Québec City Convention Centre

fr
Share

5 things we miss about in-person meetings and conventions

January 25, 2021

While virtual videoconferencing meetings have been the norm for months, everyone agrees that they will never replace in-person meetings and conventions. Hybrid events are highly likely to continue and find a place in the convention and meeting industry, but the fact remains that we can’t wait to return to professional face-to-face meetings. Human beings need to interact with each other, and not just from behind a screen with the “mute” button activated!

Do you miss walking the floor in a friendly place with high level health measures like the Québec City Convention Centre, spending time in one of our well-appointed meeting rooms, and being part of an exciting networking day in person at a convention, trade show or other kind of event? Surely you’ll agree, 100% virtual events can never meet this need.

There are plenty of choices, but here are 5 things we miss from in-person meetings, conferences, and conventions:

1- Meeting people and networking

We can’t wait for the moment when we can meet other people and network! Speaking face-to-face, exchanging, getting to know each other, sharing information, communicating, etc. This is the raison d’être of meetings that is difficult to duplicate with web conferencing. At the Québec City Convention Centre, our exclusive spaces, foyers and reception halls have been designed to encourage conversations. Look for our beautiful alcove-style chairs at your future event with us; they’re just waiting for you!

2- Enjoying good food

If you’re a foodie, you’ll certainly enjoy sitting at a round table with several other guests anticipating the banquet’s great food and wines. Of course, you can also cook great meals at home. You can even treat yourself to something off the menu from the best restaurants in town, but you’d have to enjoy it alone, behind your screen. It’s a bit sad, compared to the culinary experience you’d have during a banquet at the Québec City Convention Centre. And what about the buffet-style stations, where consecutive gastronomic discoveries please your eyes and taste buds?

 

3- Reliving live performances

You may have watched artists or other live performances on your computer. Did you enjoy them? We’ve had to adapt, of course. We’ve made the best of things given the situation. But did it give you that same thrill as a live show? We miss the excitement of live shows, sound and light effects orchestrated by an audiovisual services professional, artists who sing, dance and perform feats on a grandiose stage, in front of us, in real life. And what about the contagious energy and enthusiasm of the hundreds of spectators all in one room? Yes, we miss that too!

4- Choosing a strategic place in the room

When you sit down in front of your computer for your virtual meeting, you’re always in the same place, either at the kitchen table or behind a work desk. Think about it: what place did you prefer sitting before, in a meeting room? Were you the type of person who sat at the front of the room so as not to miss anything from the conference, or perhaps on the end of a row, or on a chair or at a table near the exit? We miss being able to walk into a room to choose the perfect seat. What about you?

5- Wearing stylish clothes

What do you wear behind your screen during your Zoom or Teams meetings? A sweater, a blouse, a t-shirt, or a jacket? And what about on your lower body, which can’t be seen? Just admit it, you’ve been neglecting your attire a bit over the past few months. We bet you can’t wait to dig out those pants, suits, jeans, skirts, dresses and shoes in your closet and plan your outfits for your next in-person convention!

Categories

You may also like