IBC welcomes Dutch easing of COVID restrictions

IBC welcomes 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. 

From September 22nd, 2021, fully vaccinated international visitors from very high-risk areas will no longer have to quarantine on arrival in The Netherlands. 

From September 25th, 2021, The Netherlands will no longer enforce social distancing rules of 1.5 metres apart or mandate mask wearing in inside areas. 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 all paves the way to a safe and valuable IBC Show in December. 

Some 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 chief executive 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. 

Crimp added: “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.” 

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. 

“We’ve had lots of really positive responses from our exhibitors and the industry to this news,” continued 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.”