Last week, the BC Meetings & Events Industry Working Group, which is comprised of industry experts from across the province, released the British Columbia Meetings & Events COVID-19 Safe Restart Guidelines to support the safe return of business meetings and events.
The comprehensive document, which has been reviewed by WorkSafeBC, BC’s Provincial Health Ministry, and the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), provides detailed guidance for those working in the industry. Topics addressed include: how to develop a COVID-19 risk mitigation and response plan; recommended communication for before, during, and after the event; health and safety guidelines for the event space; food and beverage protocols; and more.
“As we move into fall, it is about to become even more apparent how vital the meeting and conference sector is to the health of our community, as the lack of events will result in losses for our local economy,” says Tourism Kelowna’s Director of Business & Destination Development, Jennifer Horsnell. “The newly released guidelines provide in-depth recommendations for tourism businesses so they can restore confidence and provide safe experiences for delegates and their families. This will in turn allow us to once again attract this segment of traveller and get back to meeting in Kelowna, safely.”
Answers to many questions that meetings planners and suppliers may have are addressed in the document, with additional links supplied for more information. Kelowna and area venues have already been hard at work updating their processes, protocols, and spaces to ensure people can #meetinKelowna safely when the time is right. They have also been working on hybrid solutions so those that may not be able to attend in person can take part virtually.
For more information on how you can host your next business meeting or event safely in Kelowna, contact me at julia@tourismkelowna.com.
