復展初體驗

蘇希玲

據(jù)相關調(diào)研，大部分會展行業(yè)代表和參展參會企業(yè)認為“新冠疫情更清楚地表明了線下活動的價值”。不僅國內(nèi)會展活動逐步恢復，在國際市場，隨著各行各業(yè)逐步復蘇，目前，日本、新加坡、美國、澳大利亞等多個國家的實體會展活動均已陸續(xù)啟動。那么，經(jīng)歷過一年多的暫停期，疫后辦展，各國會展企業(yè)有何新感受？與以前相比，展會規(guī)模、參展參觀者的反饋是否有新的變化？疫后辦展在運營層面最大的挑戰(zhàn)是什么？展覽公司如何合理布局，應對未來？

圍繞以上問題，本期專題將采訪目前已經(jīng)復展的美國、日本、新加坡等地的會展主辦方代表，聽他們分享復展的心得體會。他們普遍認為，疫后展會雖然在數(shù)量上可能不及從前，但高質(zhì)量的專業(yè)觀眾讓展會反而更加成效突出；數(shù)字化技術的使用，則更是為行業(yè)的解凍帶來了暖流。

Embark on the recovery route of exhibitions

Reporter/Celion Su

According to relevant research， most exhibition industry professionals and exhibition participants believe that “COVID-19 has demonstrated more clearly the value of offline activities”. So， after more than a year of suspension， what are the different feelings of exhibition enterprises in various countries Are there any new changes in the scale of the exhibition and the feedback from visitors What are the biggest challenges in the operation of post-epidemic exhibition How will exhibition organizers make reasonable layout to embrace the future

Around the above issues， four representatives from leading exhibition organizers from the United States， Japan， Singapore where physical or hybrid shows have been gradually restored have been invited to share their experiences and views. They generally believe that although the scale of post epidemic exhibitions may not be as big as before， but the high-quality trade visitors have made the exhibition more effective. In addition， the use of digital technologies have also brought warm flows for the thawing of the industry.

目前線下展會的基本情況如何？

Ted Wirth：我們與展會所在場館通力合作，為展商和買家之間的貿(mào)易成交營造安全的環(huán)境。相應的措施包括：疫苗接種證明、核酸檢測、無接觸展會登記、設置衛(wèi)生服務站和安排現(xiàn)場監(jiān)測員監(jiān)督人們佩戴口罩等。我們發(fā)現(xiàn)，客戶非?？释€下展會重新舉辦，并非常樂意采取任何必要的舉措來配合展會重新舉辦。

Yuko Furuichi：去年11月，我們以混合形式舉辦了數(shù)字營銷展——東京全球數(shù)字營銷峰會。由于要遵守政府的幾項要求，我們僅邀請了最優(yōu)質(zhì)的買家來到展會現(xiàn)場。政府的防疫要求主要包括：展會觀眾數(shù)量不得超過5000人、場館空間占用率不得超過50%，以及現(xiàn)場禁止飲食。通過這些禁令，參展參會者可以專注于面對面交流，獲得更好的參會體驗。同時，我們通過線上直播，增加了很多新的觀眾。

Christopher McCuin：在今年3月24-25日，我們舉辦的2021年新加坡國際測繪地理信息展覽會在濱海灣金沙會展中心舉辦。這是新加坡在2021年的首個大型混合型試點活動，一共吸引了來自55個國家的近1200名代表參加。線下展會包含兩天的豐富演講、大會、圓桌會等，另有700多名來自全球的行業(yè)和媒體代表齊聚線上。新加坡外交部和負責“智能城市計劃”的部長官員為展會揭幕。

在疫情下，本次大會采用多項創(chuàng)新舉措保障參與者的安全和健康，包括：使用藍牙加密狗對參會者的地理位置進行定位，并監(jiān)測與其他參會者交談的時長；將大宴會廳改造成“展會洽談區(qū)”，盡量減少參會者之間的扎堆；使用可舉辦二對二會議的小型會議室、有機玻璃分隔罩、洗手液等。此外，本次大會兩天都采取了現(xiàn)場核酸快速檢測措施。

