As the Dutch Government relaxes COVID-19 social distancing due to the evolution of the situation in Europe,  IBC2021 will be an in-person event, and be accessible to almost 100% of its usual audience.

The announcement made this month is clear: Amsterdam is open for business, as the Dutch government removes international travel and social distancing barriers. Starting on September 22nd, 2021, fully vaccinated international visitors from very high-risk areas will no longer have to quarantine on arrival in The Netherlands. Three days layter, on the 25^th September 2021, The Netherlands will no longer enforce social distancing rules of 1.5 metres apart or mandate mask wearing in inside areas.

According to the information available now, the country will instead begin the much wider use of coronavirus access passes, where people wanting to gain entry to various venues will be required to demonstrate proof of either vaccination against COVID-19, recovery from an infection of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, or a negative COVID-19 test within 24 hours of use.

This represents a positive and much wanted change that the organizers of the IBC 2021 event applaud, and confirms how wise was the decision to delay the popular event. IBC applauds the announcement from the Dutch Government relaxing COVID-19 social distancing measures and removing quarantine rules for fully vaccinated travellers. After a summer of testing safety protocols, the changes are a real boost to business confidence and mean that large-scale trade shows can once again return to The RAI in Amsterdam. The RAI international events calendar kicks off on September 22nd with the delayed Money20/20, which is closely followed by iGB Live! and a number of other shows, leading up to IBC2021 in December.

Accessible to almost 100% of its usual audience

Last May the organizers of the event announced that “Following a period of industry consultation, the IBC Partnership Board has agreed that December is the best date in terms of safety and industry readiness to engage. Our conclusion is based on the results of the recent IBC exhibitor and visitor surveys and macro evidence of Europe opening up for business,” said Michael Crimp, Chief Executive of IBC. “We really value the feedback and candid input of our community — we have always been ‘By the industry, For the industry’, and this ethos continues to guide our daily decision-making process.”

So, as other events around the world have to be canceled, due to Covid-19, IBC2021 will mark a return to the regular in-person event. The decision from the Dutch government paves the way to a safe and valuable IBC Show in December. The organizers say that “70% of the IBC audience already have easy access to the event, being part of the EU COVID travel block. The removal of the international travel quarantine rules means that IBC will now be accessible to almost 100% of its usual audience.”

“It’s time to get excited about coming together again,” says IBC CEO Michael Crimp. “We have been anticipating this announcement from the Dutch Government for a while, and the whole IBC team is buzzing at the opportunities the relaxing of these COVID-19 measures will bring. That is not to say we can relax our guard – we continue to be fully focused on delivering a safe and valuable experience. But with these new measures, we can stage an event as close to ‘business as usual’ as we could hope for in the current environment.”

A new era of hybrid events

To this end, IBC has updated the exhibition protocols on its website to reflect the latest rulings and to uphold its commitment to being the gold standard in live event safety.

IBC2021 will bring the content and technology industry together again to discover the future of media and do business face-to-face. IBC2021 will lead the way in a new era of hybrid events. Whether onsite in Amsterdam or onscreen at home, the 250,000 strong IBC community will be able to engage and enjoy the insights, innovation and interaction of the event through IBC Digital. This hybrid digital platform will create a compelling hybrid event that combines the best of the show floor with state-of-the-art online interaction, and delivers new opportunities for exhibitors, speakers and show attendees to share information and experiences.

“We’ve had lots of really positive responses from our exhibitors and the industry to this news,” continues Crimp. “With over 650 exhibitors confirmed, we are busy finalising an action-packed programme of features and free content; all of which will make IBC2021 an event not to miss. Registration is open and we are seeing that hotel and flight bookings are on the up. Now is the time to get your trip arranged. Let’s get together again – I cannot wait to see everyone in Amsterdam in December.”