Insight: Issue 65 (6th October)

So, what did everyone get up to during the great social media outage of 2021?

Yeah, us too…

Today we’re sharing news of: the top 5 mobile ordering apps for UK events; what people miss (and don’t miss) about big events; Edinburgh’s Halloween Terminal V festival has sadly been postponed; Climate Week NYC went hybrid and reached a global audience; VisitScotland’s annual trade expo is set to go virtual from next year; and TEDxGlasgow is *tomorrow*! THIS IS NOT A DRILL PEOPLE.

The 5 best mobile ordering apps for UK events

First up for today – events are slowly coming back into our lives, but not as they were before. To accommodate lingering coronavirus restrictions, and to put event attendees at ease, event organisers must adapt to new technologies. One such technology is the mobile ordering app: a platform that allows event goers to browse menus, make contactless payments, and track orders – all from their smartphones. Queuing is all but eliminated, as is coming into contact with servers. Take that, COVID. 

If you’ve never used one of these apps before and don’t know which one to choose, Event Industry News has done the research for you – they’ve rounded up the top 5 mobile ordering apps for UK events, listing their relative pros and cons.

What people miss – and don’t miss – about big events

Speaking of events coming back – if you’re hankering for a live music fix, but aren’t quite ready to take the plunge into a big crowd, you can live vicariously through journalist Hannah Towey for now. She attended her first big music festival in a year and a half and wrote all about her experience for Business Insider, covering what she missed (the vibes) and didn’t miss (the overpriced kombucha) about large gatherings. Have a read here.

Edinburgh’s Terminal V festival postponed

In not-so-good news, Edinburgh’s Halloween Terminal V music festival has been postponed again because of COVID. This comes after the festival was also forced to cancel its entire summer programme.

Organisers said the ‘extreme pressure facing the NHS’ as we head into the winter months meant they were left with little choice but to postpone the two-night ‘blowout’ gig, which was due to see 40,000 fans pack into the Royal Highland Centre this October. It has now been pushed back five months until Easter 2022, and tickets already purchased for the rave will automatically be transferred unless refunds are requested.

Hybrid Climate Week NYC reaches global audience

Next up, a hybrid success story to lighten the mood! Climate Week NYC wrapped up a successful hybrid event at the end of last month (which took place between 20 and 26 September). By incorporating virtual elements to the annual event, they made sure they were broadcasting their message on a global stage – but with minimal impact on the environment.

Ahead COP26 in November, this year’s event focussed on the global sustainability movement – with over 3,000 registrations from businesses and government organisations taking part across the world. They also hosted big-name speakers like NY Governor Kathy Hochul, Al Gore, and Bill Gates on their virtual event platform. More info on the smash-hit hybrid event here.

VisitScotland trade expo goes virtual

Closer to home, VisitScotland’s annual trade expo is also set to be replaced with a new online format, which is specifically designed to ‘mitigate the challenges of the pandemic’. Next year, the business-to-business Discover Scotland: Reconnect 2022 event will be staged virtually between 5 and 7 April, followed by five regional showcases in May and September. A virtual attendance in April of around 300 buyers from more than 20 markets and attendance by 300 Scottish suppliers is expected.

The new format will also support VisitScotland’s commitment to make the country a leading destination for responsible tourism, by showcasing new and existing sustainable tourism products to international and UK buyers.  A representative from Visit Scotland commented:

‘The  challenges of the  pandemic have  given us the opportunity to reconsider the way we  deliver events; Discover Scotland  has been designed to meet the needs of  the tourism industry  in 2022  and ensure that connecting with  buyers remains possible through a new programme of activity.’

TEDxGlasgow 2021: Make or Break

Last, but certainly not least, Team Cameron are absolutely buzzing to be working with TEDxGlasgow again this year to bring their pivotal annual conference to life. Us rn:

The theme of this year’s event is ‘Make or Break’. Why? Because 2021 is a make or break year to confront the global climate emergency. Can we make solutions and save the planet? Or is the planet past the tipping point? TEDxGlasgow will answer these questions and more – transforming ideas into action, designing a bold blueprint for climate progress, and creating a legacy that will last beyond COP26.

The event is taking place *tomorrow Thursday 7 October* at The Engine Works – and there’s still time to book tickets! Plus, there’ll be a livestream between 4 and 7pm for those who can’t attend in person. You can check out the line-up and speaker list here.

Now get those tickets booked!