NexTech AR subsidiary Map Dynamics wins raves for hosting virtual 2020 Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market

NexTech AR Solutions (OTCQB:NEXCF) (CSE:NTAR) (FRA:N29), a virtual and augmented reality (AR) company, said its subsidiary Map Dynamics has suceeded in hosting the large, fully virtual 2020 Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market flawlessly. The holiday event which kicked off on November 11 and runs through to December 11, includes nearly 150 merchants. In 2019, the Nutcracker Market drew 107,240 customers who packed the NRG Center, spending over $20.4 million. As usual, 11% of merchandise sales from the virtual market will support Houston Ballet Foundation, its academy and scholarship programs. READ: NexTech AR acquires event management firm Map Dynamics to expand its suite of augmented reality offerings Despite the virtual component, organizers have kept it festive by roping in Map Dynamics to reimagine the annual event which typically draws shoppers to 150,000-square feet of retail and exhibition space. Map Dynamics has built an interactive, easy-to-navigate floor plan that enables attendees to browse exhibitors through the floor plan or by name, booth number or category. “Each exhibitor’s virtual booth can be customized to include their business story, product images and videos and chat functionality, all directly within the event platform,” said the company. Map Dynamics adapted many of its B2B and educational event features, including networking and live chat functionality, into the Market platform, creating unique engagement opportunities for attendees that go beyond the traditional online shopping experience. “I was incredibly excited to work with the Houston Ballet on this event because it offered our team the opportunity to prove that our virtual event software is able to support an expo of this size. I’m happy to report that it's been flawless,” said Remington Rehklau, account executive at Map Dynamics. “A marketplace setup like this is different from the B2B trade shows and association events. We believe that many of the features and functionalities we built for this show have the potential to be used in the future as we look to expand the reach of our platform to support more consumer events. Events like these can help drive consumers to small businesses that rely on the increased shopper activity this time of year.” With the recent acquisition of Map Dynamics, NexTech said it plans to sell its AR solutions to its 750 customers and offer a self-service, no touch option on top of its InfernoAR white glove service. “We’re thrilled to see the success and positive feedback the Map Dynamics team has been receiving for the Nutcracker Market. Their self-serve platform is perfectly suited to transform an event of this scale into an experience that allows retailers and shoppers to connect in a safe, convenient virtual setting,” said NexTech AR CEO Evan Gappelberg. “As more consumer expos and marketplaces look to go hybrid heading into 2021, we believe that the platform and functionality that Map Dynamics built for this event will allow us to be well-positioned for future partnerships.” Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter: @UttaraProactive