Viritx.com, Middle East's first virtual IT exhibition, goes live

Viritx.com, a three-dimensional internet-based business environment, is the first comprehensive virtual exhibition and conference in the Middle East for the information and communication technology industry. The event goes live from 19 to 21 May 2009 followed by an on-demand period until 31 October 2009.

Virtual events are the hottest trend in the exhibition industry and analysts are expecting them to become a key marketing tool for sales success in the future.

"In a time of the economic cycle when companies are more concerned about return on investment (ROI ), Viritx.com will give exhibitors access to more visitors and will save them millions of dollars,"

said Khaled Eid, Managing Director of Dubai-based World Development Forum, organizer of the event, which is free for registered online visitors.

"Virtual events can play a highly efficient role that offers wider reach and higher efficiency and also less cost than conventional shows. Major information technology vendors like HP, Intel, IBM, Cisco, AMD and many others have already started to use virtual events to gain competitive advantage and to stretch their marketing dollars," he added.

The facts speak for themselves with companies worldwide spending close to $32bn annually in conferences alone, according to Meetings & Conventions magazine. Other industry statistics claim exhibitors spend an average of $212 for each visitor they reach in a physical trade show, but only $35 per visitor at virtual events and Tradeshow Week magazine, estimates mid-to-large-sized companies spend about $550,000 every year on physical trade shows.

"With the global economic slowdown, IT companies are forced to do more with less to reduce expenses while increasing the marketing efforts to maintain their market-share, In addition to being extremely cost effective, virtual exhibitions offer many more options, such as online tracking and follow up on leads with an intelligent metrics and reporting system," stated Eid.

"At Viritx.com exhibiting companies can chat with their online visitors; exchange virtual business cards; show product demonstrations; provide brochures; present at the conference center; meet with clients and team members in the lounge; and publish white papers and case studies in the resource center. There is also a media center for press information from speakers, sponsors and exhibitors," he added.

During the three day live period of Viritx.com, exhibitors and registered visitors can interact online. In the on-demand period, the virtual venue remains active with visitors able to view and download material from exhibition stands, request information and attend sessions at the conference center.