The Luxembourg Event Association was launched on Wednesday under the leadership of Charles Schroeder, managing partner of Party Rent Luxembourg. The group hopes to attract some 120 players from the events industry in Luxembourg, which will allow the sector to have more vocal representation not only in during the coronavirus crisis, but also on a more permanent basis. “It is important to be organised as a sector to make our voice heard,” Schroeder explained.

The sector has around 3,000 employees. “We want to highlight our sector and point out that all the economic professions in Luxembourg at some point need to organise an event,” Schroeder added. He is hopeful the industry can resume its activities in the new school year. “With the reopening of the gastronomy sector, people will meet again in restaurants and this will contribute to the dynamics of the recovery.”
Schroeder says the events industry was the first sector to be affected by the coronavirus as gatherings of over 100 people were limited even before general confinement rules were introduced on 16 March. “And we will certainly be the last to come out of it,” he said. On the other hand, he welcomed the inclusion of the event sector in the new state aid measures announced last week. “It is important that the event sector be recognised in a way that is comparable to the tourism and the horeca sectors,” he insists.

The new association, which is a member of the Luxembourg chamber of commerce currently has ten founding members: Laure Elsen (Accentaigu), Marc Molitor (Apex), Ghislain Ludwig (Fairfair), Patrick Risch (Codex), Rick Hotschnik (De Schnékert Traiteur), Patrick Wittwer (Format), Paul Thyes (Lemon), Netty Thines (Mediation), Charles Schroeder (Partyrent) and Tom Steffen (Steffen Traiteur).

This article originally appeared in French on Paperjam and has been translated and edited for Delano.