Conference & Events organising company Scatterlings Conference & Events has introduced the OnAir solution, which has been accelerated as a result of the effects off the Covid-19 pandemic, as a virtual conference solution to the local industry.

This solution includes holding virtual conferences as a medium to reach small and large audiences, particularly as the spread of the coronavirus has disrupted travel, as well as face-to-face events and meetings globally.

The company’s OnAir solution is designed to create and organise virtual conferences events of any size and complexity. It allows attendees to simply access livestreams and presentations, and to make connections with other attendees and sponsors.

“As all face-to-face meetings are currently prohibited, this has increased the demand for full virtual conferences exponentially,” states Scatterlings MD Rowan Moss.

He highlights that as the country’s leading professional conference organiser, a deep understanding of organising a full technical, scientific or medical conference is vital.

This then eventually migrated to the hybrid and virtual conference space.

The company has offered hybrid conferences for the last four years, as face-to-face meetings have been the main driver of the industry, and remote attendance online has mainly been limited to presenters who could not attend events in person.

However, Moss highlights that the company’s OnAir virtual conference solution was created in the last two months, to integrate the software aspects of the company’s event management software, with existing technical and audio-visual solutions.

“While hybrid conferences were gaining momentum over the last two years, as travel and time restrictions prevented delegates and presenters to attend in person, hybrid conferences can no longer take place owing to Covid-19.”

He adds that most scientific, technical and medical conferences will benefit significantly from hybrid and virtual conferences, as events and concerts will not have much appeal in the virtual space.

Moss does however explain that a challenge remains in achieving client buy-in, and helping clients understand the virtual option.

Therefore, the company has developed strategies to guide and explain to clients how to migrate to hybrid and virtual conferences. These strategies include risk management, and the ability to monetise both types of conferences.

Particularly as a newer concept, virtual networking functions and virtual exhibitions require a detailed explanation to clients.

Varying international time zones also presents challenges when scheduling conference presentation time slots.

“Hybrid and virtual conferences will restart the conference space, which is an integral part of information dissemination. The sharing of new technologies, scientific research and studies will benefit all related industries,” he concludes.