“The Best Laid Plans” Include Plan B

COVID-19, none of us had any inkling of what this stood for just a few months ago. Yet here we are, fielding questions about the Coronavirus that has now impacted the meeting and trade show industry. Major U.S. trade shows such as the International Housewares show have already been cancelled. Just that one event quickly drained 45,000 room reservations off the books for Chicago Hotels. A terrible hit for Chicago’s tourism industry. Even more surprising, one of the world’s biggest scientific conferences – the March Meeting of the American Physical Society – was cancelled little more than a day before it was scheduled to begin in Denver.

On a global front, the mobile industry’s largest trade show, Mobile World Congress scheduled in Barcelona this month, announced to nearly 100,000 attendees that it too would be cancelling its upcoming event. And unfortunately, the list goes on and on.

The best response in dealing with issues like this is to be prepared before problems hit, since options become more limited when a disruption is in full swing. Yet we can still take measure now to remain proactive and to identify how we can prepare for an event should a large-scale crisis take place in the future.

Study Credible Research

Dealing with the unexpected is commonplace when planning meetings and conventions. It’s part of the job. Yet it’s vitally important to monitor credible sources of information to help you in your planning process. Here are a few resources to help research the status of COVID-19:

• World Health Organization: Planning recommendations for large events
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Recommendations for traveling

Communicate Responsibly

Once you have confirmed “Plan B” for your event, it’s time to communicate those plans to your audience. Now is also a good time to review your meeting crises communication plan. The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), the world’s largest community for business events strategists, produced a helpful reference guide in 2018 which planners have found quite helpful.

Avoid the Hysterics

Not to play down this current issue, but we’ve gone through health scares before. Remember the Swine Flu (H1N1), Bird Flu (H5N1), or SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)? At a time like this, it’s important to stay calm and remain informed with credible resources. Your audience is turning to you for professional advice.

Bottom line? Remain informed, proactive, and deliver clear, timely information.