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Event companies petition government to save industry amid pandemic

(PHOTO: Getty Images)
(PHOTO: Getty Images)

SINGAPORE – Since the COVID-19 outbreak, Singapore’s event companies have reported a sharp decline in revenue alongside other hard-hit industries such as tourism, aviation, and hospitality.

The government has introduced a slew of assistance measures to help businesses, workers and households adversely affected by the pandemic through the Unity, Resilience and Solidarity Budgets. One such measure is the 75 per cent wage subsidies under the Jobs Support Scheme.

However, some of the players in the events industry - ranging from events management, technical and audio to production companies - said they are not benefitting from the measure at the same level as those in the aviation, tourism and exhibition venue businesses.

Thus, fashion and lifestyle agency, R.S.V.P, is supporting campaign creators and fellow agencies, Mercury, and Lumina Live! in this initiative to urge the authorities to assist the industry.

A list of 60 companies have written a petition addressed to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of Trade and Industry Koh Poh Koon. The petition has garnered almost 6,000 signatures in less than a week.

Urging the two leaders for help, the petition reads, “Most event companies will be doing deep pay cuts, laying off staff or closing down in the coming months. Many jobs and livelihoods will be lost. The events industry in Singapore employs 35,000 people across more than 1,700 companies.”

Bettina von Schlippe, CEO of R.S.V.P. Agency, who is supporting the cause, called the petition a “vitally important” initiative.

“It is not just about us, the agencies that develop creative concepts and organise the events, it’s more so about all the people involved in creating valuable experiences. From event staff over to security personnel, caterers, production companies and AV suppliers and many more,” she said.

As R.S.V.P.’s core focus is closely linked to the luxury fashion and beauty sector, von Schlippe said the agency relies heavily on a wide network of partners to sustain the business. As such, a positive outcome from the petition will significantly help the events industry, she added.

To lend your support for the events industry, readers can sign up at https://www.change.org/p/minister-koh-poh-koon-appeal-for-events-industry-in-singapore.