New Budapest Convention Bureau organises COVID-proof event

Strange, or perhaps not strange, but in the middle of these Covid19 times, the Hungarian capital has seen the opening of a new convention office to put Budapest on the international conference  map. The new authority immediately took the bull by the horns and developed a COVID handbook for business events in Hungary.

A live event by the COVID-handbook

The convention bureau immediately took the bull by the horns and developed a COVID handbook for business events in Hungary and put it into practice on 10 September itself with a (as) large (as possible) live event.  

In the presence of hundreds of participants populating the conference room of Puskás Arena, in the framework of a wide-ranging industry collaboration, the safety protocol and COVID handbook for business events that play an important role in the relaunch of the Hungarian economy and the life of Budapest was presented. However, minimising risks does not mean that we should give up the experiences and creative solutions provided by live events.

A show of unity

Flexibility, partnership, responsibility – these will be the keywords of the post-coronavirus era for live business event organisers and related industry players. What started out as a social media campaign in May with the participation of tourism and event industry professionals from all over the world with the ultimate goal of maintaining the need for live events, manifested in a full-blown live experience. At the Power of Live Events Conference on 10th September 2020, demonstrating the state and private sector 's collaboration, unity and power, raising trust after these challenging times, you could see right from the start that a lot had changed.

All required measures taken

There was a disinfection gate with a digital thermometer where all you had to do was to hold your wrist in front of the display; masked, gloved hostesses helped manage elevators, among other things to reduce the number of surfaces touched; chairs, tables and microphones were regularly disinfected; lunch packages were individually prepared; and with the right coloured armband, it was possible to indicate without words if someone might have wanted to keep a greater distance. In summing up these elements, the most important thing is that the live conference proved that by creating the right conditions and involving a well-prepared organising team, it is possible to organise MICE events for up to hundreds of people in Hungary in accordance with health-safety rules. As the limit of more than 500 participants only applies to music and dance events, there is no participation cap for any other type of event.

Budapest looks forward to a future full of conferences

The aim was showcasing how events can be organised under the current circumstances. Prestigious speakers representing different segments of the industry were discussing the situation, the changes, the new trends and challenges the meeting industry is facing. Additional topics were the role Budapest is playing as a key MICE destination, the strategy for helping the sector, and the safe event protocols developed due to the pandemic.