In a statement issued this week, TES Affiliate Conference founder Andreas Bischoff detailed the plan for the upcoming ‘hybrid’ version of the conference, which will combine a virtual event with a limited-attendance, in-person event to take place in Marbella, Spain, part of the autonomous Andalusia region of the country.

“The respective Andaluz and Spanish governments just confirmed to us that we will be allowed to host a minimum of 500 guests at our upcoming TES Affiliate Conference from 2-5 July in amazing Marbella, Spain,” Bischoff said. “What better news could there be than that?”

While Bischoff is clearly excited for the upcoming event, he also struck a tone of realism, saying that he and his partner Walter “are aware that virtual conferences are a loss-making business by nature.”

“Still we wanted to offer this as a service to the global affiliate community since no one else is stepping up to the plate currently,” Bischoff said. “You will remember that it seemed as if there was a virtual conference every week going on at the end of 2020. Now that all the organizers have had their chance to take a loss, it is time for Walter and me to step in,” Bischoff added with a wink.

Bischoff said the in-person portion of the hybrid TES Affiliate Conference, which will run from July 2-5 in Marbella, will be hosted outside “to keep everyone safe and relaxed,” in the tropical gardens of the Don Carlos Resort & Spa.

Bischoff said the conference’s preliminary schedule is “the strongest we have had in the past 12 years – by far.”

“We have never ever had a lineup of speakers stronger in their respective fields than this time around,” Bischoff said, adding that with respect to whether there will be parties, and if so of what sort, “we will take an educated decision last minute.”

Bischoff said that at the moment TES plans to sell 500 passes for the in-person portion of the conference, but noted that “this number might go up on June 21, when we will receive the new maximum attendee numbers allowed from the respective Andaluz and the Spanish governments.”

“I do not know how things will look in the future since Andalusia is planning to drop all Covid-19 measures on June 21 (when 70 percent of their population is expected to be vaccinated), but even currently you only need a valid PCR test and you are good to enter Spain,” Bischoff added.

Entrance passes for the in-person event will go on sale June 1, priced at €399 per person. Passes for the virtual edition of the event are free through May 19 and are available here. After May 19, passes for the virtual event will be sold for €29.

For those concerned about purchasing access to the show, only to have to cancel later due to the reimposition of Covid restrictions, Bischoff assured that “you will never lose any money with Walter and me.”

“Your funds are 100% protected by our amazing Covid-19 cancellation policy,” Bischoff said.

Still, Bischoff advised that those who wish to attend should not book their flights and hotel rooms until “you actually hold a fully paid for entrance ticket for the live part of the hybrid TES Affiliate Conference in your hands.”

As for the number of virtual attendees expected for the event, Bischoff said he and Walter have a bet going: Walter says there will be 3000, while Bischoff thinks the number will be 5000. (“Historically speaking I tend to win such internal bets,” Bischoff quipped.)

Bischoff said that using the Brella platform selected for the virtual portion of the event, “people will be able to search exactly for what they are looking for” among the attending companies, to facilitate networking and deal-making.

“For example, (searching for) something like ‘Payment provider for dating sites’, ‘Hosting provider for i-gambling sites’, ‘Publisher for nutra offers’, etc., then the system will provide you will a list of potential leads, sorted by relevance to you,” Bischoff said. “Then you only have to click ‘set up meeting’ and you are all done.”

TES is also taking into account having participants from all over the globe, scheduling seminars and other events in way that allows people to take part at hours that aren’t too inconvenient for them in terms of their local time.

“From 10am until noon Madrid time, the speakers based in Asia and Australia will be on,” Bischoff explained. “This is during their evening hours, but not at night for them.  So, all good. From 1pm until 3pm the speakers based in Europe and Africa will be on. That is problem-free. And from 4pm until 6pm the speakers based in the Americas will be on – which will be in the morning hours of the Americas, but not at night. So, all good once again.”

Bischoff said there’s still exhibition space available for the live portion of the event, as well as virtual booth space for the virtual edition, as well as for the September event in Prague. Details are available on TESAffiliateConferences.com.

Those interested in sponsoring the TES hybrid event in July, or any other upcoming TES event, can reach Bischoff at andreas@tesaffiliateconferences.com.