‘Business as usual’, when it returns, may be strikingly different from the pre-pandemic norm. No business can prepare for every eventuality. But we can equip ourselves with an all-purpose basis for continuing business and minimising losses in crisis.
For the MICE industry, that was recently underlined in a consumer survey by Gartner, which indicated that just 21% of respondents felt willing to engage in physical contact with others even after receiving vaccination. Perhaps the bounce back to purely in-person events will be more gradual than most predicted. To reflect this sentiment – particularly in regions subject to strict quarantine or preventive measures – it may be wise to assume upcoming shows and events will be virtual, while being prepared to transform them into hybrids with in-person elements should the situation permit.
Lawrence Chia
Chairman, Pico Group
