and trade partners serving to inform international visitors and planners of the destination’s COVID-19 safe status, together with a host of attractive offerings and experiences.
AUSTRALIA
Shoalhaven’s AUD170,000 support package
Source: Edited excerpt from CIM
Date: 25 September 2020
Business events in Shoalhaven which have been postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19 have been given grants worth a total AUD170,000 (USD121,714) to help them in recovery. The funds are from the AUD10 million (USD7.2 million) Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery Grants program, which was set up to support events of all types in fire-affected regions.
EUROPE
Poland’s “Safe MICE Venue” certification
Source: Edited excerpt from KONGRES and Poland Convention Bureau
Date: 24 September 2020
During Meeting Week Poland, Polish Tourism Organisation and Poland Convention Bureau launched the “Safe MICE venue” programme intended to provide business travellers, meetings and events customers and professional congress organisers with access to information about venues capable of delivering services in accordance with regulations of Chief Sanitary Inspectorate and Ministry of Development.
GLOBAL RECOVERY RESOURCE
AIPC, UFI and ICCA release second Good Practice Guide
Source: Edited excerpt from TTG MICE and MeetExpo
Date: 16 September 2020
AIPC, the International Association of Convention Centres; ICCA, the International Convention and Congress Association; and UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, have joined forces to release Good Practice Guide: Addressing COVID-19 Requirements for Re-Opening Business Events – Version 2. The Guide, focused on the reopening for phase, builds on the first report published in May and includes 12 mini case-studies and learnings from business events which successfully too place during July and August 2020 around the world.
Download a copy here.
TOURISM SECTOR RECOVERY
Air Canada offers free COVID-19 insurance for international travel
Source: Edited excerpt from ETurbo News
Date: 18 September 2020
Air Canada announced that it is including complimentary COVID-19 emergency medical & quarantine insurance for Canadian residents booking round-trip international flights. The coverage, available for new bookings made in Canada from September 17 until October 31, 2020, inclusive, provides emergency medical and quarantine insurance designed to give customers added confidence when booking flights and travelling abroad.