Two major convention centres in Kuala Lumpur have taken steps to innovate and promote online events as the business events industry takes a beating due to Malaysia’s lockdown.
Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre (MITEC) has launched a Events Beyond Boundaries package that promotes virtual meetings, conferences and product launches through live streaming.
CEO, Gunther Beissel, said the new revenue stream is “safe and secure”, and allows viewers to participate virtually while adhering to the law.
Meanwhile, earlier this month, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre hosted the Ottawa Conference on the Assessment of Competence in Medicine and the Healthcare Professions (Ottawa Conference) 2020. By this time, international participants could not travel to Malaysia due to border shutdowns, travel restrictions, and suspension of flights, but they could still participate in the conference virtually.
The organiser made last-minute changes to the event format, utilising the venue’s information technology and audiovisual infrastructure, to allow participants and speakers to engage in the conference remotely.
Angeline van den Broecke, director of global business development and marketing with Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, shared: “Investment in technology and commitment to remain agile has been particularly advantageous in current times, amid the Covid-19 outbreak where we see a growing demand for virtual audience participation and remote access to content, event programmes and digital communication tools.”
