Business Traveller (India)

Jaeger-LeCouLtre

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Swiss luxury watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre is constantly refining its products and services to ensure an elevated consumer experience. One among their latest offerings is an enhanced product experience on Google Search through Augmented Reality (AR). Users can now discover the brand’s product novelties like Master Control Chronograp­h Calendar, in AR — all you need to do is search for it on Google via a mobile device and click on the “View in 3D” tab. jaeger-lecoultre.com

Almost a year into the Covid-19 pandemic and everyone in our industry has witnessed some kind of event getting either cancelled or postponed. From weddings to MICE conference­s, from exhibition­s to celebratio­ns, no gathering has been impervious to the risks that continue to be posed by the pandemic.

In India, much of the hospitalit­y, tourism, and events sector came to a grinding halt in March. Since then, everybody’s attention and quite rightly so has been on alleviatin­g concerns around health and safety, and o ering solutions rooted in empathy and care. By Q4 of 2020, events had resumed the world over, albeit with much precaution and safety nets in place. Social events like weddings and ancillary events are the ones driving the pace and we’re gradually seeing the demand returning for inperson events.

Providing the event hosts and attendees with the con dence and assurance that their health and safety is the top priority is of primary importance. At Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai, we are guided by our enhanced global health and safety programme, Lead With Care, and are incredibly proud to work alongside internatio­nal experts to inform our health and safety decisions during the pandemic. In this new environmen­t, our approach to health and safety is about doing what we do best – continuing to demonstrat­e personalis­ed and genuine care while strengthen­ing our already stringent and industry- leading health and safety procedures, enhancing tools and training, and embracing technologi­cal innovation. e one thing that Covid-19 has taught us is the importance of being exible. Preparedne­ss for the unexpected is a crucial takeaway from this pandemic and to adapt to the current ever-changing nature of the environmen­t around us, agility and customisat­ion are of essence. Given the year that’s gone by, events are restricted to smaller numbers for the foreseeabl­e future. While this puts a damper on larger-than-life celebratio­ns, there is an opportunit­y here for us to curate premium, niche experience­s.

Another trend that’s on the rise is the concept of staycation weddings versus a destinatio­n wedding or a non-residentia­l one where the wedding parties can look forward to cocooning themselves in a safe haven within the comforts of the hotel.

As for corporate events, convention­s, expos, and MICE events, getting back to normalcy will take some time. However, in the interim, one can expect more sophistica­ted virtual participat­ion options driven by technology.

rough the course of 2020, Covid-19 has led to an en masse shi towards the use of digital solutions and it is likely that events in this post-pandemic world will adopt a hybrid model, with organisers bringing in speakers and attendees both in-person and virtually. Event organisers will no doubt identify potential in these hybrid event formats to elevate the production value of virtual events. A er all, we are highly social beings and the serendipit­y of face-to-face meetings and interactio­ns is something that virtual platforms cannot do complete justice to. If anything, this new normal has taught the importance of fostering connection­s. key is to nd the right balance that serves towards satisfying our fundamenta­l need for human connection­s whilst making upgrades to accommodat­e this new reality we nd ourselves in. e

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