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Dec 08, 2020
Convention centers across the country are making way for hybrid meetings and events. Renowned facilities looking ahead to 2021 and beyond have repurposed spaces to become virtual studios, complete with state-of-the-art AV equipment for digital and in-person presentations.
“While hybrid meetings are not new in our industry, the demand for them has increased dramatically due to this pandemic, forcing meeting and event planners to make adjustments to their events to continue to address the needs of their members and attendees who will not be ready to travel anytime soon,” said Tim Muldoon,… more
Dec 04, 2020
In an effort to speed the pace of recovery in Indianapolis, Visit Indy has pooled together its tech partners to offer discounted prices for citywide hybrid meetings.
The CVB says it is the first in the nation to present citywide discounts on audiovisual and WiFi. Planners who take advantage of the offer can receive 25 percent off WiFi and 10 percent off AV equipment. Thirteen venues, including Indiana Convention Center and a mix of hotels, are participating.
Visit Indy’s discount is available for events booked by the end of next year and held by Dec. 31, 2022.
As a destination designed… more
Nov 25, 2020
With virtual elements taking an increasingly prominent role in the events industry, new digital technologies continue to emerge to aid planners with the various components involved in a meeting or exhibition.
Here are four recently launched tools that help organizers in everything from site selection and exhibit booth design to networking and awards.
IFEMA Virtual Site Tour
Madrid-based IFEMA launched a new digital tool that offers a 360-degree virtual tour of the indoor and outdoor spaces, rooms and halls at its Feria de Madrid and IFEMA Palacio Municipal meeting venues. The new… more
Nov 19, 2020
Event technologies everywhere are stepping up to the plate in 2020, attempting to ease meeting planners’ woes that virtual experiences can never quite measure up to face-to-face events. Yet one element that hasn’t been addressed is the virtual awards show — until now.
MeetingPlay, a Maryland-based technology company for events and conferences founded in 2011, has launched a new feature designed to nearly replicate the experience of an in-person awards night, both for recipients and attendees.
The impetus for designing this feature came from MeetingPlay listening closely to its clients. “A… more
Nov 11, 2020
While virtual events and video conferencing aren’t a perfect substitute for face-to-face, technology that replicates the real-life experience as much as possible could be a viable option, particularly for work teams and stakeholders wanting to stay connected during the COVID-19 era. Enter Preciate, a relationship-building platform for workplaces that launched Preciate Social, the first virtual socializing and teambuilding platform designed specifically for companies and teams, in late September.
Built to provide an immersive experience that replicates the atmosphere of real-life business… more
Nov 06, 2020
Event technology and services companies 365 MEDIA and Taffy Event Strategies have formed a new strategic partnership to provide nonprofits and associations with needs analysis, planning and execution of virtual and hybrid events. The alliance comes on the heels of 365 MEDIA’s recent launch of its virtual event playbooks and services, designed to help associations and nonprofits maximize growth potential in the virtual realm.
The new collaboration will facilitate the sharing of virtual event best practices to deliver expertise, ROI and efficiency for organizations seeking to pivot to virtual… more
Oct 26, 2020
In late June, TSNN reported that Event Tech Live, the annual London, U.K.-based trade show and conference dedicated to event technology, would take place as a hybrid event. However, due to new gathering restrictions in response to rising COVID-19 infections across the U.K., coupled with travel restrictions for international exhibitors, the decision was made to push the show to virtual only.
Now, ETL is scheduled to take place virtually from Nov. 2-6, with plans for a hybrid event in 2021. In normal years, the face-to-face event offers educational programming across six stages, showcases… more
Oct 21, 2020
In the continuing evolution of virtual and hybrid events, the role of digital technology used to host those events has continued to evolve as well. To help sort through some of the new technology designed to aid organizers as they plan their virtual and hybrid meetings, here are four recently launched virtual event platforms.
e-Attend Virtual Experience
Denver-based event services company Image Audiovisuals has added a virtual event platform to its e-Attend technology. The new e-Attend Virtual Experience links broadcast-quality production, recording and live streaming services with virtual-… more
Oct 07, 2020
Originally scheduled for May 27 and postponed due to the pandemic, Exhibition and Convention Executives Forum (ECEF) will now be held Nov. 18 as a retooled virtual experience.
To aid in transitioning the annual information-sharing and networking event for independent organizers and leaders of associations, Sam Lippman, ECEF producer and president of Lippman Connects, has partnered with Freeman. As part of the partnership, Freeman will provide the virtual event platform and serve as the exclusive gold sponsor.
“I have watched the Freeman team strengthen their capabilities in strategy,… more
Oct 01, 2020
Seattle-based event marketing platform Banzai recently acquired High Attendance, a cloud-based virtual and hybrid event management software for enterprises.
Banzai plans to integrate its flagship marketing automation platform, Banzai Reach, with High Attendance’s platform to give Banzai customers — including Adobe, Chef Software, Dell, Pure Storage and other large enterprises — a seamless experience for growing and engaging their audiences.
“Currently the event marketing landscape is a mess,” said Brian Goldfarb, CMO at Chef Software. “It’s littered with half-baked solutions that were not… more
Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
Gold Key Members
The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact