Virtual StB Expo 2021: Lessons learnt, conclusions, the future – with Stefan Homberg

On 21 January, the first virtual StB Expo took place. 3D software was used for this, enabling trade fair visitors to walk through the digital exhibition hall in their browser. It was an exciting and eventful debut not only for the exhibitors, but also for the organiser, Die Kanzlei Entwickler GmbH. Shareholder and Managing Director Stefan Homberg offers a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes. What went well, and what still needs improving?

The virtual trade fair – what we’ve learnt

This digital environment was certainly an unfamiliar experience for the many trade fair visitors. Instead of travelling to Cologne by plane, train or car, they could simply log in with their username and password and enter the 3D exhibition hall. Experienced gamers found their way around straight away; the controls worked using the WASD keys. However, as Stefan Homberg revealed in conversation with Paul Liese, the odd visitor forgot to use the mouse.

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I Accept

If there were any problems at all, they were technical in nature. This is because the virtual environment offered exhibitors and visitors many opportunities that would not be possible in the physical trade fair world. Booking appointments at the click of a mouse, seamlessly switching between different panels and live streams, and being redirected to external landing pages and websites. For some trade fair visitors, this presented a challenge – and was certainly also a matter of getting used to it.

Impressive figures from StB Expo 2021

The figures Stefan Homberg presented during the interview look very promising. Ticket sales exceeded expectations, and the engagement rate was high. And for the exhibitors, a virtual trade fair ultimately offers one major advantage: there’s no need to dismantle anything.

Listen to the livestream now as Podcast episode: