The Coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on the events industry, affecting possible attendance numbers at upcoming meetings as well as travel plans for keynote speakers and presenters. But our award-winning convention centre, the Palais des congrès de Montréal is planning ahead for a reopening that blends the virtual with in-person activities, setting the tone for the new normal of meetings with Hybrid Events.
A project where collaboration is key
Working with its partners Encore and GES, as well as startups from its CITÉ Events Lab, the Palais des congrès’ Hybrid Events present meetings both in-person and virtually, running live simultaneously in real time. By drawing on the experience of the Palais’ technical staff and the groundbreaking ideas of its associated startups, Hybrid Events are setting the path torwards a new normal in the convention industry.
All new options
While the events industry has been on pause during these recent months of lockdown, it’s time for an innovative and safe restart. Following the guidelines set out by Encore’s MeetSAFE, the Palais has made changes in room layout and traffic flow, event design, additional technologies and cleaning practices, all in preparation for a return to operations.
Allowing international contact between on-site attendees and those far away, Hybrid Events will safely re-introduce the all-important necessity of in-person interactions at the same time as opening up attendance to a wider audience. Presenters unable to attend in person can speak from a distance, all utilizing the latest in virtual technologies. As health protocols and industry standards are developed going forward, the Palais des congrès will remain on the forefront of the new face of meetings.
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