Many people ask the obvious question, how can a conference viewed on the internet be equal to a real physical event, in an exotic location. The answer is that virtual conferences cannot and will not replace the conventional conference. The key point is that the benefits of a real conference apply only to those that have the time and money to attend.
Virtual conferences are an additional experience to the real event.
In fact it is becoming the fashion to hold both simultaneously i.e. a virtual events is held alongside the real conference for those that cannot attend. Our recent experience shows that virtual conferences are viewed by approximately 25 times more people than would attend the real event.