RAI Amsterdam launches coronavirus protocol
The Covid-19 sector protocol for business events in the Netherlands has been tailored to the situation at the RAI. All measures are now in place and the first visitors can be welcomed in a safe, responsible and hospitable manner while maintaining social distancing.
The ‘RAI Amsterdam - Safe, responsible and hospitable’ protocol explains our own rules and guidelines for everyone involved in organising trade exhibitions, conferences, shows and meetings in the RAI complex. It describes how event can take place in a secure way, fully taking into account Covid-19.
A solid foundation for our own protocol
Our coronavirus protocol is based on one made in co-creation with the wider events sector, which was accepted by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate last week. In its announcement the Ministry informed us that the guidelines in the document form a solid foundation for starting up business events as soon as the government allows. The current Covid-19 measures for the sector will apply until that point.
Safety and hospitality go hand in hand
Since the Covid-19 outbreak we have done everything in our power to create a secure environment for all involved, as RAI Amsterdam COO Maurits van der Sluis explains: “When it comes to meetings, safety and responsibility have the highest priority. The RAI is already renowned for this throughout the industry. We have a lot of experience in security and crowd management and we have further tightened our policies in relation to social distancing measures while maintaining the level of hospitality that people are used to. This protocol will help protect the safety and health of all involved, and shows that the RAI is very much ready to start.”
Reopening RAI still pending
Parking garages, entrances, offices and halls are being equipped with the necessary safety measures for employees, clients and suppliers as part of the protocol. Deployment of these measures for exhibitors and visitors is pending. “A small part of the RAI is being used as a Covid-19 test centre by the Municipal Health Service in Amsterdam and all measures have been put in place for this,” adds Van der Sluis. “The rest of our location, which spans more than 115,000 m² of multifunctional halls and other areas, is not being used due to the rule about having a maximum number of thirty visitors on the premises (at least until 1 July). This is regrettable and we hope for a quick approval to start organising the first business events this summer taking social distancing measures into account. We will then show that these types of events are genuinely safe at the RAI and, at the same time, boost the economy of our city.”