Business events without booze an option to increase meeting sizes

Wednesday, 13 May 2020

More than 3 million delegates attended conferences, seminars and business meetings last year and the events' industry is worried about the impact of a limit on gatherings.

The business events industry is prepared to go 'dry' and not serve alcohol so it can host meetings of more than 10 people.

Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) is urgently seeking clarification on attendance limits for business meetings held at alert level 2.

Last week the Government indicated gatherings would be limited to 100, but reduced this to 10 at Monday's announcement of level 2 rules, with a review in two weeks time.

CINZ chief executive Lisa Hopkins said the restriction on numbers was unworkable for business events which should not be treated the same as family social gatherings or restaurant group bookings.

Alcohol may be off the menu for business meetings if that's what it takes for event organisers to get permission to run them.

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Hospitality outlets can have up to 100 customers at a time, provided they meet social distancing requirements, and customers leave after two hours.

CINZ is keen to find out if that also applies to business meetings and seminars, which made up two thirds of the 45,400 events held last year.

Events manager Jeff Alexander told Parliament's pandemic response committee people attending business meetings could be kept apart to avoid spreading Covid-19.

Hopkins said the two-hour limit was not long enough as many seminars went on all day.

Professional event organisers would happily abide by Ministry of Health safety guidelines, which could include not serving alcohol, and dropping cocktail parties or big dinners.

“They [events] could be dry.

“It's not ideal because a big part of the whole thing is networking, but we've got to find a way of doing it in a controlled way.

'It's a really clever industry, and they can get creative with finding ways for that social aspect to be included.”

Hopkins said the flow on effect of business events being cancelled or postponed was substantial because it affected a wide range of suppliers from caterers and florists, to audio visual services.

The meetings issue also came up for discussion at Tuesday's meeting of Parliament's pandemic response committee.

Event Impressions director Jeff Alexander said recent changes in the rules around meeting size were destroying industry confidence, and they desperately needed some clarity.

“We don't know where the start line is, and it keeps moving.'

Alexander said he was geared up for larger events of up to 800 people, and a limit of 100 would prove challenging for his business.

He assured the committee there were ways of spacing out delegates at events.

'In cinemas [which can open under level 2] what happens when the movie finishes and everybody in every second seat gets up and walks into the foyer?

“It's not just about putting people in a room in seats. It's how the seats are laid out and there are ways of managing traffic flow.'

Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief executive Chris Roberts told the committee that organisers of business events could submit safety plans for approval.

“If we're keeping people safe, events should not be restricted by the same hard line rule on numbers.”