The global pandemic has radically upended the trends that shape the current and future event industry.
Let’s think about what we see trending in events this year and next year.
Here are some examples..
Virtual & Hybrid Events Are Here to Stay
Perhaps the biggest shift the event industry has seen over the past few months is the shift from in-person events to virtual ones. (Links to an external site.) As cities and countries begin to open up their economies, events are being re-scheduled. While most face-to-face events wont likely return until 2021, a lasting trend of COVID-19 will be increasing popularity in hybrid events. When those who cant attend physically have the option to participate virtually, that results in greater outreach and more attendees at lower costs
Custom Kits Delivered Straight to Attendees Door
Build meaningful connections no matter where your attendees are. Smoothly transition to successful virtual events through engaging communications and show-stopping virtual event essentials kits (Links to an external site.). These kits immerse attendees in your brand, reinforce your key messages, and get people talkingno matter where they are.
Health Risk Mitigation More Important Than Ever
Health and wellness have been major trends in the event industry for some time now. From an increase in physical activities available to a focus on healthy food options, mindfulness, and getting good sleep, health has been an important factor at events for years.
Spread Out Your Event & Attendees
The best practice is to keep people apart, but events exist to bring people together. The way to reconcile this is by concentrating on density. Whether you achieve this by lowering your headcount or scaling up your venue, you need to keep attendee density down to avoid the risk of spreading the virus.
This focus on intimate experiences lines up for what the future of events might look like, including more small- and mid-size events structured as a tour of a continent, country, or geographical region. Having a variety of smaller group events rather than one large one would also allow you to deliver impactful and intimate events
COVID-19 amplified this focus on mitigating health risks (Links to an external site.) as much as possible. Sanitation practices have become standard, venues are limiting capacity, food is pre-packaged and masks are worn to ensure the health and safety of staff and guests alike. There has also been a surge in mindfulness practices and exercises as people try to cope with the stress and anxiety caused by COVID-19.
Sustainability Is Still Important
Sustainability has been trending as an important issue for years and planners have historically incorporated sustainable practices into almost every meeting. While the need for pre-packaged food, disposable gloves, and plastic water bottles may be higher on the checklist right now, the negative environmental impact of single-use plastic is still real.
And the green focus doesnt stop at the recycle bin. As event planners, we have a responsibility to pay attention to how tourism impacts local, national, and global environments (Links to an external site.). Its important to take action now to ensure travel to these destinations can be enjoyed for generations to come.
Creativity Leads to Successful Adaptation
The innovation were seeing today is a testament to the creativity of event and meeting planners and industry leaders as they continue to adapt. Meeting professionals are resilient and resourceful. Innovation in virtual events and creativity in how to move forward with in-person events will drive the industrys path forward through this crisis.
You can also think about any event trends, current issues, or challenges in 2020 and 2021