Nan Walsh：在過去幾個月中，我們已經(jīng)逐步平穩(wěn)地在北美恢復舉辦展會。這證明了客戶持續(xù)認可面對面展會的價值，并且十分渴望線下展會的回歸。目前，我們在北美已經(jīng)恢復舉辦的線下展會涵蓋休閑游艇、時尚、航空等多個行業(yè)領域。而我們聽到的最多的反饋就是今年高質(zhì)量的專業(yè)觀眾為展商帶來了很高的價值。與此同時，我們也為暫時無法參加線下展的客戶組織同期的線上展會，并提升了自身數(shù)據(jù)處理能力，在展前和展后都為客戶帶來更好的貿(mào)易對接效果。

展會展商和買家的反饋如何？

Ted Wirth：雖然很多國際展商都邀請當?shù)貦C構為自己在展會現(xiàn)場代為參展，但疫后展會一個主要的趨勢就是國際性的展會變得更加以區(qū)域性為主了。同時，觀眾的質(zhì)量比數(shù)量更加重要變得更加明顯。實際上，展商非常愿意在展會上與高質(zhì)量的買家接觸更長的時間。

Yuko Furuichi：在2019年，我們的線下展一共有 71家展商、28家贊助商，論壇總?cè)藬?shù)為1804名。在2020年，混合式展會我們沒有參展商，但一共有40家贊助商，論壇人數(shù)為6397名（增加了255%），而論壇滿意度也很高，尤其是那些應參會者要求而開設的論壇。

Christopher McCuin：今年我們得到了普遍的積極反饋。比如“本次大會顯示了我們行業(yè)在當前艱難時期的韌性，并為本地以及區(qū)域地理信息產(chǎn)業(yè)的發(fā)展帶來了希望?！薄案兄x主辦方舉辦了今年新加坡的第一個大規(guī)?；旌闲哉箷⒋螳@成功?！?2022年展會將在3月以更大規(guī)模舉辦。

Nan Walsh：今年，我們的策略是質(zhì)高于量。因此，我們邀請到真正渴望與展商交流的、期盼商業(yè)復蘇的觀眾群體。雖然今年展會的規(guī)模有所縮減，但我們看到現(xiàn)場的成交與疫前的展會一樣好?？蛻魧蛊脚_的價值和重要性給予了很高的評價，各行各業(yè)復蘇的需求很大。

疫情之后舉辦線下展有哪些主要挑戰(zhàn)？

Ted Wirth：最大的挑戰(zhàn)在于重新樹立客戶的信心。疫后辦展，事情就不再只是跟展會本身有關——客戶對坐飛機、坐出租車、住酒店和在餐館吃飯等環(huán)節(jié)都必須要感到安全。但好消息是，疫情期間的鎖閉局面讓人們的參展需求空前高漲。如果展會主辦方能采取必要的措施，客商將會重新蜂擁而至。

Yuko Furuichi：多樣化的參與方式非常重要。所有的主辦方都必須設置多樣化的參會方式，讓觀眾可以按需參加自己喜歡的活動。當然，人們都更喜歡面對面的活動，因為更有成效。但這對于主辦方的業(yè)務穩(wěn)定性也有風險——除非展會僅邀請?zhí)囟ㄈ藛T線下參與，否則，主辦方必須為參會者提供線上線下方式。

Christopher McCuin：隨著我們逐步走出全球疫情（希望如此），我認為，如果能妥善應對如下挑戰(zhàn)，我們將能夠舉辦更加具有行業(yè)關聯(lián)性的展會，并為參展參會者提供更高的投資回報率。

政府及商業(yè)層面——今天，各方合作的必要性超過以往任何時候。我們從與新加坡旅游局、新加坡土地管理局等政府機構日漸深化的合作中深深體會到這一點。各方都要繼續(xù)通力合作，通過政企之間的無縫配合，以展會推動各行各業(yè)的復蘇。

