What does this ruling mean for the industry as a whole?

“This win sets a welcome precedent and while it in no way allows others to operate in the same context, it shows that, with ongoing pressure, we CAN successfully amend the regulations,” said SAEC Chairperson, Ellen Oosthuizen.

She said the Council was fighting to retain the headway it had made towards re-opening the events industry before the losses suffered reach a point of no return.

According to her, the African Association of Exhibition Organisers, in partnership with the Exhibition and Event Association of Southern Africa, is now leading an industry move to liaise with the government via its legal team, Mabuza Attorneys.

“The associations sent a legal letter to Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, to establish a reasonable and workable solution for permitted capacities and recognize business events as organized, professional and controlled meetings. The Minister's legal team has acknowledged receipt of this letter, and we look forward to finalizing a meeting date,” she said.

Oosthuizen pointed out that, for 14 months, the associations that make up the SA Events Council had collaborated on various measures to reopen the industry.

“We have developed a stringent set of reopening guidelines, sent scores of lobbying letters and hosted in-person, proof-of-concept events to show what is possible. We have also conducted awareness campaigns, hosted webinars, organized radio and television Interviews, provided information sessions and engaged with the various relevant government entities in person.”

Two-pronged approach

SAEC's ongoing governmental engagement employs a two-pronged approach with Council representation in both groups. One team is working closely with the Department of Tourism and the SA National Convention Bureau to reopen business events.

The other, the Ministerial Advisory Team (MAT), reports directly to the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture and serves the broader live and sporting events. “The MAT is involved in finding solutions to general industry issues such as our industry members' inability to pay rentals, school fees or loans and the lack of financial and wellness support,” explained Oosthuizen.

“Despite our efforts, business events are still limited to an impractical indoor capacity of 250, whilst shopping centers and markets cater for many more, with no issues whatsoever. We need to fast-track a practical reopening solution with urgency, but with the current focus on the vaccination roll-out and the increasing infection rate, our efforts are again on hold.”

We will continue with more updates....

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In our new normal, virtual events have taken over. Virtual conferences offer planners and marketers a way to connect with a broader audience, often leading to higher registration numbers than in-person events as travel and cost are no longer burdens attendees must bear.  According to a survey conducted, 79% of event planners are going virtual. Today we cover part 2

How do you plan the virtual conference content experience?

According to experts, content is still king. But, the attention span of an attendee has changed. The virtual conference needs to be structured in a way that keeps attendees focused but doesn’t send them running back to work at the first sign of an email or messenger notification.

Conference length for virtual events is not the same as in-person. Think shorter, more succinct, and more on-demand content that lets attendees watch on their own schedule. With the virtual conference comes a much greater emphasis on production value. The better the sound and video quality, the more engaged attendees will be.

And speaking of quality, for virtual, the name of the game isn’t quantity – it’s quality. Only create sessions that are well-produced, engaging, and valuable for attendees. Don’t be afraid to cut the number of sessions for a virtual conference – where you might have more than a hundred sessions at an in-person conference, it’s not unusual to cut that down to 20 when going virtual.

Questions to ask about each virtual session:

• Session Length: No more than two hours a session but consider shorter sessions with varied content.
• Session Format: Panel, webinar, keynote, news-style broadcast, executive presentation, ted-style talk, video, late-night show, etc.
• Audience Interaction: Will the audience be able to be seen on video, ask questions verbally, or ask questions over chat?
• Type of Content: Thought-leadership, research-based, client insight, product, or service training.
• Live vs. Pre-recorded: More can go wrong with a live session, but it provides a feeling of community and increased engagement.
• Streaming vs. On-demand: On-demand is a great option for smaller sessions and offers a break for attendees, as they can choose their own watch schedule.
• Talking Head vs. On-screen Presentation: What is the best viewing format for the content? Take into consideration the benefit of visual aids based on the content type.
• Visual vs. Audio Only: Sessions don’t have to be the same – you could do an audio-only podcast style discussion or presentation that utilizes only visuals.
• Interactive vs. One-way Communication: For a keynote, you probably don’t want the audience to be able to interact with the speaker, but for smaller sessions, interaction can engage attendees.

How do you facilitate networking at virtual conferences?

After great content comes connection building. The physical proximity of in-person events allows attendees to create their own community for the duration of the event. How do you deliver those connections virtually? Just because you’re not sitting across the table from an attendee or speaking to them at a physical booth doesn’t mean you can’t leverage your virtual event to make that connection. When planning networking for your virtual conference, there are three different types of connections to consider when building a community experience.

Sales networking with attendees

You’ve been conducting virtual one-on-one meetings for years, certainly for the past few months as onsite visits aren’t practical. Apply those same principles to your virtual event. With appointment scheduling tools, sales can set up meetings with attendees before the event, taking a valuable spot on their agenda early.

Attendees networking with attendees

You need to consider attendees networking with attendees. Your mobile event app will be critical for these connections. Using messaging tools and the event feed, attendees can connect with other attendees. By scheduling happy hours, breakouts, and one-on-ones, you further encourage networking.

