There were two sessions held to cover all time zones. In total, 300 clients from 30 countries joined online, which was a great success.
A hybrid event is something one in the industry hears a lot these days. But not everyone is clear on what it really means in practice, neither on the side of clients and meeting planners, nor on the side of venues.
This was the reason why Hilton hotels in Prague together with their technology partner company AV Media Events organized a hybrid event showcase for their clients to present them all the benefits of this fast-growing meeting and event format.
There were two sessions held to cover all time zones. In total, 300 clients from 30 countries joined online, which was a great success.
The main stage with live speakers was set up in the Congress Hall of Hilton Prague. Vivaldi meeting room at Hilton Prague Old Town was used as a breakout room. To demonstrate the option to connect participants from various locations and countries, the third location was at the virtual studio at Hilton Warsaw, technically supported by Brill AV Media, part of the OneAVTeam, the biggest AV&IT rental group in Central Europe.
In order to cover a wide range of topics related to the future of meetings and events, the speakers were not only representatives of the management and sales team of Hilton Hotels in Prague, but also guests from AV Media Events, along with regional directors from Hilton.
Michael Specking, general manager of Hilton Prague said: ”We need to show the world that we are able to quickly adapt to constant changes we are currently facing and I believe by running this event, we have taken a step forward and showed our clients that Hilton hotels in Prague are ready to welcome their next event, be it hybrid or live.”
Christian Schwenke, general manager of Hilton Prague Old Town said: "It is great to see that even during these difficult times we can still connect, share and interact. Since we tried it ourselves, now we are 100% confident we can launch this format to our clients.”
During the event, Hilton hotels in Prague presented some of the hybrid event features, such as connection of remote speakers via Webex followed by streaming through Meeting15 platform. All speakers and audience used wireless portable microphones, each of them having his or her own, which prevents physical hand over of microphones during Q&A sessions. There was still a UV-C box available on the spot in case a disinfection of microphones would be needed.
The Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive.
Angela Pitrone, CMP, Global Programs, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Services, Inc. commented: “Congratulations, what a great hybrid event! You all did a great job of showcasing the hotels but also the ability to execute a hybrid event flawlessly, which I’m not sure many of us planners have seen yet.”
Both Hilton hotels in Prague have strict hygienic protocols including Hilton EventReady and Hilton CleanStay programs in place. Developed by Hilton and implemented globally, these programs are designed to create event experiences that are clean, flexible, safe and socially responsible. Hilton EventReady with CleanStay provides curated solutions with creative food and beverage, thoughtful technology resources, elevated standards and practices with redesigned spaces for physical distancing, and reimagined ways to meet and gather. The goal is to create a safe and comfortable environment for event planners and their attendees.
Hilton Prague and Hilton Prague Old Town are also part of Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest-loyalty program for Hilton's 18 distinct hotel brands. Members who book directly have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount, free standard Wi-Fi and the Hilton Honors mobile app.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
