As the first region to enter and then exit a period of lockdowns—as a result of the global pandemic—the Asia Pacific region led the way in experimenting with new formats for engaging ULI’s most active members. 
The ULI Asia Pacific Convivium took place November 3–5, 2020 as an exclusive gathering of Full Members—the Institute’s highest level of membership. In response to feedback, ULI learned what members loved (and hated) about online industry events in the social distancing era and introduced a digital-to-physical experience. This included the following:
- A hybrid format—a combination of livestream content, interactive virtual roundtables, and in-person small-group networking lunches/dinners.
- General sessions held in English, with simultaneous translations offered in Chinese and Japanese. These included turbo sessions of 15 to 20 minutes offering new ideas and solutions.
- A concierge approach in organizing intimate roundtable discussions and group dining experiences that catered to participants’ areas of interest.
- Roundtable discussions with open dialogue that encouraged the exchange of ideas, and provocative discussions in an intimate setting.
Over 150 Full Members attended and enjoyed cutting-edge digital content, with summaries about Asia’s fashion outlets, the rise of cloud kitchens, and the boost in domestic tourism also being provided to the wider membership in Urban Land online.
The online discussions were complemented by in-person dine-arounds in Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, and Tokyo.
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