Within the framework of the X Eurasian Event Forum (EFEA 2021), the meeting «Hybrid formats for holding exhibition and congress events: present and future» was held.
The meeting was held in the framework of the X Eurasian Event Forum (EFEA 2021) of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation Committee for exhibition, fair and congress activities and in videoconference format.
Daria Salamatova, director of the WTC Moscow Congress Center, , addressed the event. During her presentation, she shared with the participants the practical experience of the WTC Moscow in organizing and holding online and hybrid congress and exhibition events, named the challenges that were faced in connection with the coronavirus restrictions and the ways how they were solved, what helped to adapt quickly to the new realities.
Daria Salamatova: «The discussion was very vivid and informative. All participants of the meeting unanimously state that online formats will not be able to replace live communication, but only can complement and expand the traditional offline events, conferences and exhibitions.»
The moderator was Sergey Bednov, Chairman of the Committee, Director General of the Expocentre JSC. While opening the meeting, he emphasized:
«The coronavirus pandemic has only accelerated the emergence of new formats for organizing and holding exhibition and congress events. But it is too early to talk about complete replacement of offline events with virtual ones. Each of the exhibition formats has its own fundamental strengths and weaknesses. Today, exhibition organizers need to monitor the implementation of new digital technologies in order to see in advance changes on the markets served by specific sectoral exhibitions. < ... > Russia has become actively involved in the process of digitization – today, 64% of the organizers of exhibitions and fairs in the country use hybrid and online formats. More than 50% of industry professionals in Russia have a positive attitude towards innovations. »
In the end Sergey Bednov came up with the initiative to prepare a proposal to include the role and value of hybrid events and exhibitions as a new format for organizing and holding exhibition events in the draft of the Federal law on exhibition, fair and congress activities. He also paid attention to the need to add to development programs for exhibitors and exhibition business professionals the topics dedicated to use hybrid formats for organizing events.
The meeting was also attended by the Vice-Chairman of the Committee, the Director of the Department of exhibition, fair and congress activities of the CCI of the Russian Federation Sergey Selivanov; President of the Russian Union of exhibitions and fairs (RUEF) Sergey Voronkov and RUEF expert Igor Filonenko; General Director of LLC "Exhibition and Research Center R&C", Daria Ostrovskaya; the Deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Valery Scrug; President of the Russian Union of Textile and Light Industry Entrepreneurs, Andrew Razbrodin; Information Technology Director of LLC "Expoforum-international", Denis Papichev; Commercial Director of JSC "VDNKH" Timur Zeldich and Vice-President of the Association of Exporters and Importers Pavel Dolgov; heads of JSC "Kuzbass Fair" and OJSC "Sibexpocenter" Vladimir Tabachnikov and Andrey Shapovalov; President of the Union "Omsk CCI" Olga Fedulova, President of the Union "Central Siberian CCI" Raphael Shageev and Vice-President of the CCI of the Komi Republic Irina Denisova.
In total, more than 130 individual and joint connections of representatives of the exhibition community, 25 regional and 6 municipal Chambers of Commerce and Industry, branch unions and associations, representatives of scientific and business communities from different regions of Russia were registered during the discussion.
The Eurasian Event Forum (EFEA) is the first forum for the event industry in Russia, which has been held since 2012. Every year, at the beginning of the business year, the Forum traditionally unites the leaders of the Eurasian event community, event marketing, business and incentive tourism experts.
In 2021, EFEA celebrated its tenth anniversary. The forum was attended by 418 industry professionals from 23 regions of Russia, 120 meetings were held at the Business Contacts Exchange, and 368 dialogues were registered in the official mobile app of the forum. In just ten years, more than 4,500 event industry professionals from 100 countries and regions of Russia took part in EFEA, more than 800 speakers attended the events, and more than 2,600 meetings were held at the Business Contacts Exchange.
We remind you that now there is a special rate for holding events in the Business cluster "Rivers" of the WTC Congress Center. Price range is from 20 000 rubles per day. The «Rivers» Business cluster, which can accommodate from 30 to 300 people, is simply designed for small-format conferences, workshops, trainings, presentations and master-classes, and is perfect for hosting online-studios and video broadcasts.