The Bremen trade fair company M3B has now said goodbye to major concerts in the ÖVB-Arena this year. (Frank Thomas Koch)
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Singing, partying, dancing – and that with 10,000 other people, for example at a Udo Lindenberg concert in the ÖVB-Arena. There won’t be anything like it this year. Hans Peter Schneider, managing director of the city-owned Bremen exhibition company M3B, can rule this out due to the corona pandemic. The trade fair and congress business is still idle and will not be able to start until the third quarter at the earliest under strict hygiene rules. In contrast to many external companies that M3B works with in the event sector, the exhibition company has at least a few business areas, some of which work and some of which are new.
“Even if the majority of concerts, congresses and events were canceled last year and will also be canceled in the next few months, we can stay afloat,” said Schneider. For example, everything is going on as usual at the wholesale market belonging to M3B. “In addition, our exhibition halls on the Bürgerweide are used alternatively – because of the corona situation. The citizens meet in the exhibition halls, and the corona outpatient clinic, the citizen hotline and the vaccination center are located there. ”About 30 of the 120 or so employees of the exhibition company are currently on duty and support the authorities. Another 30 employees are on short-time work.
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In addition to trade fairs and congresses as well as the wholesale market and the wine trade of the Bremer Ratskeller, M3B GmbH now wants to launch another business area. Peter Schneider says: “We have had a streaming studio set up in the foyer of the ÖVB-Arena and are developing further digital transition options for the event business” The demand for this is there: “For example, we are offering the Bremen Classic Motorshow digitally on February 6th.”
The M3B managing director adds: “Although people long for real events and real exchange, these digital formats are at least one way of bridging this event-free time a little subject-related.” Peter Schneider sees an important function here: “We want so that we serve our target group and show that we are there and will soon be there again with real events. ”M3B already has valuable experience through digital formats such as the trade fair and the” Life and Death “congress, the congress for science journalists can collect.
At least partially compensate for the omission
The installation of the streaming studio was done by an external company “with whom we otherwise work in the field of light and sound at events,” says Schneider. With this order, the company will not have recovered economically, but at least that was a small ray of hope. The majority of the companies that are active in the event sector are still dependent on short-time working, November aid and bridging allowances: “The closer the business is linked to the live event, the greater the dependency.” And only a small number of companies can conjure up a new business model out of the hat in order to at least partially compensate for the loss of the main business.
The business of the taste laboratory Messe & Eventcatering GmbH is closely connected to the events of the Messe GmbH. “In this area we have almost 100 percent failure due to the corona pandemic,” says Head of Sales Jens Wehrenberg. Finding compensation for this is out of the question. The customer events area had also collapsed with less than 90 percent sales compared to the pre-Corona period. The third business area, daycare and school catering, is still partially functioning.
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“Of course we want events of all kinds to start again as soon as possible”, states the Wehrenberg. “But the industry cannot afford to be opened carelessly.” The highest hygiene standards should apply.
So that you can start again in a few months, it makes sense if politicians immediately draw up a step-by-step plan. This should clearly define at which incidence values which events can be possible again under which standards, demands Wehrenberg. That gives planning security: “Of course, the findings that we have gathered in connection with Corona in recent months must also flow into this.” This includes, for example, using rapid tests to enable events with more people again. Until then, the industry has to hold out: “We want to be there for our customers in the long term.” That means that costs will continue to be massively reduced.
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Ban on major events
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Concerts and congresses have been canceled or postponed. It is uncertain when life will return to the ÖVB-Arena. Trade fair boss Hans Peter Schneider will not leave before 2021 …
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Down to business
900,000 visitors annually
In normal times Around 900,000 visitors come to the ÖVB-Arena, the exhibition halls and the congress center every year. Around 8,000 exhibitors are drawn to the Bürgerweide. According to the exhibition company, 90 of 122 planned events had to be canceled last year due to the corona pandemic. Instead of 900,000, the exhibition company counted 220,000 visitors.
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