客戶信心——會展活動的所有利益相關者必須相信，從啟程出發(fā)的那一刻起，他們的整個參會流程都是安全的。同時，他們也需要堅信他們參加展會不僅對自身業(yè)務有益，而且對他們所在的行業(yè)也有益。

無接觸——這將成為展會運營各個環(huán)節(jié)的基本規(guī)范，包括從參會登記、交換名片到產(chǎn)品展示等。

商務預約——這比以往任何時候都重要。

活動全程的健康安全——這將成為新常態(tài)。佩戴口罩、消毒洗手、保持社交距離等措施可能持續(xù)相當一段時間。

優(yōu)質(zhì)內(nèi)容——如今網(wǎng)絡上有大量的免費內(nèi)容，所以所有的展會都需要不斷創(chuàng)新，為買家和展商提供“干貨”和“獨特氛圍”等，才能吸引他們持續(xù)參加展會并參與互動。

Nan Walsh：在美國，在很短時間內(nèi)，我們在疫苗接種方面已經(jīng)取得了很大的進展，但并不是每個人都已經(jīng)對參加線下活動感到放心。英富曼是跨國公司，我們的很多展會原來都是吸引全球觀眾，但如今的差旅限制使得這變得非常困難。此外，今年很多企業(yè)仍處于復蘇階段，很多公司收緊了預算，即便一些忠實的客戶也無法前來參加我們的線下展。在此背景下，數(shù)字化手段將成為我們重要的長期發(fā)展策略，為客戶提供參展機會，彌補疫情帶來的鴻溝。

如何為未來做好準備？

Ted Wirth：在當前，有很多關于數(shù)字化活動對于實體展會帶來巨大影響方面的探討。我認為，數(shù)字化/虛擬產(chǎn)品能提升線下活動的體驗，但不能取而代之。同時，我們通過線上活動接觸到了很多新客戶。疫情倒逼我們加速推進市場化進程，這證明是一件好事。通過此，我們可以觸及很多無法參加線下展的客戶，擴大了展會的受眾。

Yuko Furuichi：我們正在為數(shù)字化轉(zhuǎn)型做準備，包括學習線上直播技巧和混合型展會推廣策略等。由于目前混合式活動已成重要趨勢，線上技術和相關策略將成為開發(fā)新項目過程中重要的技巧。這是一個試錯的過程，但正因為這些嘗試，高美愛博日本子公司在疫情期間閉鎖環(huán)境下仍能盈利。我認為，數(shù)字化轉(zhuǎn)型是未來展覽企業(yè)成功的關鍵。

Christopher McCuin：在蒙哥馬利亞洲公司，所有人都對未來興奮不已。我們看到，公司旗下展會所在的行業(yè)企業(yè)都在尋找新的銷售線索和貿(mào)易機會，我們可以在這些方面提供良好助力。同時，各展會主辦方將更加愿意攜手合作、聯(lián)合辦展，以及嘗試其他的新機會，在此過程中，我們也可以將展商和觀眾聯(lián)結(jié)得更加緊密。

當前，在全球各地，很多主辦方都在帶著驚嘆觀望著中國的展會主辦方如何在疫情下將參展和觀展都十分火熱的消費展組織得如此成功。我們希望，隨著疫情逐步得到有效防控，全球各地的展會都能逐步恢復到疫情之前的水平，通過領先的展會平臺將商業(yè)社群匯聚起來。

Nan Walsh：我認為展覽行業(yè)有著極強的恢復能力。我?guī)缀跽麄€職業(yè)生涯都在展覽行業(yè)，深深了解客戶對我們平臺價值的高度認可。疫情帶來了很多的阻隔，人們迫切地想要回到面對面活動中來，所以我認為我們的行業(yè)一定會復蘇，而且是很快復蘇。另一方面，疫情也使得我們更快地認識到數(shù)字化技術的用處。通過相關線上技術，我們可以舉辦混合展或單獨的數(shù)字化方案，為客戶群體全年都帶來更好的對接成效和獲得感。

How were the situation of your re-opened exhibition projects

Ted Wirth： We are working with venues to provide a safe environment for our exhibitors and attendees to do business. Steps include vaccination verification， testing， touchless registration， sanitizing stations and staff monitoring the show floor to remind people to wear their mask. We have found that our customers desperately want the event to take place and are very willing to take any extra steps necessary to make it happen.

