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The virtual challenge usurping the traditional conference market

CONFERENCES bring money to their host cities. In the case of Liverpool's award-winning venue, the BT Convention Centre, the >>economic impact<< has been greater thanks to the simultaneous arrival of its neighbour, the Echo Arena.

Ask a trader at the Albert Dock, or the hoteliers who've invested there, and they"re likely to tell you the Arena is a good neighbour, generating footfall [i.e. = "foot traffic"] to what was previously a dormant part of town.

Although the spotlight may often fall on Liverpool's glitzy addition to the conference offer, there have been big investments elsewhere round here to attract delegates to places like Wirral and Southport.

It"s good to see the big city's near neighbours able to punch their weight in a lucrative, but competitive, market.

However, it's a market facing many challenges.

The downturn has seen the red pen strike out many conference budgets throughout the corporate world. Gone, for now at least, are the days when multi-nationals would fly hundreds of their staff from locations around the globe to an annual talking shop in some glamorous venue.

Some of these traditional conventions are being usurped by more cost-effective new technology alternatives.

One such is TED.

It's a small non-profit organisation, devoted to spreading good ideas, which started out in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from the worlds of technology, entertainment and design.

Since then, its scope has become ever broader. Along with the annual TED Conference in Long Beach, California, and the TEDGlobal conference in Oxford, TED includes the award-winning TEDTalks video site, the Open Translation Programme, the new TEDx community programme, this year"s TEDIndia Conference and the annual TED Prize.

The annual conferences in Long Beach and Oxford bring together the world"s most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes).

Where TED scores over traditional conferences is in the way it carries on delivering services long after the delegates have dispersed. On TED.com, the most inspirational talks and thought-provoking debates that are the hallmarks of great conferences are available to the world, for free.

And that's got to be a good thing.

MATT JOHNSON is chairman of Mando Group.