Victorian event industry survey shows three quarters of events planned for January and February either cancelled or postponed

Three out of four live events in Victoria are likely to be cancelled or postponed over the next six weeks according to industry group Save Victorian Events.

Releasing the results of the fourth survey of the events industry that it has undertaken in the last year, Save Victorian Events found that three out of four events planned for January and February are being cancelled (46%) or postponed (28%) and many of the rest (16%) at serious risk.

Based on over 400 responses, the survey found that while some events are still happening, average income for the March quarter for Event Industry businesses is forecast to the down by 68% compared to the same period of a normal year.

It also found that for the majority of the pandemic, event businesses’ income has been down by 81%.

Explaining that it has been undertaking surveys “to gather solid data that we can all use to brief governments, media and others about the real situation in the event industry, and so we can all lobby for much needed support”, Save Victorian Events spokesperson Simon Thewlis advised “85% of the Victorian event industry’s economic activity comes from business events.

“In a normal year in Victoria there are more than 120,000 conferences, business meetings, seminars, expos and activations for the not for profit, government and commercial sectors with a direct spend of over $12 billion - and $35.7 billion nationally.”

Thewlis points out that “most business events are considered to be an extension of work and the workplace (and with) the Victorian Government now having had a very strong health recommendation for a number of weeks for everyone to work from home if they can that is effectively a formal restriction.”

Results of the latest Save Victorian Events survey.

However, the limitations to the Victorian Government’s $230 million COVID-19 event industry insurance package mean organisers are unlikely to receive full compensation unless a formal lockdown is declared.

Commenting on this, Thewlis added “if an industry cannot operate due to government mandate it is fair and reasonable that there should be financial support. All general financial support for people and businesses finished at the end of September 2021 - nearly four months ago.

“Events do have lead times, so a lot of those involved with events have not done an event since the end of the Delta lockdown. Their first events were schedule to be in February/March but these have largely evaporated as we are effectively in lockdown again.”

While welcoming the Australian Open being run, noting that it “does provide work for some event people and businesses and gives a really positive message about events”, Thewlis adds “the reality is that the vast majority of Victoria’s event people and businesses don't work on the AusOpen.

“They work on conferences, seminars, family days, festivals, fetes, exhibitions, concerts, community days, professional weddings, etc ... all of which have been hit very hard by Omicron.”

Nonetheless, Thewlis is optimistic about the future, adding “we are very hopeful that once we are through the Omicron outbreak and the work from home health recommendation is lifted that events will start to happen again - and the survey results reflect this - but this is still many more weeks away.

“As an industry we are all doing everything we can to get events happening again.”