Its “Convening Leaders” annual meeting will once again feature a complimentary hybrid live stream of meeting content, the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) announced last week, adding that the 2014 registration pace indicates record attendance — both virtual and live — at this year’s convention, taking place Jan. 13-15 in Boston.
“We’ve debunked the myth that virtual cannibalizes face-to-face attendance and have recognized record-breaking attendance for both events for the past three years,” PCMA President and CEO Deborah Sexton said in a statement. “It is exciting to see the metrics. We believe this is an important opportunity for PCMA to showcase the content and education of our premier event for those that cannot attend because of work conflicts or budget constraints. We are only seeing a positive impact on our numbers.”
General Session speakers at this year’s Convening Leaders will include Lisa Bodell, Mike Walsh, Tina Brown and Salman Khan.
Planned sessions, meanwhile, include:
• Crisis Management: The Boston Marathon Case Study;
• Exhibitor Retention Strategies for the New Economic Landscape; and
• Understanding Our Business Models: A Conversation Between Hoteliers and Meeting Planners.
“A key element of PCMA’s hybrid success has been our focus on designing the event specifically for our remote participants — it’s not just a passive experience. Attendees can connect with the speakers, moderator and other peers throughout the event,” said Mary Reynolds Kane, director of experience marketing for PCMA.
Virtual attendees can earn up to 12 clock hours or 1.2 continuing education units (CEUs) over the course of 21 hours of live broadcasting. If they are unable to attend during the complimentary live streamed hybrid event, they can attend the “Best of Convening Leaders” simulive event on Feb. 12 or purchase sessions for on-demand viewing.
For more information, visit conveningleaders.pcma.org.
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