Protocols for near term meetings and events for planners to help guide them through the COVID-19 pandemic with social distancing meeting space and exhibitor set ups.
The big elephant in the room these days is how in the world are we going to have social distancing practices in place while being able to accommodate all our attendees with the space our hotel partners have to offer? How will exhibitors be set up?
Will our meeting rooms look like press briefings with everyone six feet apart? All valid questions, and for better or worse, it will be a fluid situation that unfolds. However, HopSkip has some pointers while this evolves.
For the start of the event, make sure your attendees can register online, check into their hotels digitally and even possibly using cell phones as a room key card. Have event registration badge pickup either on an app with a QR code or have a staggered 6 foot distance line with the staff wearing masks and gloves while attendees pick up badges themselves.
During the event, extend the distance between the aisle of the exhibitors, while having the queue to chat be 6 feet behind the booth with the ability to speak to an exhibitor two a time with attendees on either side of the booth. As far as the meeting space seating, the six foot guideline is hard to design, especially with space to room ratio being a pain normally. Our suggestion is that whatever the layout was before, now leave an empty chair/space in between attendees. Of course this will halve the room’s capacity but allows for the greatest amount of attendees and for them to feel more comfortable.
Ultimately fire codes, municipal rules, hotel guidelines, and other factors will determine which set ups and policies can be implemented and enforced but for now we have an idea of where to start and grow from. Below are some resources from the amazing communities of PCMA and MPI to help us navigate through these uncharted waters!