Although lockdown has eased and the meetings and events industry is gradually reopening, the world of business events will look very different for the time being at least, and venues are having to rethink and redefine their options for delegates.
With live virtual and hybrid becoming the ‘new normal’ and delegates preferring to stay at home resulting in reduced physical attendance and an increase in remote audiences, The Belfry Hotel & Resort has launched a number of new hybrid event options for meetings and events.
Katie Niland, Sales Director at The Belfry Hotel & Resort said:
“Virtual meetings have played an important role during the pandemic to enable everyone to stay connected and this will continue even as physical meetings and events start up again. We are delighted to welcome the return of guests to our Resort holding small meetings and be able to offer a variety of new virtual options for event planners. Our new packages allow delegates to meet in person whilst also communicating virtually with those who cannot attend due to the restrictions on numbers, travel, through self-isolation, local lockdowns and those with international offices that need to connect to, through video, voice, virtual content sharing.
“Our clients have shown huge interest in our new virtual packages. Over the last six weeks we have seen a consistent level of new enquiries, and now with the announcement that events can take place from 1st October we are seeing enquiries up to around 50 per cent of what we received pre-covid – which is up 40 per cent from the beginning of lockdown! We are feeling very positive for the future of the industry with plenty of new alternative options in place for events to take place safety. We have already re-booked 70 per cent of our cancellations into Q4 of 2020 and throughout 2021.
“For those who are able to visit us in person, we have a number of new safety measures in place while still offering the same award-winning welcome and memorable experiences that guests have come to love and know. The Belfry’s ‘Our Pledge To You’ initiative showcases the resort’s commitment to meeting the highest standards cleanliness procedures and protocols across all areas of the resort to ensure a safe, successful and secure visit for your delegates.”
The Belfry’s live virtual and hybrid event options include all AV set and equipment along with a technical know-how crew to ensure a high-quality event. Hybrid event options include:
Meet - There are occasions when you need to ensure that your virtual communication is bit more refined, that bit slicker, and requires finesse. The Belfry can provide a meeting operator and the extra tech kit needed to ensure an efficient virtual meeting.
Townhall - An internal comms solution with a live feed and broadcast which allows for questions and polling via the platform. Townhall is a user friendly, reliable, and cost-effective option.
Studio – Studio allows you to step into a virtual green screen studio facility where you can broadcast live or record and edit the content.
Linked - For the larger physical gathering within The Belfry, multiple rooms are linked and connected by two-way live camera and audio feed allowing delegates to spread out across the resort for their meeting or event.