BECA UPDATE: COVID-19

By Exhibition & Event Association of Australasia , 30 March, 2020

This week BECA has taken steps to put in place the best arrangements that will support the business events sector through this tough time.

1. Two media releases – one that outlines the critical impact on business events and the need for support and a second one done in collaboration with colleagues from other parts of the visitor economy.
* $2.5b lost in Business Events shutdown – The need for immediate support
* Tourism industry’s largest employers need urgent support (ready for imminent release)

2. Updated the BECA website which now has a Coronavirus Information resource platform containing an overview of the Federal, State and Territory stimulus and support measures. This will be regularly reviewed with new information and extended to also cover other useful resources for business events businesses.

3. Stood-up a new BECA communications team and plan including to re-engage through social media.

4. Delivered a letter to the Government, in conjunction with others in visitor economy outlining additional support measures needed.

5. Established and maintained ongoing contact with Minister Birmingham and his office, the Treasury Coronavirus Business Liaison Unit, and Austrade including through the National Tourism Incident Communications team and Tourism Australia Business events team.

6. The BECA Board has also agreed on the development of the Business Events Response and Recovery Plan as the key piece for our engagement with Government. It will contain three phases – immediate needs, mid-term sustainment and recovery, with the first phase under development right now with the goal of delivering the draft ask to Government as quickly as possible. This work is underpinned by an Ernst and Young update to the sector statistics and collation and analysis of the industry wide survey that was completed last week.

New stimulus and support measures are announced regularly. On Friday, the Federal Government has confirmed it is looking at a ‘hibernation’ package that will essentially allow businesses to pause, be preserved and supported through the crisis and then be ready to surge again once the crisis subsides. Rental relief was also part of this announcement. More to come.

Best regards,

Dr Vanessa Findlay
BECA Chair