It's simply a more effective way of communicating I think as there's less room for misinterpretation and a greater ability to build better rapport which can lead to better communication and future relationship. It's a no-brainer I think, although there's certainly room for digital communication where required; for me, I'll defer to face to face where possible and practicable.
There's so many benefits to face to face interaction as you would have found out over this weekend.
Thanks for your comments.