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There’s very little that can replace the impact of in-person meetings, conventions, exhibitions, says Chat’r CEO John Arvanitakis. So how do we ensure we keep up the spirit of eventing while we adjust to shifting goalposts?
The right touch H
umans are social beings who thrive off physical contact and authentic human interaction. It is well known that most people make decisions based on how they feel, and this is difficult to achieve via an email, phone call, or even online meetings facilitated by platforms such as Zoom. As part of the bigger picture, meetings and business events are a driving factor in our economy, as large-scale events and conferences fuel trading and commerce. They also have a direct impact on the South African business tourism, leisure travel and entertainment industries.
THE DOWNTURN When the hard lockdown was announced in March this year, the MICE industry came to a screeching halt; all gatherings such as events, conferences, exhibitions, weddings, church groups, celebrations, and incentives were cancelled within 48 hours of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement.
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Certain players within the industry have made attempts to stay afloat and pivot their direction via online platforms. Chat’r is no exception to this and, through the launch of Chat’r TV, we have also been hard at work to provide an offering that means events can still continue. With the recent announcement that the country will be moving to Level 1 of lockdown and that indoor events of 250 people and outdoor events of 500 will be permitted, the industry can start to move slowly out of its doldrums. As positive as this step is, the industry is still far from where it was prior to Covid-19 and we still have a long way to go before large-scale events and exhibitions will be allowed.
A REALISTIC TAKE The reality of where we are currently is that many of the business events sector’s smaller players have had no choice but to shut their doors, while larger organisations are downsizing and retrenching. Indirectly,
we are seeing the effect on the country’s business dealings, as well as the total slump on inbound business tourism, which has a huge impact on the economy. What we were working toward prior to lockdown has been fast-tracked by the pandemic and national lockdown, and we are that much closer to bringing to life the virtual attendance of conferences and exhibitions using technologies that will someday include VR headsets and eventually even AR technology. For now, we see our role as helping the industry to survive and recover during this time, by making the Chat’r TV virtual offering available as best we can. However, in the long run, our mission is to help facilitate a mindset change, which has already begun to occur, and this is what will usher in a new era of eventing: the hybrid event.
A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL We believe that the future is bright for the MICE industry and that after a period
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