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With widespread vaccine distribution beginning to take place throughout the country, we are all eager to get back to in-person meetings and events. The return of in-person meetings yields an amazing opportunity for planners to utilize technology and communication to create a safer, enhanced experience for attendees. Microsites and hybrid event technology are just two ways that meeting planners can put their best foot forward in their return to the industry.
Microsites. Attendee safety has always been of utmost importance for meeting planners, but the return of in-person gatherings post-COVID brings with it some attendee concerns about safety protocols. For a meeting to be successful, attendees would like to feel in control of their experience and feel confident that attending is safe. Recently, Marriott International conducted surveys prior to their Connect with Confidence hybrid event so they could give attendees as much information about their safety procedures beforehand as possible. Then, attendees were invited to go to a microsite, where they could see the safety protocols in action as well as make personal decisions about their experience at the actual event such as where they would like to be seated. Microsites add a new and more complex dimension to the meeting planning process, but in-person meetings will have the most successful comeback when guests know they can attend with complete confidence.
Hybrid Technology. It is expected that meetings will have limited capacity to ensure the safety of attendees. However, this does not mean that your meeting cannot reach a broader audience. Planning hybrid meetings using the skills we have developed from a year of virtual meetings ensures that attendees who are unable to travel can still be included in the experience from home. Omni Hotels has recently announced its initiative to make hybrid events more successful through a virtual studio, numerous camera displays and sound quality reinforcements. Hotels that are making themselves equipped to support a quality hybrid meeting like Omni will be a great advantage for planners.
