The Junior Chamber International (JCI) World Congress returned to Hong Kong earlier this month after almost 30 years, and delivered a hybrid event that featured a diverse destination experience.
Drawing more than 500 in-person attendees and more than 3,500 online delegates, the five-day congress packed in training sessions, seminars, workshops and keynote speeches. The programme also gave in-person attendees a chance to participate in the Hong Kong Sevens and Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival – mega events that coincided with Hong Kong’s easing of travel restrictions.
JCI president Argenis Angulo said the congress was a “milestone in the history of JCI in Hong Kong”, due to its metaverse application that blended technologies with local cultures. Delegates were gifted with souvenirs in NFTs.
The congress had the full support of Hong Kong Tourism Board, from the bidding stage to programme delivery, with assistance offered for promotion and funding.
Karen Yeung, JCI Hong Kong national president, said: “Hong Kong’s flexibility, resilience and diversified experiences are key factors in winning this year’s world congress.”
Yeung hopes that the successful delivery of the congress will inform the world that Hong Kong is ready for more conferences.
Prior to joining The Hari Hong Kong, Snoeks was general manager of Meliá Chiang Mai. Other positions he has held include pre-opening general manager of Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok & The Residences, as well as Thailand’s regional general manager and general manager of The Okura Prestige Bangkok.
Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator has opened its latest property in the Thai capital – Centra by Centara Bangkok Phra Nakhon.
Guests can expect a fresh and brighter space, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows offering views across the runway and abundant plants. In total, there are 149 chairs and ottomans, which have been reupholstered using GREENGUARD-certified upholstery to reduce landfill waste.
Whyte has over 30 years of senior travel industry experience, including at Travelport and Virtuoso in Australia, New Zealand and the US. He was previously the regional commercial manager at Sabre.
Following a successful collaboration between Cvent and Zoom Video Communications, Inc in delivering an engaging end-to-end hybrid experience at Zoomtopia 2022, Zoom’s global hybrid conference, both companies are now working to bring the same capabilities to other organisations via the Zoom App Marketplace.
“We recognise the value Cvent brings as a long-time leader powering in-person events around the world,” said Steven Li, ISV sales and strategy leader at Zoom.
“Zoom has always been a company built to connect and bring people together, which is why we are excited to team up with Cvent so that our customers can seamlessly tap into our best-in-class platforms to deliver more dynamic and impactful hybrid events.”
“In today’s event environment, an organization’s Total Event Program includes a blend of in-person, virtual, and hybrid events to maximise attendee engagement, reach and overall programme impact,” said Cvent CMO Patrick Smith.
“But without the right technology partners, organisations often struggle to effectively manage and execute their more complex hybrid experiences. As a leading communications platform, Zoom recognised this area of opportunity, and we’re excited to work with Zoom to help our mutual clients deliver world-class hybrid experiences.”