How to entice people back to in-person events with innovative ideas.
To start, some interesting stats from a 2022 poll by Bookelevent.
● 47.6% are likely to organise outdoor in-person events. ● 41.8% are likely to organise virtual events. ● 41.0% are likely to organise indoor in-person events. ● 32.2% are likely to organise virtual reality events.
But with everything else going on in the world and the financial fallout from the pandemic, organisers have also been working with a far small budget - which always tends to go further virtually than in-person.
● 27.8% of respondents reported an estimated budget of $1 to $1,000.
● 26.2% had a budget of $1,000 to $10,000.
● 18.0% had a budget of $10,000 to $100,000
● 14.2% are working with budgets between $100,000 and $500,000
● 13.8% are working with budgets of $500,000 or more.
Whilst there’s no denying that things have definitely started shifting back to face-to-face, we also see that corporate attendees are keeping their budget back to use for only the biggest and ‘most important’ events. They want a big return on their investments.
So, how do we, the providers of these experiences, inspire confidence and excitement in the in-person meetings and event space again?
Simply, the type of innovation that brings the possibilities of what can be done, into a whole new dimension.
Things have moved on since the pre-pandemic days with the metaverse, climate change and authentic experiences becoming key parts of our everyday global dialogue. These will play an important part in the meetings and events of the future, with every aspect serving as a reminder of why in-person will always be preferable.
Luckily, there are some forward-thinking regions that are already putting things into place to make sure our future guests will feel right at home, wherever they go.
Read on for some inspiration…
Inclusion
One of the positives of virtual gatherings was that there was greater accessibility - we are increasingly aware that people live differently, work differently and think differently from each other so it is of the utmost importance that events reflect the diverse nature of our attendees.
With the right planning, there is no reason that in-person M+E can’t be just as welcoming to people from all walks of life.
● Scottish Events Campus and their backpack, are filled with items that help the hustle and bustle of big events less overwhelming. From fidget toys to earplugs and feeling cards, this is a great way to welcome in people who may otherwise avoid a crowded space like this.
● Baltimore, Maryland’s fight against racism with a warm welcome. In order to work towards building an inclusive community, by offering membership to minority-owned businesses and creating hospitality spaces where visitors can be sure of a ‘warm welcome’ from staff who have been trained in D&I. The tourism board even lead with the fantastic camping strapline ‘This is my Boston accent’ from a local minority-owned creative agency.
● Puerto Rico - recently voted ‘LGBTQ+ Destination of the Year’. From the ‘Live Out’ marketing campaign to the round table discussions and special resources for LGBTQ+ job-seekers.
A Taste of Local Life
For travellers across the board today, soaking up the culture of the places they visit is absolutely key to the experience - M+E attendees are no different.
So let’s take a leaf out of the book of leisure destinations to see how we can take guests beyond breakout rooms and bland buffets to give them some play in their work.
● Japan’s Yokohama and its moveable tea room give guests a moment of authentic calm and social interaction in amongst the busy event schedule.
● New Zealand’s Queenstown Connection Program and their offer to event attendees to give back by helping to dig trails for mountain bikers or spending quality time with the lonely. Going above and beyond corporate events to become a temporary part of the community.
● Puerto Rico’s fresh food initiative. Staying on the subject of volunteering, visitors to the beautiful PR can opt into the World Central Kitchen’s food producer network to help fish, fish or harvest whilst getting a glimpse into the country’s farm-to-table movement. Particularly important after the devastation of Hurricane Maria, attendees can really do great things with the proper planning on the side of the organisers.
Next-Gen Technology
In a world where metaverse, AI and 5G have become part of our day-to-day dialogue, you’d imagine (and you’d be right) that expectations on the future of events and destinations dictate that they’re tapped right into it.
But what kind of tech are we talking about?
● San Diego’s super-smart facial recognition that allows you to enter the venue using… just your face … and even complete purchases using pre-submitted payment info. Don’t worry though, it’s not obligatory if guests would rather just stick to QR codes. In a world where we like everything easy and smooth, from our taxi rides to our food deliveries, this speaks to that one click process.
● We really are in the future now. Montreal, Canada’s REAK Technologies have done with the post-event survey and brought in real-time biosignal equipment instead. Why leave it until everybody has forgotten bits? Why not measure brain waves, heart rate, and facial muscle recognition as it happens to see what works and what needs to be reworked next time.
● The triple-towered Marina Bay Sands in Singapore has been looking at hybrid and figured that holograms could make an exciting part of the experience. If, for example, a certain speaker can’t make the ‘in real life’ event, they can be beamed live on stage or even have ‘meetings’ in virtual locations that could be real.
To read more examples, download Skift’s Innovative Destinations Guide.
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