[82lsju]

My SO works in the corporate events industry. She produces them for internal clients who run various lines of business for a financial services company.  She told me today she got a call from a client asking about options to have video conferencing instead of holding a physical event that is already planned and contracted. Right after this, I learned Twitter is cancelling its SXSW presence next week and banning all "non-essential" business travel.

Think of the impacts of this. Some contracts will include cancellation fees, but all the ancillary stuff for the hotel and restaurant businesses will not happen. What if most companies follow Twitter's lead? There are so many people living paycheck to paycheck who can't afford to lose their jobs that will lose them and not be able to pay rent if business travel is stopped in a significant way. Of course, if it's business as usual, sickness spreads and overwhelms medical system, that's gonna carry a cost as well.

There are really no good choices available.

several shows/events cancelled/postponed already, I'm sure more to follow

Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

MWC is the chance for thousands to gather for partnerships, deals, and product launches. MWC is usually held annually in Barcelona, and it has a big economic impact of 492 million euros, and also generates 14,100 part-time jobs.

https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/12/21127...-statement

Gaming Devleopers Conference in San Francisco "postponed"

GDC caters to a variety of game industry professionals and journalists. Last year, it hit record attendance with more than 29,000 people

https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/28/21156...-francisco

Formula 1 race in China postponed (but hard to see it rescheduled due to logistics)

F1's Chinese GP called off because of coronavirus with Vietnam race at risk

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/f...ce-at-risk

some smaller conferences in tech (<10,000 attendees) are moving to "digital" versions, like GTC2020 in San Jose

As the coronavirus situation is not improving, we’re turning GTC San Jose into a digital conference rather than a live event.

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/gtc/

[82lsju]

My SO works in the corporate events industry. She produces them for internal clients who run various lines of business for a financial services company.  She told me today she got a call from a client asking about options to have video conferencing instead of holding a physical event that is already planned and contracted. Right after this, I learned Twitter is cancelling its SXSW presence next week and banning all "non-essential" business travel.

Think of the impacts of this. Some contracts will include cancellation fees, but all the ancillary stuff for the hotel and restaurant businesses will not happen. What if most companies follow Twitter's lead? There are so many people living paycheck to paycheck who can't afford to lose their jobs that will lose them and not be able to pay rent if business travel is stopped in a significant way. Of course, if it's business as usual, sickness spreads and overwhelms medical system, that's gonna carry a cost as well.

There are really no good choices available.

several shows/events cancelled/postponed already, I'm sure more to follow

Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

MWC is the chance for thousands to gather for partnerships, deals, and product launches. MWC is usually held annually in Barcelona, and it has a big economic impact of 492 million euros, and also generates 14,100 part-time jobs.

https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/12/21127...-statement

Gaming Devleopers Conference in San Francisco "postponed"

GDC caters to a variety of game industry professionals and journalists. Last year, it hit record attendance with more than 29,000 people

https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/28/21156...-francisco

Formula 1 race in China postponed (but hard to see it rescheduled due to logistics)

F1's Chinese GP called off because of coronavirus with Vietnam race at risk

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/f...ce-at-risk

some smaller conferences in tech (<10,000 attendees) are moving to "digital" versions, like GTC2020 in San Jose

As the coronavirus situation is not improving, we’re turning GTC San Jose into a digital conference rather than a live event.

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/gtc/