Sponsors or exhibitors networking with attendees

You need to provide networking opportunities for sponsors and exhibitors networking with attendees. Exhibitors, other attendees, and even your sales teams can review the registration list for the virtual event and make appointments the old-fashioned way, by sending an email with a Zoom link. You’ll likely get more and better engagement if you make it easy and seamless to schedule an appointment from within the virtual experience itself.

Host your own virtual conference

Don’t be afraid to go virtual. Right now, it’s the only option many organizations have to engage, inspire, and foster connections. The world is changing rapidly, and events are changing right along with it. As you rebuild your event programs and look to the future, take advantage of virtual events and experiences. A virtual conference can make a big impact. And, now more than ever, there are great resources to take advantage of to learn more about hosting virtual events. 

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Below we share expert views on the way forward for Hotels, Planners and the industry as a whole.

What buyers are saying:

• Most planners expect venues to enable safe meeting setups
• 69% expect for social distancing room configurations or virtual site visits
• Technology is more important than ever to planners
• 74% say that their use of technology has increased during Covid
• Hybrid events are the way forward
• 40% say they see it as an ideal transition back to in-person events
• Safety is a top requirement for return to in-person events
• 80% say that “safe space” health and safety considerations would most influence their selection of a venue

Primary changes for future events:

• Increased reliance on technology, especially virtual event software
• Fewer attendees per event, with larger planned space
• Less distance travel, more drive-to local events
• Expanded F&B options such as pre-packaged foods and open-air dining

58% of event planners globally highlight the lack of clear health and safety protocols at venues

How venues can provide better support and confidence in 2021:

• Work on Health and Safety protocols
• Implement technology to attract more customers
• Become hybrid-capable
• Develop partnerships and client-relationships
• Respond to your inquiries faster

Tips for the future:

• Planners want a stronger partnership and to collaborate with supplier in finding solutions together
• Planners will value hotels that are ahead of the curve and offer solutions that meet the new market needs
• As hotel teams will be leaner, it's important that resources are utilized as effectively and efficiently as possible

Agility is key: what may have worked before might not work now. An agile and adaptable team is imperative. 

Copywright: https://www.cvent.com/

In our new normal, virtual events have taken over. Virtual conferences offer planners and marketers a way to connect with a broader audience, often leading to higher registration numbers than in-person events as travel and cost are no longer burdens attendees must bear.  According to a survey conducted, 79% of event planners are going virtual. With this event type comes a new way of thinking and planning an event. It takes cross-functional teams that include planning, marketing, IT, and digital, as well as reimagining content that engages attendees from home. So, what does it take to plan a virtual conference?

How do you create a virtual conference strategy?

A virtual conference is not like an in-person conference. It takes place solely online and requires attendees to focus on a screen for hours at a time. Because of this, content needs to be the driving force behind your virtual conference strategy, as it is what will grab the interest of attendees and get sought-after registrations. To create a virtual conference strategy, look at your event program as a whole. Is there a gap in your program that would benefit from a virtual conference? Do you have the resources and the budget to pull off a virtual conference? Do you have the resources to host a virtual conference? All of these are questions to ask as you decide whether or not a virtual conference is right for your organization. If you have an annual in-person conference that isn’t able to happen this year or some other large event that drives revenue, it’s worth considering a virtual conference.

What are some goals or KPIs of a virtual conference?

As with any event, you’ll need to set goals and identify key performance indicators (KPIs) before the event in order to assess event success at every stage, as well as compare event performance across every event in your event program. When planning your goals for a virtual conference, succinctness is important. It is more challenging to attempt to achieve multiple, segmented goals when virtual. Instead, create a single goal that drives the mission of the virtual conference. There are two different streams to look at when creating goals – business goals and attendee goals. Understand what your goals are for each.

Potential business goals

• Brand awareness or lead generation
• Immediate revenue
• Product adoption and lifetime value
• Customer appreciation or loyalty
• Membership growth

Potential attendee goals

• Networking
• Learning or training
• Entertainment or celebration

How do you execute a virtual conference?

Virtual conferences aren’t all that different than in-person conferences. In fact, much of the planning is the same – from website creation to registration to email marketing – the basics are all in place. But, with virtual conferences, a larger emphasis must be placed on technology. The emphasis is obvious if you look at it from a purely budgeting perspective. In-person events are 25% tech expenses; 75% non-tech expenses where virtual events are 75% tech expenses; 25% non-tech expenses. There is little to no F&B or hotels, but there are livestreams and virtual booths, and in many cases, production costs.

What tech do you need to host a virtual conference?

One of the most complicated event types, virtual conferences rely on technology to make their mark. Of course, a virtual event platform that does it all and integrates with your marketing tech stack and CRM systems, from virtual conferencing to webinars, is always the best option.

Here are a few types of event tech you’ll need for a virtual conference:

• Registration
• Abstract management
• Mobile event app
• Appointments
• Onsite engagement
• Attendee tracking
• Surveys
• Video platform

Don’t be afraid to go virtual.

Right now, it’s the only option many organizations have to engage, inspire, and foster connections.

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