Member Insights: Duty Of Care In The Travel And Event Industry – How Do You Organise A Socially Distanced Event?

As the sporting world starts to return to slightly more normal circumstances and the events industry looks at ways to return, our partners at ATPI have provided key points that should be taken into consideration as we move forward.

Duty of care & new guidelines

Today and more than ever, travellers and guests will wonder how their health and safety will be guaranteed during business meetings, events and trips. The duty of care will become an even more important spearhead in designing event programs where large groups of people come together. Both on-site with regard to the government directives in “the new normal” as in logistics; how can international customers travel safely and responsibly?

The organisers of an event have a duty of care towards all participants. But how do you guarantee the safety and health of your participants and guests, both on-site and in round-trip transport and on-site transfers? How do you organise an event in the economy of social distancing? What should you consider?

Corporate travel policies have traditionally been driven by financial considerations. Sport is a key area where travel has to be regularly undertaken and where ATPI provide a key service.

Clear protocols

The challenges call for a creative program design

The new challenges require a creative program design in which you completely “unburden” your guests on the health and safety front before and during your event.

Consider these examples when planning your programs; should a venue have a maximum capacity considering the desired layout, how can guests book in advance, should you pre-determine specific periods with a start and end time?

Live events stimulate and connect people together. In this digital age, the need for personal contact will only increase. After all, people are social creatures.

On-site, you can control the behaviour of groups of people with smart solutions in the field of spatial planning and predefined routing. Signage and floor markings provide visitors with information about walking routes, seating and the order of entering and leaving. This includes markings on the floor, stickers on walls and windows, banners along pedestrian routes and announcements on digital means of communication. Lastly, personalised messages to customers can be sent when there is a queue reminding them to keep a sufficient distance.

Maximising the number of guests

Although new digital event forms are developing rapidly, at ATPI Corporate & Sports Events we believe that live events will remain one of the most powerful tools in marketing and communication for companies and brands. Live events stimulate and connect people together. In this digital age, the need for personal contact will only increase. After all, people are social creatures.

This requires smart and creative tailormade solutions that meet the minimum conditions for health and safety, but at the same time do not affect the guest experience and objectives of your event.

Tips & Tricks

How do you keep a live event safe? Here is a checklist for your guests.

Logistical duty of care

Business events, such as international fairs or conferences, business meetings or training sessions and seminars often mean moving groups of people. This can also be the same when having crowds of people enter and exit a stadium. When employees travel for business, employers are obliged to ensure their safety as much as possible and to communicate with them in case of an emergency. Someone can lose their passport, miss a flight, get involved in a car accident or get sick abroad. However, the duty of care goes further and concerns calamities such as strikes, delays or natural disasters.

“Safe travel is becoming more and more important in connection with all the global events that are increasingly frequent and often have many consequences for the traveler.”

ATPI Group Travel provides daily business group travel and has an extensive Duty of Care program that offers 24/7 and realtime support, so that you have the opportunity to communicate directly and adequately with your employees and invitees in case of emergency. Global Reporting is an important part of the Duty of Care program.

What is Global Reporting?

We make a daily scan to locate travellers who are traveling to, or are already within, affected regions. We proactively contact our customers to discuss next steps. We offer alternative travel options to travellers who have not yet boarded a flight to an affected location.

Countries or airlines may also impose additional requirements regarding the health of travellers in connection with the coronavirus outbreak. Consider, for example, the obligation to wear masks and gloves, to be required to show a health certificate and any restrictions on your luggage. We advise on passenger safety and provide support at every stage – before, during and after the journey.

ATPI’s Jan Binnendijk, Supervisor Group Travel, explains: “Safe travel is becoming more and more important in connection with all the global events that are increasingly frequent and often have many consequences for the traveler. Think of weather conditions, strikes, terrorism and sudden measures by airports or governments. Through our Duty of Care program, we are immediately informed 24/7 where something is happening in the world and how this has an effect on our passengers. This way we can act adequately and inform our customers directly.”