Virtual reality solutions for fairs and exhibitions

This article was originally written in 2022 and updated in July 2024 to ensure content integrity.

While no longer a novel concept, virtual exhibitions continue to attract significant interest from event organizers, exhibitors, and related stakeholders.
Although physical exhibitions are still being held, many organizers and exhibitors today are opting to host virtual events or combine both physical and virtual formats.

According to a 2022 survey by Statista, around 40% of event organizers planned to host exhibitions virtually. Another 35% indicated their intention to combine physical exhibitions with virtual components to maximize event effectiveness.

It is evident that the majority of event organizers believe virtual exhibitions should be part of their event strategy. The remaining 25% of survey participants either expressed no interest or remained skeptical about the benefits of implementing virtual exhibitions.

So, what exactly are these benefits?
Let’s first explore the reasons why 75% of event organizers have decided to embrace virtual exhibitions.

Why have 75% of event organizers decided to host virtual exhibitions?

Firstly, it is evident that user behavior towards event participation has shifted significantly.
According to insights from Outrealxr, users now prefer attending events online rather than traveling to physical venues.

Therefore, instead of focusing solely on making offline events more attractive, exhibitors can meet customer needs and expectations by adopting virtual exhibition solutions. With this approach, customers can access and explore the exhibition as if they were physically present—without ever leaving their homes.

Secondly, traditional physical exhibitions typically attract participants who reside locally or in nearby regions.
Despite significant investments to promote events nationwide, the actual attendee base often remains geographically limited. Barriers such as travel distance and limited time prevent many potential customers from attending physical exhibitions.

Virtual exhibitions, on the other hand, remove these barriers and expand customer reach dramatically.
Whether local or international, participants can join the exhibition at any time with just a single click.

Lastly, physical exhibitions are constrained by both venue capacity and event duration.
Most traditional exhibitions last only 5 to 7 days, meaning organizers may miss out on valuable partnership opportunities that arise after the event ends.
To address this, exhibitors and event organizers need a platform that allows them to extend the event’s reach and duration—without incurring additional operational costs.

A corner of the Van Gogh painting exhibition, where visitors can explore the exhibition 24/7.

Virtual exhibitions easily solve this issue, as events hosted in the digital space have virtually unlimited capacity.
Anyone can access and participate in the event, regardless of their location.
Moreover, the event duration can be tailored to the exhibitor's needs—lasting a week, a month, a year, or even indefinitely.

Virtual exhibitions can also operate alongside physical events, providing an opportunity for individuals and organizations unable to attend in person to experience the exhibition virtually.
As a result, many exhibitors choose to combine both formats to maximize event effectiveness.

⭐ Visit the Van Gogh Painting Exhibition

Not only event organizers, but digital exhibitions are also being used by businesses to display and showcase their products and services.
For example, companies like Viettel, MP Group, and PVcom are applying digital exhibitions to uniquely and distinctly introduce their products and services through virtual booths.

So, what are the benefits that businesses and event organizers gain by using virtual exhibitions?
We’ll explain in the next section below—don’t miss it!

CONSULTATION ON BUILDING AND ORGANIZING VIRTUAL EXHIBITIONS AND VIRTUAL EVENTS

1.Benefits of using virtual reality in the field of fairs and exhibitions 

Digital exhibitions have emerged as a breath of fresh air, transforming the way organizations and individuals participate in events.
They bring numerous fantastic benefits to businesses, both as event organizers and participants.

1.1. Wider Reach

The Techfest 2023 event combines both online and traditional formats.

Attracting a large audience by removing geographical barriers is one of the key strengths of virtual exhibitions compared to traditional ones.
Instead of being limited by physical space and capacity, virtual exhibitions allow for unlimited attendance, ensuring that anyone who wishes to participate can access the event at any time.

For example, an interior design exhibition held in Ho Chi Minh City usually attracts businesses and attendees from the local area and nearby provinces. However, if the organizer incorporates a virtual exhibition, they can draw in visitors from other cities, and companies in the interior design industry can also register to showcase their products in the virtual exhibition.

1.2. Save time

Organizing a traditional exhibition often takes a lot of time, from preparation to operation, and even post-event stages require data collection and result evaluation. In addition, partners and customers need to schedule time to attend the event.

However, with a virtual exhibition, customers can quickly participate without spending much time preparing. It only takes 3 seconds to access the virtual exhibition and start exploring the products and services inside.

