<s>
A	O
virtual	B-Protocol
tradeshow	I-Protocol
(	O
or	O
a	O
virtual	O
trade	O
fair	O
)	O
is	O
a	O
type	O
of	O
virtual	O
event	O
run	O
in	O
an	O
online	O
environment	O
,	O
that	O
is	O
hosted	O
online	O
for	O
a	O
limited	O
period	O
of	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Virtual	B-Protocol
tradeshows	I-Protocol
can	O
be	O
accessed	O
anywhere	O
,	O
as	O
they	O
are	O
not	O
limited	O
by	O
their	O
geographic	O
location	O
,	O
so	O
all	O
that	O
's	O
needed	O
to	O
attend	O
is	O
a	O
device	O
with	O
good	O
connection	O
to	O
the	O
internet	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Virtual	B-Protocol
tradeshows	I-Protocol
facilitate	O
direct	O
interactions	O
between	O
exhibitors	O
and	O
attendees	O
with	O
interactive	O
features	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
live	B-Application
chat	I-Application
,	O
chat	O
rooms	O
,	O
1	O
to	O
1	O
or	O
group	O
video	O
calls	O
,	O
Q&A	O
,	O
Live	O
webinars	B-Protocol
or	O
on-demand	O
webinars	B-Protocol
,	O
webcasts	O
,	O
lucky	O
draws	O
and	O
more	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
structure	O
of	O
a	O
typical	O
virtual	B-Protocol
tradeshow	I-Protocol
often	O
includes	O
a	O
virtual	O
exhibition	O
hall	O
which	O
users	O
enter	O
with	O
specific	O
permissions	O
and	O
capabilities	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Exhibitors	O
can	O
build	O
virtual	O
booths	O
to	O
exhibit	O
information	O
related	O
to	O
their	O
products	O
or	O
services	O
,	O
just	O
as	O
they	O
would	O
at	O
a	O
trade	O
fair	O
in	O
a	O
convention	O
center	O
;	O
visitors	O
view	O
these	O
virtual	B-Protocol
trade	I-Protocol
show	I-Protocol
displays	O
in	O
the	O
exhibition	O
hall	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Users	O
-	O
both	O
exhibitors	O
and	O
visitors	O
-	O
within	O
the	O
environment	O
often	O
create	O
avatars	B-Application
as	O
a	O
visual	O
representation	O
of	O
themselves	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
their	O
physical	O
counterparts	O
,	O
virtual	B-Protocol
tradeshows	I-Protocol
may	O
have	O
other	O
components	O
such	O
as	O
a	O
web	B-Protocol
conference	I-Protocol
,	O
webcast	O
,	O
web	O
seminar	O
( 	O
 '	O
webinar	B-Protocol
 '	O
)	O
,	O
or	O
other	O
educational	O
presentations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Detailed	O
tracking	O
mechanisms	O
allow	O
organisers	O
to	O
determine	O
the	O
flow	O
of	O
traffic	O
in	O
the	O
virtual	B-Protocol
tradeshow	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
virtual	B-Protocol
tradeshows	I-Protocol
are	O
usually	O
conducted	O
in	O
specialised	O
web	O
environments	O
,	O
some	O
have	O
been	O
organised	O
and	O
conducted	O
in	O
tightly	O
controlled	O
text	B-Application
based	I-Application
environments	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Virtual	B-Protocol
tradeshows	I-Protocol
can	O
be	O
used	O
for	O
international	O
tradeshows	O
,	O
business	O
match-makers	O
,	O
procurement	O
fairs	O
,	O
or	O
product	O
launches	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Visitors	O
to	O
a	O
virtual	B-Protocol
tradeshow	I-Protocol
usually	O
fill	O
out	O
an	O
online	O
registration	O
form	O
to	O
create	O
an	O
online	O
badge	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
enter	O
a	O
virtual	O
exhibit	O
hall	O
to	O
visit	O
virtual	O
booths	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
virtual	O
booth	O
typically	O
has	O
several	O
icons	O
which	O
can	O
trigger	O
different	O
responses	O
upon	O
the	O
click	B-Device
of	I-Device
the	I-Device
mouse	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
example	O
,	O
visitors	O
might	O
initiate	O
instant	O
communication	O
with	O
the	O
exhibitor	O
via	O
an	O
instant	B-Application
message	I-Application
,	O
email	O
or	O
a	O
voice-call	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Virtual	O
exhibitors	O
use	O
online	O
tools	O
to	O
upload	B-Application
relevant	O
and	O
tailored	O
content	O
to	O
appeal	O
to	O
the	O
audiences	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
some	O
events	O
are	O
hosted	O
only	O
online	O
,	O
virtual	B-Protocol
tradeshows	I-Protocol
could	O
also	O
be	O
run	O
in	O
conjunction	O
with	O
real-world	O
or	O
in-person	O
tradeshows	O
,	O
creating	O
'	O
hybrid	O
events	O
 '	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Virtual	B-Protocol
tradeshows	I-Protocol
typically	O
cost	O
much	O
less	O
than	O
traditional	O
trade	O
shows	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
virtual	B-Protocol
trade	I-Protocol
shows	I-Protocol
can	O
be	O
conducted	O
from	O
a	O
person	O
's	O
desk	O
,	O
the	O
cost	O
of	O
travel	O
,	O
lodging	O
and	O
physical	O
construction	O
of	O
a	O
trade	O
show	O
display	O
is	O
eliminated	O
(	O
exhibitors	O
will	O
usually	O
,	O
of	O
course	O
,	O
be	O
charged	O
for	O
the	O
privilege	O
of	O
having	O
an	O
online	O
stand	O
at	O
the	O
virtual	B-Protocol
tradeshow	I-Protocol
)	O
.	O
</s>
