The hybrid format was a first, both for the Union of International Associations and the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau (TCVB).
Due to the pandemic, overseas speakers and delegates were asked to attend online, but the local association executives and industry partners participated in person. On October 21 and 22, more than 70 overseas and local participants joined via a dedicated virtual conferencing platform, OnAIR, and over 40 participants gathered in person at the Congrès Square Nihonbashi.
Over the course of two days, international association executives and industry stakeholders learned practical skills and ways to tackle challenges in branding, funding, communication, and governance in this challenging era. A unique demonstration of utilizing new and exciting telepresence avatar robots was presented during the panel discussions, showcasing one solution in managing hybrid international conferences.
The overseas speakers, who joined as avatar robots from Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, and Switzerland, were thrilled to experience the entirely new way of communication with onsite participants, made possible thanks to iPresence.