Analysis
TOURING BUSINESS ON ALERT AMID OMICRON WARNING
T
he global touring business is on high alert following the detection of the new Covid variant Omicron. While definitive data was still to emerge at the time of going to press, an interview with Moderna chief Stéphane Bancel in the Financial Times – in which he predicted existing vaccines would be “much less effective” at tackling Omicron than earlier strains of the virus – raised alarm bells across the industry. Speaking to IQ, AEG Presents France head Arnaud Meersseman concedes the fresh developments brought cause for concern. “I think it’s not looking good, but it’s still early to tell,” he says. “We’re already seeing a lot of requests of acts in Q1 asking to move their shows – the problem is we have nowhere to move them.” The UK government has reintroduced measures including wearing masks within shops and on public transport in England, coupled with more stringent border controls. Michael Kill, boss of the UK’s Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), describes the new variant as “hugely concerning” but says he is “encouraged” by the government’s decision not to mitigate against hospitality and night-time economy settings. All adults in England will be offered a booster jab by the end of January. “Although somewhat tentative about the coming weeks, [we] need to be clear that the sector is still extremely fragile and will not survive further trade-inhibiting restrictions or a poten-
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tial lockdown,” says Kill. “The current baseline mitigations within businesses across this industry have been extremely effective. Coupled with the vaccination programme, we must remain confident that we are in a stronger position to deal with variants than many other countries across the world.” Down under, Australian live music and entertainment industry bodies have responded to Omicron by reiterating calls for a government-backed insurance scheme. “The emergence of this new variant on the heels of Delta and the rapid global response to limit its spread, is a salutary reminder that this is not over yet,” says the alliance, which comprises AAM, AFA, ALMBC, AMIN, APRA AMCOS, ARIA, PPCA, and Live Performance Australia. “Thousands of businesses, sole traders, and artists are at the mercy of new strains and the ongoing threat of more government lockdowns and reimposition of restrictions.”
The Victorian government recently announced plans to launch a 12-month pilot scheme that will insure up to AU$230million (€148m) of events. “For this scheme to truly work, however, the industry urged the prime minister to develop a national scheme that reflects the industry’s national economic and employment footprint,” the statement continues. “We again call on the Federal Government to step up and coordinate a co-contribution scheme shared with the states and territories. “The Australian live music and entertainment sector has long argued that a government-backed insurance scheme is crucial to allowing the sector to rebuild, maintain employment, and rapidly restore its critical economic and cultural contribution to the nation. “The industry calls on all levels of government to come together and establish a partnership approach with industry, delivering a government-backed insurance scheme and ongoing support.”
“Although somewhat tentative about the coming weeks, [we] need to be clear that the sector is still extremely fragile and will not survive further trade-inhibiting restrictions or a potential lockdown” Michael Kill | Night Time Industries Association (NTIA)
