With the further relaxation of the COVID-19 measures decided on by the Federal Council, it will be possible to hold small events with up to 300 people again as of 6 June, providing the appropriate precautionary measures are in place. The MCH Group – Messe Basel, the Congress Center Basel and Messe Zürich – have made preparations for resuming the corresponding activities. The group is able to guarantee the safe staging of small events of all types, with a comprehensive concept including the registration of participants, safety precautions, physical distancing and hygiene measures. It is additionally supporting organisers with attractive packages and conditions as well as with flexibility regarding dates.
Unfortunately, the Federal Council has not yet made any announcements regarding the relaxation of the ban on events with more than 1,000 people, which currently remains in force until 31 August. The MCH Group is disappointed about this and hopes that the Federal Council, in its next decision regarding the relaxation of measures which has been announced for 24 June 2020, will take this up again and recognise that larger specialist events, such as trade fairs and congresses, can also be staged while observing effective and controllable physical distancing and hygiene rules. Such specialist events are not comparable with large-scale public events in this respect. Trade fairs and congresses are indispensable marketing and distribution instruments for a large number of companies – precisely when it comes to overcoming the consequences of corona – and have a major economic impact on their local area. A longer ban on holding specialist events would also result in a serious competitive disadvantage for Swiss organisers, since trade fairs and congresses will already be possible in June in a number of German federal states.
“We can guarantee the highest level of safety at our physical events. It is important for our country, our customers and partners, and also for our company for us to be able to hold safe events as soon as possible,” stresses Bernd Stadlwieser, CEO of the MCH Group. “I am thinking here in particular of Art Basel, which is probably the most important trade fair in Switzerland and one of the most significant events for the global art market. Staging it in September is not, however, dependent solely on the decision of the Federal Council but also on the possibilities that exist for international travel and the needs of the art community. We will be following this closely and taking a decision as soon as possible.”
