The events, the forgotten greats of Phase 2. Concerts, shows, cultural reviews, conferences: for them, which represent the gathering opportunities par excellence, a reopening date has not even been hypothesized. Summer should make it possible to save a few appointments, taking advantage of open spaces, but unlike for masses (re-admitted from 10 May), for team sports training (18 May) and for bars and restaurants (1 June, with all precautions of the case), for the world of events there is not yet an idea. Yet it is a large reality, both numerically (every year in Italy there are 1 million events, large or small) and economically: the live industry has an associated industry that generates 65,5 billion euros, with a direct impact on GDP of 36,2 billion euros a year. It employs 570 people and is already losing 50% of its turnover.
That's why some realities have joined together to launch the project #ItaliaLive: under the slogan "First to stop, last to start again", various trade associations want to bring the issue to the attention of public opinion and above all of the government, asking in particular - if not for the green light for events that would objectively be impossible to organize – at least the support to the industry, through in particular the extension of social shock absorbers to seasonal workers, the tax credit and access to liquidity. The acronyms that adhere are the Alliance of Italian Cooperatives in the tourism and culture sectors, ADMEI, the International Association of Conference Interpreters, the National Association of Banqueting and Catering, the Club of Events and Live Communication, Federcongressi, Icca, Convention Bureau Italy and Site Italy.
According to these realities, more than 1 million small and large events are organized every year in Italy, which occupy 40% of hotel rooms, guaranteeing their survival: "Italy is the sixth nation in the world for the economic impact generated by the sector of the business events – explains a press release -. It is estimated that the economic loss for this sector, in the first month alone, exceeded two billion euros; that more than 30% of the events scheduled in 2020 have been canceled and that the departure cannot be foreseen before October 2020 in the best case, according to AstraRicerche data". Among the 570 workers involved there are all kinds: agencies, audio video lighting services, fitters, catering, congress venues, interpreters, artists and all related workers.
Among the still events there are also the most important ones, which are also the showcase of Made in Italy in the world: think, just to name a few that would have been held in these months of lockdown, at Vinitaly or the Salone del Mobile in Milan , and in general to the weeks dedicated to fashion, design, music, culture, technology, food and wine. "They are the levers - continues the note - through which companies speak to international markets, with its own network or directly to consumers. The events industry is the industry in which opportunities for professional training and dissemination take place (often at the service of the national health system), bringing participants from all over the world to Italy”.
“It was right to stop – commented Salvatore Sagone, spokesman for media relations of #Italialive and president of the Club degli Eventi and Live Communication -. It is no coincidence that the whole sector of the Events & Live Industry not only follows the indications of the authorities to the letter, but he was among the first to understand the seriousness of the situation, precisely because we are used to dealing with international markets, and to using technology to overcome the limits of quarantine - he comments - We are already prepared to use digital and we have jumped at the challenge, activating virtual and streaming events in record time, always respecting the rules. However, today we all need to work together to be able to return to the squares as well as to the locations and exhibition spaces. We are sure of it: the country will be able to restart and rediscover that empathic charge that is now missing. Italy will be live again".
