By Nurin Yusrina
KUCHING: The Covid-19 pandemic has caused many events reception and gatherings to be either postponed or cancelled entirely owing to the imposition of the movement control order (MCO).
Organisers have to adapt to meet current needs such as holding events virtually through online platforms.
Norhaslina Mahdi, an Event & Protocol manager, believes that not all events can be completed with high efficiency on a virtual platform.
“Events involving older generations, such as community service responsibility (CSR) events, are not always good to be held virtually since they require a personal touch to be meaningful,” she said.
She explained that factors such as internet coverage and the devices used to access the virtual event should be measured as well as some devices might not be compatible to the system and might cause further problems for the participant.
She suggested that event organisers consider which events should be done virtually or physically after the pandemic, adding that all event platforms have their own pros and cons.
“Virtual events are more cost-effective and can protect everyone from contracting the virus due to its online implementation,” she said.
“Meanwhile, the physical event is more effective and personal as we can respond to the communication and reaction of the attendees during the event,” she added.
Christian Chiou, an assistant event manager at a local company supported the continuity of virtual events even after the pandemic has passed.
He said in this era of inclusivity, virtual events present a platform for people to be more included in a safe and cost-effective manner.
“Virtual events should remain as it allows more people to attend the event at the comfort of their own home as well as being part of the activities.
“Larger attendance and fewer logistics are the main benefits of running a virtual event,” he said.
He said due to the lower cost of doing a virtual event, more rehearsals could be done thus allowing more opportunity for the team to coordinate a seamless event.
He believes physical events, on the other hand, promote better engagement since individuals are more connected to one another in real-time.
“Face-to-face interaction allows for more immersive experience for the participants and provide bigger impact to the public,” he added.
They believe that in the future, both virtual and physical events can be done accordingly as we now have more options and better technology to aid organisers.
