Page 8 - KZN Business Sense - Vol6 No4 eBook

DURBAN ICC GOES VIRTUAL

Scott Langley @Coffee with What are ‘virtual’ and ‘hybrid’ different formats, both nationally The delegates can also advantages that they offer to
Grant Adlam Online events and how do they work? and internationally. We feel that participate as sponsors. event organisers, to the venues
A hybrid event is your normal we have really earned our stripes Companies can get their brands and to the whole conferencing
he business of the Durban traditional face to face event, in this space. out in front of other conference industry.
ICC is about conferences which takes place in a venue delegates in the form of video
Tand meetings, the very with a digital component such What are the benefits for the sponsorships and through How soon will these services be
thing outlawed by the Covid-19 a live streaming component virtual delegate? the use of screen logos for the on offer?
lockdown measures. How has the added in. We recognise that There many benefits. First and duration of the event. We are happy to start
Durban ICC been affected? event organisers put a lot of foremost, there is a massive working with virtual and
time and effort in putting the cost saving, which includes Do you see this kind of hybrid conferencing requests
Covid-19 and its accompanying the cost for a delegate to travel conferencing become the new
lockdown restrictions has hit event content together and to a conference such as flights norm after COVID-19? immediately. 
selecting the speakers line up.
the tourism industry hard and and accommodation costs. The
the Durban ICC has not been By adding a digital component, belt tightening requirement I think that the digital Contact: Scott Langley
exempted. Luckily, the Durban which allows them to live that all companies have had components of events will be T: +27 (0)31 360 1000
ICC has been building strong stream that content at the same to face in recent years is also here to stay because of the E: sales@icc.co.za
relationships with its clients over time, they really are able to
many years. Consequently, we maximise on all this hard work, significant. Whereas companies
were able to go to our clients and monetise their event in new use to send ten people from a
find new future dates for their ways and reach a new audience. single company to a conference,
events. We tried to postpone A virtual event is designed they may now send only two
as many events as possible and to be completely online, and people. Companies expect
minimise the cancellations. With all content is presented on an those two people to convey the
the current restrictions in place online format. conference content to the rest
on gatherings, there continues of the company on their return.
to be a really tough time for The best part is that companies With the hybrid and the virtual
the tourism and conferencing are taking advantage of this conference that content doesn’t
industry. Consequently, we are kind of event solution even have to be relayed. The guys
looking to reinvent ourselves and during the lockdown by using who need to be consuming that
do things in the virtual and the the technology we offer and not content can get it first-hand, in
online space. Doing meetings in having to wait until live events real time in their boardrooms, or
this new way is the new normal fully start up again. Some are in the comfort and safety of their
for us. even able to reach much larger own homes. Companies are also
audiences by taking their events only paying for one or two of
Meetings and communication online than they would have those registrations depending on
are still essential. How are you with a traditional live event and how the event organisers set up
reinventing the Durban ICC and monetise them accordingly. the conference proceedings.
your business?
How far along is the process of The delegates can still get
We are always trying to position development for virtual and MULTI-AWARD
ourselves as “Africa’s leading hybrid event solutions at the the same interaction as in face
convention centre”. We have been Durban ICC? to face events through real
investing heavily in our meetings’ time chat options. They can WINNING CENTRE
technology over the last couple We have been offering this be interacting with speakers
of years. So, we are really looking solution for a while now. We did through asking questions,
forward to being recognised as our first collaborative hybrid making comments as well as pened by former president, successfully staged some the
Nelson Mandela in 1997,
“Africa’s smartest convention event with a client in September getting their points heard. Othe Durban ICC was world’s most prestigious and
complex events. This multi-
centre”. 2019, before anyone had heard
the term Covid-19. This event The delegates could also South Africa’s first International award winning Centre has been
We are now in a position where was for a local association choose to view the content Convention Centre and has played voted Africa’s Leading Meetings
we are able to offer a whole and was streamed nationally. at a later time if it suits their a pioneering role in attracting and Conference Centre by the
range of virtual events from Since that time, we have done schedule better, through the international events to our shores World Travel Awards no fewer
live streaming events to hybrid many international events with video-on-demand option after since its inception. than 17 times since 2001 and has
events, virtual events, video simultaneous streams and both the event. They can also view been rated amongst the World’s
on demand, and to complete virtual and hybrid events. We selected sessions from the This world-class facility, Top 1% of convention centres by
remote presentation events to feel that we are now in a good conference which pertain to renowned for its high standards The International Association of
our clients. position to offer this in many their areas of interest. of service excellence, has Congress Centres (AIPC). 

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