Microsoft Cancels Next Dynamics European Convergence Event “To Save Customers Money”

The lagging world economy has apparently claimed a major Microsoft Dynamics convention as one of its victims.

Microsoft has announced cancellation of its Europe-based Convergence EMEA conference, scheduled for next November in Vienna. Last year's European conference, which serves the European, Middle East, and Asian markets, was held last November in Copenhagen. Attendance at that event was understood to have been close to the previous year's attendance of about 4,000.

Microsoft said it would replace the planned Vienna conference "with local events in select EMEA markets during the October/November timeframe, and content, resources and information will also be made available online." Details have yet to be worked out.

Microsoft reaffirmed its commitment to hold Convergence Atlanta 2010 next April 25-28. Attendance at the just-concluded Convergence New Orleans was understood to have experienced at least a 30% drop in attendance, from about 10,000 at the 2008 Convergence Orlando to about 7,000 in New Orleans.

According to Microsoft, the decision to cancel the upcoming Vienna conference "is consistent with Microsoft Dynamics' ongoing efforts to save customers money by localizing the Convergence content physically and thereby reducing customer travel and expenses...The change is also based on customer and partner feedback and their high level of interest in access to content that is relevant to their markets and is easily accessible. With this change, customers, partners and industry experts in select markets will have the opportunity to come together for in-person networking and learning but the experience will be localized for their particular market."