IBC2021 Goes Ahead

The organizers of IBC2021 have addressed the big question mark hanging over the event: it will go ahead at The RAI in Amsterdam, despite a three-week partial lockdown in the Netherlands that started on Nov.13. The Netherlands government will revisit the restrictions on Dec. 3 — the day IBC2021 is due to start. 

In a statement on the IBC website, the organizers said: “Following close examination of new COVID protocols from the Dutch government and consultation with key IBC exhibitors and stakeholders, IBC is firmly set on delivering a safe and valuable event that will re-engage the industry after a very challenging year.” 

One of the biggest on our calendar, the event was initially slated for September and then pushed back to the beginning of December in the face of the ongoing pandemic. 

The statement says that the announcement follows a decision at the IBC Partnership Board meeting on Nov. 15 to continue with the planned event “because it can be delivered safely and create the essential business momentum that the industry needs.”

Addressing the issue of social distancing, IBC2021 will now take place in a “protected zone.” A perimeter fence will surround The RAI exhibition center, and all attendees will enter via two checkpoints, at The Elicium at entrance D and Hall 5. To access the show, visitors must show their COVID status and answer health screening questions before picking up their badge or entering the show floor. Social distancing of 1.5 meters will be in place while queuing for the entry check. Once inside the “protected zone,” attendees may move around “confidently, knowing they are in a safe place.”

Outside the “protected zone,” theaters and cinemas currently may remain open but with limited capacities. Cafes, bars and restaurants must close at 8 p.m. and sporting events held behind closed doors. In addition, according to the business.gov.nl website, with the new three-week restrictions, fixed seating is mandatory, with a maximum of 1,250 persons. 

You can read the full safety guidelines and protocols here.

You can read the full statement by the organizers here.