1.3. Cost effective

With virtual exhibitions, costs related to finding and renting a venue, setting up booths, and preparing for the event are optimized to the fullest.
Additionally, virtual exhibitions help save significant costs by reducing the need for personnel in event preparation and management.

For individuals who are unable to attend the event due to distance or high travel costs, virtual exhibitions provide a solution. Visitors only need to click on a link to instantly join the virtual exhibition and experience and interact in an engaging environment.

1.4. Double the role of marketing channels and e-commerce platforms 

If event organizers are looking for a larger audience and higher content downloads and shares, virtual exhibitions are an effective solution. They expand the scale and increase the opportunity to reach potential customers at a much lower cost compared to traditional events.

Virtual exhibitions allow visitors to quickly find booths that match their personal needs...

With virtual exhibitions, businesses can showcase their products and integrate shopping carts directly at the virtual booths, making the shopping experience more convenient for customers. This helps increase sales and allows businesses to quickly achieve their goals when participating in the event.

... and a convenient shopping experience with featured product catalogs attached to the businesses' virtual booths

1.5. Allow tracking of potential customers through data-driven insights

Virtual exhibitions allow organizers to track potential customers by collecting user participation data. The following metrics are recorded and clearly reported:

• Number of participants
• Number of content views and downloads
• Weekly and monthly reports
• Number of 5-star ratings for each booth
• Number of likes for each booth
• Activity and interaction times
• Revenue
• And many other metrics

These data points are collected and summarized in a clear manner, enabling organizers to analyze and improve the performance of the virtual exhibition.

For example, organizers can identify where there is a sudden spike in participation during a webinar on the website and develop related content to keep participants engaged for the next event.

1.6. Shorten the sales cycle

At virtual exhibitions, customers have full access to product and service information, with integrated features for chatting, support, and ordering. This facilitates quick negotiations and exchanges at the moment when customers have a need.

Customers attending the exhibition can serve as the equivalent of the first sales call—quickly moving potential customers through the sales funnel.

1.7. Seamless information integration with multiple features

Virtual exhibitions allow businesses to seamlessly integrate information about their organization, individual products and services, and contact details, creating more opportunities for effective connections and collaborations.

In particular, the information management feature enables businesses and event organizers to compile lists of participating customers and collect data on potential leads. This makes it easier to analyze and generate forecasts to improve ROI and outreach metrics.

1.8. Enhance the quality and reputation of fairs and exhibitions  

Customers can freely navigate, interact, and shop within the virtual space, easily accessing all event-related information. This provides them with a comprehensive overview and a clear understanding of the scale and layout of the fair.

As a result, it builds trust in businesses, increases opportunities to connect with potential partners, and enhances the brand reputation of the event organizers.

1.9. Immersive and realistic experience 

Virtual reality exhibitions offer realistic and unique experiences for visitors.

Thanks to VR technology, users can freely navigate and interact within the virtual exhibition space. Beyond delivering an exciting and highly visual experience for the "end users," virtual exhibitions also serve as a powerful platform for organizers to promote and publicize their events to a wide range of organizations and individuals, attracting large numbers of visitors from across the country.

This, in turn, enhances the capabilities, stature, and reputation of both the organizers and the event itself.

1.10. Integration into the organizer's/event's website 

The 3D exhibition spaces created by VR360 can be easily integrated into the official websites of event organizers, businesses, and museums. This offers customers a fresh and engaging experience while navigating the company’s website.

In cases where the organizer does not yet have an official website, the virtual exhibition itself can serve as a professional platform, providing all necessary event-related information and encouraging visitors to register and participate in the exhibition or trade fair.

1.11. Not just a one-time link 

A key advantage of virtual exhibitions is that participation does not have to end simultaneously with the traditional exhibition. The event can remain accessible for many days, at any time, from any location. This means that the exhibition content can be stored and shared for a longer period.

Additionally, organizers can retain contact information of potential customers and registrants even after the event ends, making it easier to conduct post-event customer care and increase the conversion rate from leads to actual value generation.

So, which technology solutions should businesses and event organizers use to achieve the highest efficiency? We will introduce 4 standout services from VR360 in the following section.

2. Suitable services

The VR360 services suitable for event organizers of exhibitions and trade fairs include Virtual Tour, 360-degree photography, 360-degree video recording, and vrMall.

