Whether at the CARAVAN SALON in Düsseldorf or the International Consumer Electronics Fair (IFA) in Berlin – distance and hygiene concepts enabled the trade fair industry to make a fresh start even in Corona times. For exhibiting companies, however, the extensive requirements pose many challenges. To show that it is not at all difficult to put distance and hygiene concepts into practice at trade fairs, Koelnmesse has created the #bSAFE4business Village at its exhibition grounds. In this Village, the trade fair organizer shows how trade fairs can also function in corona times. How trade fair booths should be constructed in accordance with hygiene concepts plays just as much a role here as the technologies that enable a hybrid trade fair environment.

Hygiene concepts, distance, and ventilation against corona
Naturally, the basic hygiene concepts against the coronavirus are valid at trade fairs in corona times – and thus also in Koelnmesse's #bSAFE4business Village. Regardless of whether it is a trade fair booth or the entrance area of the trade fair grounds – all participants are obliged to wear a mouth and nose protector and to observe the distance regulations on the particularly wide paths through the grounds. At least as important are the numerous possibilities for disinfection, regular cleaning of frequently touched surfaces and hygiene in the sanitary facilities on the entire grounds. In accordance with the applicable hygiene concepts for trade fairs, the #bSAFE4business Village of Koelnmesse also ensures the regular ventilation of all premises.

Trade fair apps provide information on the utilization of exhibition halls and booths
To implement the hygiene concepts – especially when distances have to be kept – a specially developed application in the #bSAFE4business Village is of particular importance. During the trade fair, the app anonymously registers the whereabouts of every single visitor. For this reason, it can not only recognize larger crowds of people, but even to anticipate them. Visitors to the trade fair can thus easily see via the app in which areas of the trade fair grounds how many people are present. This enables them to plan their day at the fair – in accordance with the trade fair concepts – in advance. The trade fair organizer also maintains an overview of the situation and can – if necessary – send protection and cleaning personnel to the appropriate locations.

In the #bSAFE4business Village, a special QR code system for check-in and checkout at the exhibition booth guarantees that the applicable hygiene concepts can also be adhered to at the exhibition booths. Every visitor who wants to visit the booth has the QR code scanned on his or her badge before entering the booth. The visitor then counted as a new visitor to the booth. As soon as a visitor leaves the booth, he or she has the badge counted again at the exit, thus signalling that he or she has left the booth. In line with the hygiene concept, this counting system enables exhibitors to limit the number of visitors to their booth and to reliably comply with the rules on distance.

Construction of the exhibition booth according to the hygiene concepts

To meet the requirements of the hygiene concepts, there are other factors to consider at the exhibition booth apart from the limited number of visitors. To prevent visitors from getting in each other's way, it is necessary, for example, to place markings on the booth’s floor. Closed exhibition booths also need their ventilation system to prevent the formation of aerosols. To overcome this difficulty in the case of meeting rooms, #bSAFE4business Village allows exhibitors to rent meeting rooms that meet this requirement for ventilation.

Hygiene concepts for catering at trade fairs

But visitors and exhibitors should also not have to do without their well-earned breaks on stressful trade fair days. In the cafés of #bSAFE4business Village, guests place their orders at a counter with mouth-and-nose protection and a safety distance according to the hygiene concept. In order for the guests to be able to eat and drink in peace, the catering staff takes their contact details and refers them to one of the numbered tables of the café. Visitors to the café can remove their mouth and nose protection here. If exhibitors decide to offer food and beverages to visitors at their booth itself, the catering staff will deliver it directly to the booth.

To make a successful new start, it is crucial for the trade fair industry to show exhibitors and visitors that trade fairs are safe events and to thus win back their trust. The #BSAFE4business Village makes an important contribution to this.

In order to fulfil the hygiene concepts of the trade fair organizers, it is also helpful for exhibitors to document their new contacts at the trade fair booth with a solution for digital lead recording. Please contact me if you are interested in this topic – I will be happy to advise you!

Oliver Edinger

Managing Director and founder of simlea GmbH

phone +49 (0) 6203 6799870 | email: oliver.edinger@simlea.com