A survey of company executives and professionals from more than 130 countries showed that the majority will be allowed to travel abroad for business by year-end but only half are willing to do so by plane as the pandemic continues to hurt corporate travel.
Some 77 per cent of respondents said their company policy will allow them to travel internationally for business by the end of 2020 but only 50 per cent plan to fly for a business trip, according to the ‘Exhibitions post-Covid-19’ survey commissioned by event organiser Messe Frankfurt Middle East (MFME).
The market survey of more than 4,000 professionals from countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, explored the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the global exhibitions industry.
Nearly 77 per cent of respondents perceived Dubai as the safest location to host international exhibitions and conferences in the coming months, the survey found.
This comes after Dubai allowed international travellers to fly into the country starting July 7, for the first time in nearly four months, while on July 16 the Dubai World Trade Centre hosted the AI Everything conference, the first ‘real life’ event at the venue since March.
"As with many business sectors, the trade fair industry felt the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly in Dubai, which has a thriving exhibition sector at the Dubai World Trade Centre,” Simon Mellor, Messe Frankfurt Middle East’s chief executive, said.
Almost 69 per cent of the survey respondents said exhibitions will continue to play an important role in a "post-Covid restart", the survey found.
"The good news for the exhibitions industry is it’s still a critical component for business success, as this research has indicated," Mr Mellor said.
The Covid-19 pandemic led to the delay or cancellation of international events, dealing a blow to corporate air travel.
Business travel is now recovering hand-in-hand with an improvement in business confidence, according to the International Air Transport Association (Iata).
"It remains to be seen whether we will see a recovery to pre-crisis level business travel patterns," Iata chief economist Brian Pearce said in July, pointing to reduced travel to company offices.
Overall business travel is taking a hit in the short-term as companies turn to video-conferencing technologies and cut costs during the coronavirus crisis.
This also has consequences for network airlines that rely on premium travellers to drive business on long-haul routes, Mr Pearce said.
The Messe Frankfurt survey found that nearly 62 per cent of executives would attend exhibitions either in their home country and abroad, however 25 percent would only attend an event at home, perceiving reduced travel as better for their health and safety.
Globally, Messe Frankfurt has restarted its exhibitions with the opening of Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics on 15 July 2020 in China, and said it is "on track" to deliver two shows in Dubai.
"These will take place with stringent health and safety measures to help keep our attendees safe,” the company said.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
