21 July 2020 marked the declaration of establishing the Council of the Meetings and Events Industry signed by representatives of professional organisations. The meeting kicked off with a discussion panel involving Olga Semeniuk, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Development.

Signing of the founding declaration was scheduled to take place at about 11am, following a discussion panel on “Current situation and reopening directions for the meetings and events industry”. Staged at 10am and moderated by Bartosz Bieszyński, coordinator of the Council of the Meetings and Events Industry, it was attended by:

• Olga Semeniuk – Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Development,
• Łukasz Adamowicz – Vice President, Incentive Travel Organisers Association,
• Grażyna Grabowska – Vice President, Polish Chamber of Exhibition Industry,
• Andrzej Malinowski – President, Employers of Poland,
• Marcin Mączyński – General Secretary, Chamber of Commerce of the Polish Hotel Industry,
• Mikołaj Ziółkowski – President, Polish Events Promoters Association.

The event was broadcast live on the YouTube channel of Employers of Poland.

Professional organisations have established the Council of the Meetings and Events Industry to act for the sake of the discussed sector, the first one forced to halt its operations because of the spreading SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The market in question contributes approx. 1.5% of Poland’s national GDP and employs about 1.5 million people. Ever since mid-February it has been recording a decline in sales at an average of approx. 80-95%. In view of this profound crisis, the industry chose to act together, with representatives of organisations from various sectors deciding to establish the Council of the Meetings and Events Industry.

See below for a list of signatories of the declaration to join the Council of the Meetings and Events Industry (in order following Council’s materials):

• Stowarzyszenie Organizatorów Incentive Travel SOIT (Incentive Travel Organisers Association),
• Stowarzyszenie Komunikacji Marketingowej SAR (SAR Marketing Communication Association),
• Klub Agencji Eventowych SAR (SAR Event Agencies Club),
• Stowarzyszenie Konferencje i Kongresy w Polsce - SKKP (Polish Conference & Congress Association),
• Stowarzyszenie Organizatorów Imprez Artystycznych i Rozrywkowych SOIAR (Polish Events Promoters Association),
• Izba Gospodarcza Hotelarstwa Polskiego IGHP (Chamber of Commerce of the Polish Hotel Industry), 
• Polska Izba Techniki Estradowej PITE (Polish Chamber of Stage Technology),
• Polskie Stowarzyszenie Rozwoju Infrastruktury Sportu i Rekreacji IAKS Polska (IAKS Polska International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities),
• Zrzeszenie Agentów IATA w Polsce (Polish IATA Agents Association), 
• SITE Poland - Society for Incentive Travel Excellence – Chapter Poland,
• Stowarzyszenie Branży Eventowej SBE (Events Industry Association),
• Polska Izba Przemysłu Targowego PIPT (Polish Chamber of Exhibition Industry),
• Harmony Polish Hotels,
• Polskie Stowarzyszenie Przewoźników Autokarowych PSPA (Polish Association of Coach Companies),
• Izba Gospodarcza Menedżerów Artystów Polskich IGMAP (Chamber of Commerce of Polish Managers of Artists),
• Fundacja FOH (FOH Foundation),
• Future for MICE,
• Meeting Professional International Poland Chapter MPI.