AAXO NEWS

How venues can embrace technology to improve exhibitions

As we begin 2021, attempting to forget the shambolic year for our industry which was 2020, what are we able to extract from last year, and utilise it effectively to improve our sector?

By Mark Anderson, treasurer of AAXO and exhibition sales manager, Specialised Exhibitions

Exhibitions and events are scheduled to commence from as early as March 2021; with all the Covid-19 safety protocols being adhered to. At the end of 2020, the exhibitions and events industry united in support of the Restart Expo. The Restart Expo was an opportunity for the collective industry to unite in demonstrating to government and the authorities how exhibitions and events may take place safely with all the required Covid-19 health and safety protocols in place. In addition, this event also implemented technologies which may be utilised for future events and exhibitions.

These technologies included the following:

• Real-time counting system that can track and monitor visitor numbers at any given point.

• Sessions and talks can be live-streamed with participants located globally. Thus, the message reaches further than ever before.

• Temperature screening at all access points by means of fever screening thermographic cameras.

The fact that technology is always improving and evolving may be a win-win situation for all parties if venues and organisers embraced available technology, which will facilitate and improve the core basic need of people, which is allowing them to connect and meet face-to-face. The first modern public exhibition can be dated back to 1756 in London. Today, the core basic model of an exhibition remains the same– connect the buyers to the sellers in a face-to-face environment. Exhibitions, events and conferencing may all be part of the solution to negate the impact of Covid-19 on the economy and society. Technology has its own, crucial role to play in assisting the conferencing and events sectors moving forward.

Mark Anderson