Hugs replaced fist bumps as the days of yesterday resurfaced during Connect and BizBash’s joint event at Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa in Las Vegas.
Designed to bring event planners together with event staff to fuel future business, the B2B conference drew approximately 750 attendees in person from May 22-24, with an additional 1,500 event professionals attending online.
Connect and BizBash were in the unusual position to host a second event during the pandemic after hosting a scaled down and delayed version of their largest annual conference in Orlando last fall. The difference between the 2020 event and the May gathering is palpable, said Connect Vice President Patrick Higgins.
“It was back to normal,” he reported.
Security precautions, including the implementation of Fern HealthCheck powered by ShareMy.Health as a digital passport, were available.
“Safety, speed and efficiency are of the essence as Vegas and other event cities begin re-admitting attendees to these big gatherings,” said Galen Murdock, Founder and CEO of ShareMy.Health. “Here at Connect BizBash alone, we had more than 700 participants, 500 of whom were administered, verified and shared with the organizer. In addition, more than 150 COVID-19 antigen tests were carried out error-free through a telemedicine video consultation – all from the privacy of the participant’s hotel room. “
Higgins said it was clear that attendees’ focus was on business, not COVID-19. “Security was there, but it wasn’t in the foreground,” he said.
Held a week before the pandemic restrictions were lifted in Nevada, the show served as a reunion not only for industry peers but also for employees in companies spread across the country. Mike Ferreira, owner and founder of Meetings Made Easy, celebrated the moment on social media with team members Sarah Buchbinder and Yvette Dumas Campbell.
“We know this is a picture of three industry professionals, but it’s so much more than that! ”He wrote in a Facebook post during the event. “This is a picture of three people who waited over a year to see each other. The pandemic was the hardest time of our lives and for many others too. Last nights [sic] The reception was magical, we were able to network and be with our industry friends. “
Many of the usual Connect trademarks were present, including general meetings, one-on-one appointments, and networking capabilities. Participants who were able to provide proof of vaccination were allowed to walk without a mask. The confidence that went into meeting rooms with wristbands marking vaccine status was palpable.
Higgins firmly believes that the event industry’s recovery, which is already well underway, will only pick up as more business travelers return to airlines.
“As soon as you make that first trip and see that it is safe, you will come back,” he said.
Connect and BizBash count on it for theirs next collaboration, August 30th-Sept. 1, at the Tampa Convention Center. Early estimates suggest there will be at least 3,000 professionals from corporations, associations, sports, and SMERF events in Florida. The fair, which is larger than its 2019 counterpart in Louisville, is already three-quarters sold out, added Higgins.
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