"LOCATIONS Fair" Hybrid Event, Ludwigsburg

Since 2008, the LOCATIONS fairs have been the right place to go for anyone seeking an appropriate setting for congresses and events anywhere in Germany. At the event sector’s largest regional fairs, venues from the respective metropolitan region present themselves and endeavour to convince potential clients with their ambience, history and outstanding location. The LOCATIONS events are trade fairs, summits and sector events all at the same time. Each fair is a marketplace and meeting place for event organisers and professionals at which exhibitors, vendors, partners and service providers from the MICE sector present their highlights.

In 2020, following the outbreak of the corona pandemic, the fair concept could not be implemented in its familiar form, and the organisers had to come up with a completely new format. Right from the start of planning, we were able to contribute our know-how with the result that the event industry’s first trade fair since the beginning of the crisis was able to get underway in a hybrid format at the "Forum am Schlosspark" in Ludwigsburg at the beginning of October, thereby marking a successful restart for the entire sector. On the day of the fair, 86 exhibitors were able to present their companies in two “worlds” at the same time: while around 300 visitors were present at the venue, a further 1,200 – four times as many – interested parties explored the "digital twins", the digital adaptations of the venues, on the Internet from their homes and offices. Another 800 participants watched the programme online as a livestream.

A unique link between live event and virtual trade fair environment was established by means of a new digital trade fair platform: in addition to the presence of the location operators in Ludwigsburg itself, a second marketplace was created in the form of a digital counterpart with the lifelike 3D reproduction of the “Forum am Schlosspark”, including booths, information and a comprehensive programme of activities. The presentations on the main stage were a source of significant added value, and we were responsible for integrating them as a high-quality livestream production via the “BigBlueButton” platform. Using our “come2join” services, we created a website tailored to the format. This also enabled interactive audience engagement by means of our “come2interact” modules. Online visitors were able to take part in discussions and question and answer sessions. They also had the opportunity of entering into a dialogue with the exhibitors using avatars and video conferencing.

A further important aspect contributing to the success of the in-person fair was the planning and implementation of a detailed hygiene and safety concept. This was devised by our trained and certified officers on the basis of the applicable protection ordinances and requirements in close consultation with the operator of the Forum venue and the local health and public order authorities. The protection of all participants was ensured by wide aisles, a one-way system and a sensor-controlled visitor guidance system – in combination with strict compliance with social distancing rules and the mandatory use of face masks.

In Ludwigsburg the new LOCATIONS concept showed in a very impressive manner that hybrid events can provide very concrete added value, whereby the audience can be involved wherever they may be thanks to the various digital options for interaction, and the potential target group can even be extended. This was also the subject of the keynote speeches given by Dr. Pero Mićić, Susanne Nickel or Ulrike Ellmann from VOK DAMS, who presented insights, developments and trends relating to how society will communicate in the future. Other expert speakers gave live and online tips on current challenges facing the sector as a result of the corona pandemic – focusing on live events, hygiene concepts, digitalisation, data privacy and contract law.