Lessons from the first online edition of DigiTech ASEAN Thailand help to sharpen the delivery of the second show this year
Event brief
Ongoing Covid-19 restrictions have forced DigiTech ASEAN Thailand, an important digital industry exhibition and business platform organised by IMPACT Exhibition Management Co, to be staged in a fully digital format for the second year in a row.
The edition drew support from many national and international organisations, such as Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, Hong Kong’s Event Technology Association, Japan Network Security Association, and Taiwan Electric & Electronics Manufacturers Association. Altogether, more than 100 tech and digital participating companies from countries such as Thailand, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia were in attendance, alongside 3,500 online attendees from 28 countries.
Event highlights
DigiTech ASEAN Thailand 2021 bore the theme, Connecting you with the global tech and digital community, and promised to bring together business and knowledge that help shape the digital future.
The event saw participating companies showcasing their latest business solutions, covering tech profiles such as business software, artificial intelligence, cyber security, e-commerce & digital marketing, data & cloud, smart solutions & IoT and 5G technology & network.
There were also more than 60 webinars with topics touching on the latest industry trends and strategies conducted by industry experts and professionals in English and Thai. Other online activities such as seller-buyer business matching meetings, live video product demonstrations and on-demand video presentations provided attendee engagements.
Challenges
According to show organiser IMPACT, one of the key challenges in putting the event together was the need to “quickly acquire new skill sets, competencies and understanding of technology to create a digital twin of the physical event that can meet the needs of face-to-face activities while at the same time, offer values for customers”.
The perceived value of virtual platforms remained relatively poor as compared to in-person platforms, the spokesperson noted, adding that there was still a human need for physical interactions that technology could not replace.
“Nevertheless, the prolonged pandemic without any full resumption of physical events over the last two years, has somehow hasten the adoption of digital platforms. These digital platforms serve as event marketing alternatives for companies to continue to do business, promote their brands, maintain customer relations, stay connected with industry peers and get updated on market trends,” said the spokesperson.
IMPACT drew on lessons learnt from the first digital edition of DigiTech ASEAN Thailand and were able to work with its technology vendors to offer a user-friendly digital platform that enhanced the business exchange and networking experience for participants and delegates.
The platform also served as an effective alternative market platform for participants to continue with their business activities in the digital sphere, especially in business, knowledge and networking exchanges.
Event DigiTech ASEAN Thailand 2021
Organiser IMPACT Exhibition Management Co., Ltd
Date November 24 to 26, 2021
Attendance 100 participating companies from Asia; 3,500 online delegates from 28 countries
