Glasgow Pioneers Virtual Meeting Show
Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB) broke new technological ground today (Thursday, January 31) by becoming the only convention bureau in the UK to take part in the world’s first virtual trade show for the meetings industry.
Working in a similar way to the hugely successful cyber community Second Life, Virtual Meeting World went live today (Thursday, January 31). www.virtualmeetingworld.com
The ground breaking project allows professionals who plan meetings to visit interactive cyber booths set up by convention bureaux, hotels and other travel industry businesses.
Meetings planners can find out a wealth of practical information about Glasgow such as on hotels, conference facilities, social activities, maps and online booking forms, and they can enter into email dialogue with GCMB staff to get instant information.
Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas, Mexico, Monaco and Vienna are among the other destinations with booths at the launch of Virtual Meeting World, alongside businesses such as the airline JetBlue and Starwood hotels.
VisitBritain is the only other UK visitor organisation represented in Virtual Meeting World.
Virtual Meeting World is being organised by Nielson Business Media, publishers of the influential US-based meetings magazines Successful Meetings and Meetings News. The company is planning to keep the virtual trade show running in perpetuity and is planning to open a pavilion for British businesses by the end of February.
Molly Doheny, head of the Convention Bureau at Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said: “Conference organisers have an insatiable need for information that is both on-demand and up to the minute.
“This virtual trade stand enables us to provide instantaneous information in the familiar surroundings of a trade show. Being the first city in Britain to adopt this strategy gives us a leading edge in the competitive world of conference sales.
“Glasgow operates in a global marketplace, so it is natural for the city to adopt imaginative global solutions using the very latest technology.”
Diane Dimaggio of Nielson Business Media, said: “We are really excited about this. Normally people will come and put up an expensive booth for two or three days and then take it elsewhere.
“We are committed to keeping this up forever. We feel this will be a major benefit to busy meeting planners who don’t have the time to go to a live trade show. They can come to Virtual Meeting World at their convenience any time of the day or night and obtain information on different destinations and facilities.
“As the only UK convention bureau on board so far, Glasgow is absolutely a pioneer. Glasgow is way ahead of its time. I have seen a lot of your marketing and you really are cutting edge.”
When it comes to conferences, Glasgow has always been a technological trail-blazer.
In June, GCMB scored another high-tech world first when it broadcast proceedings from a conference live on its website that was watched in countries in every continent around the world
In 2000, the Convention Bureau at the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Valley Tourism Board – the forerunner to GCMB – became the first in the world to bid online for a conference. The bid for the International Crustacean Congress was successful, and in 2001 www.seeglasgow.com was named best website by the European Federation of Conference Towns.
Ends January 2008
Issued by and for further information:
Moira Dyer, Senior Manager Public Relations
Glasgow City Marketing Bureau
Email: moira.dyer@seeglasgow.com
Tel: 0141 566 0831