Covid-19: Events Postponed for Now but Planning for the Future

In these unprecedented times caused by the global Covid-19 pandemic, event organisers, suppliers and venues within the events industry, like many others in society, are in a battle to stay in business, and employees are struggling to stay in employment.  Our industry exists to provide a professionally developed environment to bring people together – unfortunately, that key purpose has been prevented in order to minimise the spread of the virus.  

So what can we do?  The Business Visits & Events Partnership (BVEP), an umbrella organisation drawing together nineteen industry associations and organisations involved in the £70 billion UK events industry, has been proactive as the collective voice of the industry in disseminating information out to the industry and communicating our challenges, fears, concerns and successes through all relevant channels.  

BVEP has coordinated key data and real examples about the impact on the industry and the UK government’s response to this, and regularly channelled this information through to Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) and other relevant government departments, highlighting where policies and interventions are working well and drawing attention to areas that could be improved.  

Planning to move beyond the crisis, through the BVEP and its membership, the industry is pulling together in order to harness the power of events and the role all stakeholders can all play in the economic recovery.