• Virtual Tour

Provides an immersive virtual tour that recreates the exhibition space across various smart devices. This allows customers to experience the event as if they were physically attending.

Additionally, event organizers can integrate detailed information such as: facilities, event maps, booth details, products, prices, etc., offering complete information to customers and enhancing the experience during the virtual tour.

At the same time, event managers can gather customer data and easily establish connections with potential business partners.

>>> For more details:  VR360 Virtual Tour - Web 360 - 360 Tour

• 360 Photography Service

Offers multidimensional images that clearly showcase the exhibition space and each booth, instead of using traditional 2D images.

Thanks to its compatibility across multiple platforms such as Facebook, Websites, Google Street Map, etc., 360-degree photography helps event organizers make a strong impression on customers and partners, fostering connections among participants, organizers, exhibitors, and speakers.

It also attracts a larger audience by eliminating geographical barriers—users can access and explore the virtual exhibition at any time and from any location.

For more details, visit: https://vr360.com.vn/chup-hinh-360

>>> For more details:  https://vr360.com.vn/chup-hinh-360

• 360 Video Service

Utilizes advanced technology and state-of-the-art equipment to create panoramic, multidimensional footage of the exhibition space, individual booths, ensuring the highest resolution quality.

360-degree videos are a valuable resource for event organizers to enhance the quality of trade fairs and exhibitions, attracting a large audience and promoting commercial activities. Additionally, they are easily compatible with social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and more, allowing event organizers to quickly and widely promote their events.

>>> For more details: https://vr360.com.vn/video-360

•       vrMall

The platform allows event organizers, trade fair, and exhibition organizers to create virtual events based on specific requirements with outstanding features and facilities.

All booths will be displayed in a multi-dimensional, interactive exhibition space, enabling organizers to provide detailed information about the trade fair, such as booth details, location, and fair maps to businesses and attendees.

With this technology, organizers can easily create multiple events connecting businesses in a short time, helping to save costs compared to traditional trade fair and exhibition setups.

>>> For more details: vrMall - Trung tâm thương mại và Cửa hàng thực tế ảo đầu tiên tại Việt Nam

3. The list of notable virtual exhibitions built by VR360

3.1. Techfest Hai Phong 2023

TECHFEST HAIPHONG 2023 is the largest annual event in Hai Phong City focused on science, technology, and innovation. After 7 years of hosting, TECHFEST 2023 made a remarkable change by combining the event with a virtual exhibition. VR360 had the opportunity to accompany TECHFEST this year to create a more creative and vibrant experience for attendees.

The VR360 Tour technology simulates the exhibition space, allowing users to visit the event, interact directly with booths, and participate in side events remotely. This technology also integrates key features such as introducing panel discussion schedules and providing detailed information about booths across various fields.

Especially, this technology integrates 3D images, offering a realistic experience. As a result, it helps expand the reach of the event, attract participation from international investors and experts, and enhance investment connection opportunities through a dynamic virtual reality environment.

• Link event: https://techfesthaiphong.isc1.vn/

3.2. SURF Da Nang (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)

Over the course of five "seasons" from 2016 to 2020, the International Startup and Innovation Conference and Exhibition (SURF) has created numerous opportunities for startups and entrepreneurs to learn, train, and accumulate knowledge in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation. The goal of SURF 2021 is to create a platform for networking, sharing experiences, and fostering creative ideas.

In recent years, VR360 has had the opportunity to accompany SURF, playing an important role in building virtual exhibition spaces and developing interactive 3D technology. This time, the projects and businesses participating in the exhibition will have their virtual booths set up in 3D models, utilizing VR360’s virtual reality technology. Each booth will include the project’s name, logo, images, videos, documents, and products, allowing investors and visitors to explore, learn, and interact online.

The virtual exhibition not only expands the reach of the event but also enhances the quality of the experience, making it easier for startups and investors to interact, explore, and connect. This contributes to the growth of the startup and innovation community in Da Nang and across the country. By leveraging VR360 technology, SURF has created a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem where creative ideas can grow and spread, driving collaboration and investment in the startup field.

• Link event: https://vrfair.startupdanang.vn/

3.3. Vittual Reality Digital Museum of Vietnam - East Timor

On the occasion of its 10th anniversary, Telemor collaborated with VR360 on the Virtual Reality Digital Museum of Vietnam - East Timor project.

