A hybrid version of the Virgin Money London Marathon will remain in place following the success of this year’s event, according to Event Director Hugh Brasher.
Speaking alongside ICCA President and Executive Director, Conferences & Events at ExCel London, James Rees during Cvent CONNECT® Europe Virtual, Brasher confirmed that the campaign to get runners from around the world to participate in this year’s virtual race had resulted in 39,000 competitors from 109 countries completing the London Marathon on 4 October, ‘their way, in their own communities’.
“By integrating event app technology, the 40th Virgin Money London Marathon took place in a way that had never been done before,” Brasher told delegates. “The app featured commentary from Steve Cram and Paula Radcliffe, crowd noises, plus a GPS calculator, which made it look like you were running the actual London course.”
In addition, 114,000 school children took part in a mini three-mile London marathon, which was launched in just ten days. While 100 elite runners - who competed against each other over 19 laps of a closed course in St James' Park, together with 500 event coordinators, were all subject to stringent COVID testing and wore 'Bump' technology whilst in London to ensure social distancing was being maintained.
Brasher continued: “The coronavirus crisis saw us accelerate five years of trying things out and researching new event technology into just nine months. But it’s what we do as an industry and the risk assessments for all kinds of meetings and events are some of the best in the world. People trust event planners and we need to use that trust to get events back up and running.”
ICCA President and Executive Director, Conferences & Events, at ExCel London, James Rees wholeheartedly agreed. He said: “As an industry, we have always been geared up to host and manage safe events. We’ve been frustrated by government holding us back and preventing us from what we do so well. Moving forward, it is incumbent on all of us to evolve our event planning using new technologies and hybrid solutions and to get the message out there that we’re the very best at what we do.”
During the session, Rees discussed ExCel London’s transformation into an NHS Nightingale hospital to treat COVID-19 patients between March and the end of August.
Due to its commitment to support UK hospitals, the venue in London’s docklands won’t now be able to fully reopen for conferences, conventions and exhibitions until 1 April 2021.
In the interim period however, Rees explained how the main conference suite has been turned into a virtual event studio and how they’ve been able to attract business from the film industry.
He said: “A filming backlog means facilities such as Pinewood Studios are now fully booked so we currently have three major blockbuster movies being filmed onsite at ExCel London. Our event managers have become facilitators of film sets and movie stars.
“Our virtual event studio has been attracting a lot of interest from large corporates who are asking if it will remain in place. The answer is yes, as hybrid and virtual event technologies are vital for the future benefit of planners and delegates alike.”
To access 'The 2020 Challenge - The 2021 Opportunity' or any of the other sessions that took place during Cvent CONNECT® Europe Virtual, register here
