September in Munich is famously all about Oktoberfest. This year, however, everything is unfortunately a little different. Instead of Wiesn fun, social distancing and contact tracing remain on the agenda. Like so many others, the coronavirus crisis has hit Oktoberfest and everyone involved particularly hard. Even though the 2020 cancellation was a necessary and responsible step, it still hurts particularly much these weeks. No steins, no roasted almonds, no Devil's Wheel, and no conviviality. Unfortunately. We can find a little comfort in "No-Wiesn" steins and T-shirts (all proceeds are donated to a good cause), a controversially discussed series (Oktoberfest 1900) and of course with the Wirtshaus-Wiesn on a smaller scale and in compliance with current legal hygiene regulations, including contact tracing for all visitors.
As a Munich-based company, we naturally have a special connection to the Wiesn, especially since we have been developing and operating a reservation system for the Oktoberfest beer tents since 2016. We digitally map the entire processes of a reservation office: from table availability through online reservations and invoice dispatch to food and drink voucher management and admission management locally. We also regret that Oktoberfest cannot take place as planned – nevertheless, we must look forward, now more than ever.
Reliable contact tracing for COVID-compliant event planning
As we look positively to the future, we are already preparing for Wiesn 2021 and adapting our software to current requirements. Not only Oktoberfest, but also other event formats will likely be subject to specific hygiene conditions for quite some time and present event organizers with particular challenges. That's why we are integrating seamless contact tracing of all reservations – ideally down to the individual person – into the existing system.
Digital participant management facilitates contact tracing. The guest list records all event participants, and digital check-in allows for contactless and GDPR-compliant verification that guests have arrived. For larger events, separate check-ins for specific areas of the event can be set up, so that in case of an infection, it is traceable which guests might have come into contact with each other.
If check-in is done via a QR code scan, neither pen nor paper is needed – clearly the more hygienic solution and definitely more discreet than open lists where guests can sign themselves in.
Digital contact tracing proves its worth not only during the admission process, digital contact tracingshould it actually be necessary to identify who sat with whom in a room or at a table and could have become a contact person of a potential COVID-19 carrier, then no jumble of paper slips or lists needs to be sorted and reviewed. In the digital guest list, rooms, people, and check-in times can be filtered according to setup and need. Thus, important and time-critical information available within minutes.
With AirLST, we offer a reliable and innovative system for participant management and reservations that can flexibly respond to short-term challenges – such as new security concepts and hygiene measures. As it is currently unforeseeable how the virus and the corresponding countermeasures will develop, dynamically adaptable concepts, systems, and tools are essential. This provides organizers with planning security and expands their scope of action.
We look forward to hearing "O'zapft is" again in September 2021 and being able to kick off the Oktoberfest season again. Until then, we will gain more experience with hygiene-compliant events and focus on close and dynamic collaboration with event professionals from all industries.
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