#Let's Save the Fair!
The exhibition industry in Poland is currently in a dramatic situation. And the only way to save hundreds of enterprises is decisive action by the central authorities. On October 28, as part of a nationwide protest, the newly established Committee for the Defense of the Exhibition Industry will submit postulates to the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, the implementation of which will determine the further fate of a significant sector of the Polish economy.
According to a report commissioned by the Polish Chamber of Exhibition Industry, every third company operating in the exhibition industry recorded a decrease in turnover of 90 percent. Speaking of the "exhibition industry", we mean not only the organizers of fairs and operators of exhibition and conference facilities, but also hundreds of micro, small and medium-sized companies providing services of designing, constructing and equipping exhibition stands, transport and forwarding companies, the hotel industry, service providers catering and multimedia, and many other fair-related services. We are talking about a key sector of the Polish economy that has a significant impact on the export market.
Entrepreneurs providing services for trade fairs, congresses, conferences and events, who have been unable to work since March due to the cancellation of trade fair events, have found themselves on the verge of bankruptcy. The Committee for the Defense of the Exhibition Industry, established by them, developed two postulates - key to saving hundreds of companies, a large percentage of which are family businesses. These are:
I Redemption of all amounts of aid received from PFR for companies that, under pain of criminal liability, declare that 75% of their last year's income was entirely dependent on the organization, service and other services provided for fair events in the country and abroad.
II. Receiving compensation in the amount of 50% of last year's income for companies that, under pain of criminal liability, declare that 75% of last year's income of the company was entirely dependent on the organization, service and other services provided for fair events in the country and abroad.
The MTP Group, together with hundreds of Polish associations and industry organizations, supports the demands of the Exhibition Industry Defense Committee and appeals to Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki to redeem all amounts of aid received from PFR, as well as for compensation in the amount of half of last year's revenue for companies. We would also like to remind you that the fair is one of the pillars of the Polish economy, providing entrepreneurs with effective tools to rebuild business contacts, supply and distribution chains, and to acquire new contractors after the end of the pandemic.
