The International Exhibition Logistics Association (IELA) has reported on a successful first week of its IELA RELOAD Programme launched on 4 May.
IELA RELOAD is designed to help the association’s members to navigate the shutdown and rebound periods caused by Covid-19.
With 100+ participants attending the first two sessions and three ‘Task Force’ working groups, and 84% of the attendees saying they are looking for new solutions in the industry, IELA said the initial programme sessions had proven their value in helping prepare for ‘the new now’ in the exhibition industry.
Topics discussed in the initial sessions included digitalisation and development of an internal IELA Exhibition Logistics Interface (IT system for members). Communication strategy was also covered, with members discussing an Ambassador Programme.
During the months of May and June, all topics that are under discussion in the individual Working Groups will be bundled and discussed on the ILEA RELOAD network as a whole. The initial outcomes are planned to be presented at the end of June 2020.
The first IELA RECOVERY TALK, also part of the programme, covered the topic of ‘Anticipation’ and was moderated by Mariane Ewbank and Sandi Trotter. The aim was to navigate members through how to cope with new scenarios and implementing damage limitation matters.
Ewbank summed up the session by saying: “We don’t have a ready-to-go-recipe to survive this crisis post Covid-19, but we can find ways together that can help us as a network. It was great feeling that we all want to share ideas, experiences and insights with the same goal in mind – to survive! The RECOVERY TALK gave me extra fuel and energy to keep going!”
More information about the IELA RELOAD programme can be found at: bit.ly/IELAreloadMay2020
IELA is currently represented by 173 members and 31 affiliates in 56 countries.