The project is a space dedicated to showcasing the company, built using cutting-edge VR and AR technology, offering a truly immersive 3D experience. Through the digital museum, visitors have the opportunity to step into the virtual world and learn about the history and development journey of Telemor in the East Timor market.

• Project name: Virtual Reality Digital Museum of Vietnam - East Timor
• Field: Tourism – Museum
• Service: VR360 Virtual Tour
• >>> View the full project here: https://vr360.com.vn/projects/telemor-digital-museum/ 

3.4. PiviVerse Virtual Universe - PVComBank

With this project, customers can experience a virtual tour that feels like they are in an entirely different world created by PVComBank, where they have the freedom to interact with various spaces within the virtual environment.

VR360 has integrated detailed information and guiding instructions within the virtual space, making it more convenient for customers during their exploration. This allows users to easily access and understand the services, products, and key features of PVComBank, all within the immersive, interactive virtual universe.

In the PiviVerse virtual universe, customers can explore information about credit cards, digital banking, and loans through three separate information portals. At each portal, VR360 has integrated helpful instructions, allowing customers to directly interact with the services without the need to visit a physical consultation desk.

• Project name: PiviVerse Virtual Universe - PVComBank
• Address: 22 Ngô Quyền, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
• Industry: Finance - Banking - Insurance
• Service: VR360 Virtual Tour
• >>> View the full project here: https://piviverse.pvcombank.com.vn/

4. Key features of VR360 virtual exhibitions 

Unlimited Viewing Angles

Creating a virtual exhibition allows you to easily simulate the entire event space with multiple viewing angles.

Along with integrated features such as rotation, flipping, interaction, and space adjustment, visitors can easily observe, experience, and visualize how the event is organized.

Unlimited Number of Participants

No longer limited by the scale, location, or venue capacity, a virtual exhibition has no participant limits. By applying virtual reality technology to the exhibition space, everyone can visit and experience the event.

Guests attending the virtual exhibition can come from different localities, cities, or even countries, enabling everyone to explore the event on the same platform.

Integration of Diverse Content

In addition to recorded images, event organizers can integrate a variety of other information such as text, links, event details, images of individual booths, videos, labels, maps, etc., making it easy for customers to search for booth and product information.

Similarly, businesses can integrate content about their products, services, and company information directly into the virtual exhibition. Moreover, many businesses prefer to preserve images tied to various stages of their development. The application of virtual reality technology in traditional booths allows for efficient display and preservation of company artifacts and documents.

Integration of Shopping Cart

Exhibition attendees can conveniently browse through the product catalogs of various booths, selecting items from different booths to add to their shopping carts for immediate purchase or to save for later. Through group chat functions, booth representatives can engage in consultations with multiple potential customers at the same time, answering questions and addressing concerns simultaneously.

Custom Registration Form 

With a virtual exhibition, organizers and businesses can collect customer information through a registration form, enabling them to easily track the scale and number of attendees. This data can also be used to identify potential customers during and after the event.  

Information Management System  

Thanks to full control over the technology, VR360 provides comprehensive management tools, allowing organizers to manage users effortlessly through features like exhibition information management, seminar room management, booth management, presentation management, and statistical reports.

This enables organizers to fully track customer data and simplify future connections and collaborations. 

Multilingual Display  

The virtual exhibition supports multiple languages beyond Vietnamese, making it easier for attendees and partners from different countries to quickly and easily exchange information.

This feature removes language barriers and enhances opportunities for interaction, cooperation, and networking across borders. 

Information Storage   

With long-term information storage integration, the virtual exhibition can remain open for extended periods based on the organizer's needs. This means that exhibition content can be preserved and shared for longer durations.

The storage feature also allows organizers to keep potential customer contact details for easier management and future communication. 

Multi-Device Compatibility  

VR360 services are designed to be compatible with all smart devices, such as computers, tablets, phones, and VR glasses, making event participation fast and convenient. Organizers can promote the event to a wider audience, attracting more customers to the virtual exhibition. 

Additionally, VR360 offers advanced features like creating online meetings on the platform, allowing exhibition and fair organizers to schedule and host virtual meetings with stakeholders. For events held simultaneously on both virtual and physical platforms, organizers can live stream the event, allowing online viewers to experience the live atmosphere of the exhibition. 

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