Inside Asian Gaming

IAG JAPAN AUG 2020 54 “three Cs” – Closed spaces with poor ventilation, Crowded places with many people nearby, Close- contact settings such as close-range conversations. There are also guidelines for limiting entrants to between 300 and 400 per hour and arrangements for seating and keeping distance from others. The Osaka Convention&TourismBureau says, “This event will be held in an unprecedented environment. This event is a huge first step so we want to do what we can.” The Bureau has even coordinated with health centers and medical facilities near the venue and arranged a support system for providing information related to call centers in case of emergencies. These guidelines continue to be updated regularly based on the state of the central government and Osaka. ECONOMIC RIPPLE EFFECT There is good reason to place such a strong focus on the four letters in MICE: Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions, with Japanese authorities showing a keen interest in the potential economic ripple effect. According to data published by the Japan Tourism Agency in 2018, the economic ripple effect is currently estimated at approximately JPY1 trillion (US$9.33 billion), employing 96,000 people and generating tax revenue of around JPY82 billion (US$765 million). For example, an international convention with attendance of 10,000 is said to have an economic ripple effect of approximately JPY3.8 billion (US$35.5 million). Gathering so many experts in their field together under one roof also creates new business and JAPAN