A TOTAL of six overseas speakers flew from the US and Europe into Singapore under specially-facilitated Safe Travel Passes to take part in WiT Experience. Three of them share their comments on the hybrid experience, and their views on virtual vs hybrid vs physical.
Frederic Barou, senior vice president, Online Travel Companies, Asia Pacific, Amadeus
“It was definitely a much better experience than fully virtual. It was like waking up after a bad dream and realising that the world as we knew it still exists. As a speaker, being on stage and feeling the room, the audience’s attention can’t be replicated through virtual. It gives incomparable energy and commitment. Behind a screen, no matter the quality of our video camera, the experience remains bland and lacks flavour. There is no feedback from the crowd, no room atmosphere.
“I realised as well that we are all, after months of forced education, a lot more open-minded when it comes to blended experience. It is well accepted and what was the exception before, ie someone joining a conference on a screen through video, is now normal.
“The set-up you had with the screen coming down and that remote people sitting in the middle of the other panellists, in large close-up, was truly amazing. It created a very effective combination.
“On the less positive side, the seating by zone imposed by the current restrictions in Singapore was disappointing. It defeats the purpose of mingling and networking, a big reason for people to attend conferences. This would need to be resolved for the next level experience.
“I believe we will try and replicate some of the element of the set-up in our own events, especially mixing physical and virtual people in the same conversation, panel or discussion. It makes it a lot more tangible vs only virtual people on stage and then only physical.”
Charuta Fadnis, vice president, product & research, Phocuswright
“I absolutely would not have gotten as much out of it if I had appeared virtually. As a presenter/interviewer appearing virtually would have been fine. But a conference is so much more than just participating in a session or two and then signing out. Though virtual event platforms have networking capabilities I wouldn’t normally have tried to reach out to some of the people I met serendipitously. Plus, in my experience, virtual networking doesn’t lend itself to fluid conversations in a group.
“At WiT I had some very good conversations with people from different backgrounds and industries, and learnt a lot in the process. Conversational flow is much easier when you’re sitting at a table pretending to eat and drink. And the ability to socialise outside of the conference makes it easier to develop a relationship and build on it.
“For virtual events technology matters, but execution matters even more. The tech played a big role in engagement. As an attendee I was more engaged seeing the virtual participant’s face on stage next to the moderator than I would have been with the usual way of beaming them on to the “big screen.” As a moderator I prefer the in-person/on stage experience because it is easier to read expressions and react to body language on stage. Also, we can avoid talking over each other too much when facing each other than virtually (the lag was a slight downside to the virtual component).
“Execution matters because everything has to be timed to perfection and work flawlessly – that requires a great production team behind the scenes. While this is also true for in-person events, there is an added level of complexity for a hybrid event. The WiT/MBS team pulled it off amazingly well.
“Overall though I don’t think my opinion has changed on hybrid vs in-person. In some ways this reinforced my belief that there is no substitute for in-person events. But if the question is can hybrid events – with interesting content, engaged audiences and global participation – be held successfully, then the answer is a resounding yes.”
Johnny Thorsen, vice president, strategy and partnerships, Spotnana
“WiT Experience stands out as the best hybrid event I have attended so far – the bar has been raised to a whole new level
“The stage format was incredible efficient. I am convinced the format was the perfect hybrid model as the remote presenters appeared like they were on stage with the drop down monitors – it was incredibly effective to watch, and I would happily join as a remote speaker at any future event at Marina Bay Sands with this technology.
“There is no doubt I got more out of being in Singapore in person as I managed to get a number of additional conversations with relevant people, which would not have taken place if I only had attended virtually.
“Hybrid events are here to stay, and I look forward to attending future events remotely I otherwise would have ignored, so I view the hybrid option as a positive addition rather than a negative threat to travel. There are always events going on which are impossible to attend, but with a proper hybrid platform it will now be possible to join in from home.
“I am still confident that travel will re-merge stronger and better, but also greener and smarter and travel is after all about meeting people. So whether this happens in person o virtually doesn’t really matter to me but I am more likely to interact virtually with the people I already know that conn acting with new ones, so in terms of getting new connections and unexpected valuable contacts and conversations, I still think in-person will beat virtual presence.”
