Exhibition World Issue 3 — 2020 | Page 8

Long ma begins The two months since I wrote my previous Editor’s Note have seen precious little exhibition activity, but plenty of hard work has been put in to set up new protocols and a global framework for creating a safe tradefair environment for us to return to as more countries start to reopen for business. It is important that our associations, organisers and venues lead the way rather than wait for government action. Our global association UFI has done just that, producing not just the new framework guidelines, but a series of guides in conjunction with other industry associations, ICCA and AIPC, to point the way forward. There has been strong lobbying in Germany by AUMA and others that has put tradefairs at the front of the curve for shaping strategy and not blindly following at the back or being forgotten about. These efforts have seen the penny dropping with politicians that business events are not the same as mass gatherings where physical contact is inevitable. The industry has had to raise its game to explain what it does and show why it considers it has a reputation for organisation in the face of challenges. In China the politicians have actually led the way, Publishing Director: Simon Farnfield; Managing Editor: Paul Colston; Glo News Reporter: Stuart Wood; Graphic Designer: Kater Contact us: Subscriptions:+44(0)20 8481 1128, Editorial: +44(0)20 8481 Exhibition World is published by Mash Media, Second floor, Applem Tel: +44 (0)20 8481 1122 fax: +44 (0)20 8 Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers express written permission of the pub www.exhibitionworld.co.uk