Conferencing in South Africa is back in full swing, and both clients and the industry have welcomed government’s recent relaxation of restrictions, allowing conferences and events to resume at 100% capacity.

This is the sentiment shared by Dream Team Catalyst CMO Gerry Skerritt, who believes that the COVID-induced hiatus for in-person conferences had many negative consequences for corporate companies, in terms of workplace happiness, productivity and innovation.

“While there were, and still are, many positive benefits of working from home – and the practice of holding virtual conferences and meetings certainly added value – it’s extremely hard to beat the real thing,” he says.

Hybrid conferences ‘widen the net’

However, hybrid and virtual events, like remote working, look as if they are here to stay in some capacity. Done properly, they can add enormous value, and still have a place in a post-COVID world as they have proved to be a great way to ‘widen the net’ and involve foreign colleagues and regional branches.

They need to be well thought out though. Asking people to dial in and observe the live event is not an effective strategy for engagement and getting a return on investment, Skerritt says.

“You need to invest as much time and resources – perhaps more – in engaging the online community as you do in the people at the live event. Delivering collateral to people’s homes – food, goodie bags, branded or themed clothing and activity materials – as well as using technology, can make a real difference,” he advises.

“Spoiler alert – rehashing old ‘tried and trusted’ activities that worked in a live setting without fully remodelling the integration between the two groups, as well as ensuring an equal user experience, just doesn’t cut it,” Skerritt adds.

Content is critical

Conferencing remains a big part of any company’s business but one has to be clear as to the exact content and nature of the conference, especially if delegates are taking time out of the office and travelling to attend in-person. This is further advice from Robyn Christie, industry consultant, board member of the Global Business Travel Association in South Africa, and Director of Development Promotions.

“The energy is definitely there to attend in-person conferences, with people really longing for that connection, but companies are taking it a little slower than previously. The content is critical,” Christie observes. “People are having to justify not only the cost, but the effort. We have become quite selective about how we spend our time and effort and I know it is difficult to get a full house if it is just for routine reasons.”  

For example, a conference launching new products that customers need to see and test is the type of conference that requires live attendance from participants, and so it is likely it will encourage people to attend physically rather than virtually to get the most out of the experience.

“I know the pharmaceutical companies are doing well with having hybrid events as it gives them an opportunity to beam in key opinion leaders and specialists in the field of drugs they may be launching or discussing,” Christie gives as an example.

“My experience is that the days of having quarterly gatherings more on the social side are great on paper but between working from home and fetching kids between working nowadays, they fall down the ladder of priority and into the graveyard of ‘no-shows’.”

Conferencing in SA: the numbers

Glenton de Kock, CEO of the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry, told Travel News that 55 bids for international meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions had been submitted for the period 2022 to 2025, during the 2020/21 financial year. So far, South Africa has won 16 of the bids submitted for the 2020/21 financial year – a 29% conversion rate.

“The business events already secured will contribute R296m to South Africa’s economy between 2022 and 2025 and attract 9 825 international and regional delegates.

“The 55 bid submissions have a combined estimated economic impact of R899m and may potentially attract 30 521 international and regional delegates to South Africa between 2022 and 2025,” said De Kock. 

What’s your conferencing news?

Travel News is producing a feature on the Conference industry soon. We would like our readers’ thoughts on the conference industry in 2022. We’d also like to know the new ideas, venues, technologies and offerings in the world of conferencing, and we are asking readers to send us their product news on the topic by filling out this form.