"Novel Awareness in the Convention Business".

Expodata: What does a Corona day in the life of Soner Avci and the KKThun look like in contrast to a previous day?

Soner Avci: Due to the event ban, KKThun has been closed since March 13 and we have announced short-time work. Fortunately, our IT infrastructure is set up in such a way that we have always been able to work independently of location. This allows us to maintain contact with our customers, suppliers and all other stakeholders even when we are in our home office. Not only does the exchange with external stakeholders function smoothly, but also - thanks to a weekly video conference - the flow of information within the team. The main difference is that at the moment we are unfortunately very little in our beautiful KKThun and can not carry out any events operationally. This "emptiness" hurts our souls.

What are currently the biggest challenges for KKThun?

The uncertainty about the ban on events with less than 1,000 participants. In this regard, we are eagerly awaiting further information from the Federal Council at the end of May 2020. The organizers, culture and companies, are also currently very cautious about fixed planning and thus commitments for the KKThun as a venue.

Will Corona ever settle down and allow business as we were used to? Will it lead to positive transformations, including in the MICE industry?

Business in the event industry will continue after Corona, but with a new kind of awareness already in the definition of event formats, the subsequent planning as well as the implementation. Digital or decentralized formats could be increasingly implemented, such as digital "pre-events", on the day of the event "plenary vs. smaller rotating parallel stages" within the location, or even "recap zones" at an event for retrospective viewing of a previous program item. I am confident that positive developments will result from the experience of abrupt rethinking, creative approaches and digitalization of events. These new models will complement and establish LiveCom events and contribute to transformation.

If we were to hypothesize that within a year no more events, meetings, incentives or congresses with over 250 guests could take place - how would KKThun react? What possible reactions do you see? 

Decisive for the future path is the announcement of the framework conditions and the timings behind them. Only then can we take sustainable measures. The Culture and Convention Center KKThun is agile, flexible, creative and consultative. We have a partnership and trusting relationship with our customers and event organizers. The Corona crisis has even intensified this. We are currently planning in various scenarios and evaluating with the event organizers the possibilities of holding events instead of canceling them. This additional service allows us to remain agile and flexible towards the customer and to react quickly to changing conditions.

What will the Corona crisis change in the live communications industry? What role does digital transformation play? What do you think of the now fashionable term "hybrid" events?

I am firmly convinced that the LiveCom industry will remain, but will certainly also experience an evolution in event formats, and must. A combination of on- and offline, in person on site and at a distance - virtual realities and artificial intelligence will become even more important. A balance of new, innovative concepts and formats, creativity, interaction, staging and classic elements will be decisive. In terms of marketing, a lot of things are upstream and downstream of the actual event. So now, at the latest, everyone is aware that a digital transformation must take place.

What message do you and KKThun have for the MICE industry?

We see ourselves as the host of the host. So I'm happy to share our philosophy here, which the MICE industry also exemplifies: support where support is needed, advise where advice is needed, and be open to new formats, ideas and suggestions. Striving for a joint, partnership-based and sustainable cooperation should be in the foreground. Right now is the best time to break up old structures and habits and courageously face the new.