Are holograms the future of the events industry?

Saving time, travel and CO2: holograms are the perfect technology for our times

Virtual events, which have grown exponentially during the pandemic, have made us thoroughly reconsider the way we organise meetings, conferences and trade shows. We have realised, for instance, that a wider audience can be accessed by opening up the possibility of remote attendance and that guests can also chime in without being physically present at the venue. This saves travel and the resulting CO2 emissions and also saves time for guests and participants. These advantages, which many companies only discovered during the pandemic, are proving to be valuable and nobody is willing to give them up in the future.

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Speaking live at multiple conferences

One of the most useful applications of this technology is the theoretical possibility for a popular speaker or presenter to attend multiple events at distant locations, on the same day or even at the same time, where previously even the most lavish budget would not have allowed the same person to be ‘double booked’ in multiple Countries. The speaker can also manage feedback, which enables constant interaction with the audience at live events. This technology, developed by PORTL, effectively transcends the physical limits of event organisation.

A valuable ally during the pandemic emergency

One of the most insidious and complex aspects of the pandemic, in terms event planning, is that cancellations are always around the corner, even when the situation is relatively calm at the event location. Many events, for example, revolve on the presence of one or more specific guests, whose absence might be a deal-breaker for attendees. If the guest in question is in a Country that suddenly becomes subject to travel restrictions or if the quarantine timeframe makes it logistically impossible for them to attend, the event risks being cancelled even if it takes place in a place where the pandemic situation is under control. The use of holograms, in this case, may even prevent the event from being cancelled.

Holograms are still a luxury that only few can afford

Does this mean that all our future events will be populated with holograms mingling with real people? Of course not: the technology, which is still relatively new and very complex, is prohibitively expensive for any small or medium-sized company and is currently only affordable for multinationals and governments. A holographic projection, in fact, can require technical equipment worth around 60,000 dollars: an expense that only makes sense for those who plan to use this technology on a regular basis with very high-profile customers. Of course, as with all technologies, prices are expected to fall in the coming years, although it is not yet possible to say when this option will be commercially affordable on a large scale.

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