Yuko Furuichi： In November 2020， we re-opened our digital marketing show “ad：tech tokyo” as a hybrid style. We have been subject to 3 main regulations from the government， so we only invited premium pass attendees to the venue. The regulations are： 1. audience number has to be under 5，000； 2. less than 50% capacity of the venue； 3. No food and drinks. Thanks to this exclusive style， we could focus on face to face networking best experience. At the same time， we succeeded in extending our reach of the audience， due to online streaming.

Christopher McCuin： On 24th & 25th March 2021， Singapore Geo Connect Asia 2021 （GCA 2021） took place at Sands Expo & Convention Centre. It was Singapores first large-scale pilot hybrid event in 2021， attracted close to 1，200 from 55 countries. In-person attendees were treated to two eventful days of keynote speeches， plenary sessions， roundtables discussions， and more， while about 700 industry professionals and media from across the globe enjoyed the virtual trade event experience. The event was officially opened by the government officials such as Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs& Minister in-charge of Smart Nation Initiative and more.

GCA 2021 adopted a multitude of innovations to ensure the safety and well-being of in-person attendees in light of the pandemic. Including the use of the dongle which tracked attendees location and duration of interaction with other attendees； Geo Suites where ballrooms were converted into “exhibition meeting pods” that assumed the role of a typical trade show floor as the main mode of interaction and helped to minimise intermingling between cohorts of attendees； Meeting Pods that allowed 2-to-2 business meetings to take place with the safety of a plexiglass divider as well as hand sanitisers and cleaning supplies. At GCA 2021， Antigen Rapid Tests （ART） were administered onsite for both days of the event. over the past few months， which has confirmed to us the continued value of， and desire for， face-to-face events. We have re-opened our show floor for industries spanning from recreational boating to fashion to aviation， and the most consistent piece of feedback we receive is that our events this year are creating high-value connections because our focus has been on quality attendance.

While we are thrilled to be driving people back to the show floor who are eager to connect and do business， we are also creating digital opportunities for those members of our communities who arent able or ready to return to in-person events， often in parallel with our live events. We are also ramping up our digital and data capabilities to create year-round marketplaces， and provide better quality matchmaking on and off the show floor.

How were the events scale such as number of exhibitors and visitors What was the feedback for the shows

Ted Wirth： Shows that had an international portion are now more regional， although many international exhibitors have secured a local representative to provide them a presence at the show. As always， the quality of the attendees trumps the quantity of attendees. In fact， the ability to spend more time with a highly qualified buyer has been well received by all.

Yuko Furuichi： In 2019， the physical event welcomed 71 exhibitors and 28 sponsors， and the seminar attendees was 1，804. In 2020， the hybrid event did not have exhibitors， but we welcomed 40 sponsors and 6，397 seminar attendees. Seminar attendees increased by 255%. Moreover， we received high satisfaction in terms of seminars， especially for on demand seminars.

Christopher McCuin： We received general positive feedback from our exhibitors. Such as “The event has shown our resilience in these tough times and represents our hope and optimism in the local and regional geospatial industry.” “Congratulations to Montgomery Asia for organising the first large-scale hybrid event of the year in Singapore and making it a huge success.” “Geo Connect Asia will return next year in March 2022 as an even bigger affair.”

Nan Walsh： Our focus is on quality over quantity this year—we continue to host well-attended events. The attendees who are returning to the show floor are eager to get back to business and to re-connect with the community， so even at our smaller shows， we are seeing equitable business to years prior. The testimonials we have received from customers this year are passionate about the value our platforms provide， and the importance of these platforms， particularly this year as so many industries are desperate to return to business.

