In legal terms, the introduction of changes to the Resolution designates the beginning of work and the possibility of visits to museums, water parks and organizations working with exhibitions.

If we want to talk numbers, the introduction of these changes means the resumption of St. Petersburg’s business activities, and Expoforum already has 51 events planned before the end of 2020: 18 of our own industry-specific projects and 33 guest events covering various fields.

If we are going to be emotional, this is big news for everyone who is involved in exhibitions. Around the world, business events are a critical tool for communication and development. In todays realities, with new economic rules establishing themselves, it is more important than ever to get involved in large-scale MICE events, and to share and exchange your experience with your successful colleagues and partners.

“The convention and exhibition industry has strategic importance for every country, especially because it covers all sectors of the economy; the faster it recovers, the faster other sectors will bounce back. Expoforum’s events are visited by more than 1.2 million people every year, which is half of all business tourists who come to the city. 40% of them are from other cities or abroad. The average MICE tourist spends $700 during their stay and serves as a ‘living advertisement’ for Russia. Resuming business and economic activities in St. Petersburg means breaking the ‘coronavirus blockade’!” says Sergey Voronkov, president of the Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs and general director of Expoforum International, Ltd.

The Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs, together with industry associations and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, has carried out a tremendous amount of work in cooperation with the state authorities. On 25 March 2020, activities involving the organization of conferences and exhibitions were included in the list of sectors suffering the most; more than 2,000 companies were given the chance to claim some kind of state support.

“We believe that the main result of our work and of state support has been this decision – the beginning of our activities and the revival of cultural and business activities,” added Sergey Voronkov.

A step-by-step program has been developed for lifting restrictions and necessary recommendations for each stage of preparing and holding convention and exhibition events, approved by Rospotrebnadzor.

It is important to note that exhibition organizers can ensure a much higher level of epidemiological safety at their events for participants than can be guaranteed at large music or sports shows: the number of people per square meter is much lower at specialized events. Visitors usually walk around the exhibition halls alone and do not gather around a single stage or around a pitch. Technical and digital solutions allow you to control and manage the flow of people, provide additional disinfection areas, create a timetable affecting visits and establish contactless communication. In Germany, for example, exhibitions and conventions are no longer bound by the restrictions on mass events because of their epidemiological safety.

Expoforum International continues to prepare its own projects: the Expoforum Convention and Exhibition Center will host the XV International Forum on the Development of Transport Corridors TRANSTEC 2020 on 14–16 September; the X Anniversary St. Petersburg International Gas Forum together with the VIII Russian International International Energy Forum and the Offshore Marintec Russia exhibition and conference on shipbuilding and the development of high-tech equipment for exploring the Arctic and the continental shelf on 6–9 October. The exhibition season starts on 29 August with the opening of the AGRORUS International Agricultural Trade Fair.

Expoforum Convention and Exhibition Center provides the necessary preventative safety measures for event participants and visitors:

• contactless online registration in advance;
• socially-distanced layout;
• PPE equipment available;
• additional disinfection areas and regular cleaning;
• increased medical services;
• navigation during events with consideration of the number of people in the premises;
• timetable of events with estimated visitor numbers;
• organization of transport with additional safety measures.

Expoforum is ready for new events, formats and discussions.

The company has been in contact with clients throughout the pandemic: over two months we held more than 30 online events which drew a total of 30,000 views, and another 20 online events will be held in August. The catering department has updated its menu and a video studio has opened. Traditionally shuttle buses would take visitors from Moskovskaya metro station to the convention and exhibition center on event days.

The company is fully prepared to hold online projects and hybrid events which include an online stream.

Finally, a piece of news which cannot fail to excite you – from 1 August, Russia will partially recommence international passenger air travel.

This means it’s time for us to meet again!

Check out the 2020 calendar at Expoforum Convention and Exhibition Center.