Concept Summary

On May 6, 2021, the industry event m:connect took place with the slogan "communication made simple". It was held as an online event with live content as the digital twin of the Congress Center Rosengarten. The aim of the event was to highlight digital and hybrid possibilities in the organisation of such events and to exchange views with experts on current post-Covid issues and the digital future of the events and conference industry. In addition, m:con positioned itself as an experienced PCO for virtual and hybrid event formats, having mastered the various challenges facing the MICE industry (hygiene plans, digitalisation, etc.) with case studies from a number of 2020 projects, and showcasing its expertise at m:connect. For m:connect, m:con used the software allseated ExVo as a digital platform, providing a faithful virtual representation of the Rosengarten. The 6 online stages (1x main stage, 2x side stages for expert talks, 3x workshops) were streamed in part in parallel from 3 studios in the real Congress Center Rosengarten. The permanently installed studio in the Gustav Mahler Hall was used for this purpose, as well as two mobile studios in the Stamitz Hall and in the Ella&Louis. With this setup and renowned speakers from the industry, m:con was able to facilitate an intensive exchange of views and information, which provided a comprehensive insight into current challenges and solutions, as well as future trends within the MICE industry. From the point of view of organisers, but also with a focus on what customers and stakeholders can expect from events in the future and how they can help shape them.