What are the major challenges in organizing physical events after the pandemic

Ted Wirth： The biggest challenge in organizing physical events is reestablishing customer confidence. It is not just the event itself： customers must feel safe to fly on a plane， take a cab， stay at a hotel， and eat at restaurants. The good news is that living through a lockdown has created a pent-up demand to attend shows. If we can take the necessary steps to show that it is safe to do so， people will come back in multitude.

Yuko Furuichi： A diversity for participation style will be critical. All organizers need to prepare multiple ways for their attendees to join their events. There is no doubt that people prefer face to face networking since its more effective. However， it also contains a risk. Unless the show is conducted in an exclusive invitation style， we have to prepare an online way for the attendees to join the show， as well as in the real venue.

Christopher McCuin： As we slowly （and hopefully） come out of this global pandemic， I see a few challenges which if approached correctly could mean more focused trade events with more ROI for participants：

Government & Commercial – The need for us all to work closer together than ever before. We have already experienced this through our ever-growing relationship with the Singapore Tourist Board， Singapore Land Authority and others. These relationships will continue for everyone moving forward and we will work together to to ensure that business events do help to establish and build the industries to recover.

Customer confidence – All stakeholders will need to truly believe that they will be safe and secure throughout the experience before they even leave their house or office. They will need confidence that the event they are attending will be truly beneficial to themselves and the business they represent. Contactless – This will become the norm across all points of exhibitions from registration to business cards to products. We will all need to innovative for this “new normal”. Pre-arranged business meetings – More essential than ever. Health， Safety throughout – This will become the norm. Face masks， hand sanitisers， check in QR codes， social distancing and controlled hall capacities are likely to remain for some time. Content – With so much free content available online， all our shows need to be innovative and have that ‘secret ingredient and‘vibe that excite our visitors and exhibitor to attend， participate and truly engage.

Nan Walsh： In the U.S. weve made such significant vaccine progress in such a short period of time， but not everyone is comfortable returning to in-person experiences yet. We also operate a global business and many of our shows attract a global audience， which has been difficult as travel restrictions persevere. And， many corporate budgets remain tight during this recovery year， making it difficult for some of our loyal customers to travel to our physical events. Digital engagement opportunities will be an important piece of our strategy long-term， but they are especially important this year so that were able to bridge the gap from one side of the pandemic to the next.

How to prepare for the future of the events industry

Ted Wirth： There is a lot of talk of digital and virtual events having a large impact on physical events. We feel digital and virtual products can enhance a physical event， but they cannot replace it. Indeed， we have found many of our digital customers are new to us. The pandemic may have forced us into digital products faster than planned which has proven to be a good thing. It has connected us to many customers who were not able to attend in person， which has expanded the reach of our events.

Yuko Furuichi： We prepare for DX （ digital transformation ）， such as online streaming techniques and marketing PR strategy for hybrid shows. Since hybrid style becomes critical， digital skills and strategy is going to be a key fact for event nurturing. It has been trial and error activities but thanks to that， Comexposium Japan team kept making profit under lockdown situations. I believe DX is going to be a key.

Christopher McCuin： All of us at Montgomery Asia are excited for the future. The industries that we work within are all hunting for new sales， new leads and new connections and we can help with all of these. Meanwhile， organisers are likely to be more open to partnerships， co-locates and other options as we bring closely linked industries and audiences together.

At this stage， many are watching in awe of how events are fantastically well organised within China for the huge attendances for the trade and consumers events. We hope to see all shows to regain to these levels of participations once again as the global community continue to navigate our way out of this pandemic， bringing our business communities together through world leading events.

Nan Walsh： I see the events industry as incredibly resilient. Ive worked in this industry for nearly all of my career， and I know the value communities place on our platforms. Weve been in a crisis of isolation and people are eager to return to in-person experiences， so I think the industry will bounce back， and soon. On the flip side， the pandemic has also made us more aware of the digital solutions available to us， which I think actually enriches our in-person experience， allowing us to widen our reach with hybrid and standalone digital opportunities which extend our audience， and new year-round digital experiences that keep our community even more connected and fulfilled.