It’s time to talk about what’s going to be shaking up the events industry in 2020! Things are constantly growing and evolving in events, but what does this mean for this year in particular?
To succeed in this industry you must be flexible, dynamic, and most importantly, cater to your attendees needs so it’s important to keep up with the latest trends to ensure your events aren’t so 2019. Keep reading if you want to know the top 5 things you should expect from events in 2020.
1. Data-Driven Events
Data is now at the forefront of everything in the business world! Data is essential in helping organisations to function and helps us to understand where improvements need to be made in the future,! What most events organisations are planning on doing in 2020 is using previous event data that has been gathered through registration systems and online testimonials to improve customer experience, deliver more value-driven content and provide more personalised services in this increasingly competitive market. Data offers us the opportunity to figure out where we need to make improvements and map out goals and content for the next event so it’s vital to your success in 2020.
2. A continued focus on sustainability
Sustainability has been fighting its way into events for years now. The events industry has a HUGE carbon footprint. As event planners we each need to do our bit to minimise this, especially with climate change being a global crisis more now than ever before. According to CWT, 75% of Generation Z book their travels on their phones. We need to take advantage of this trend by using e-tickets! Everyone loves a sustainable event, and 2020 is the year that events will be seriously focussing on this. As events organisations we can take steps like banning single use plastics, going paperless, and holding events that are easily accessible by foot, to name a few ideas. Every little helps!
3. Networking events will continue to grow and expand
The rise in the demand for meetings and business events has been on the increase. However, 2020 will see a huge spike in the demand as businesses want more face-to-face interaction with their business relationships and consumers. Businesses love to invest in relevant networking events as a marketing channel as it allows them to connect with potential new business colleagues. If you are organising them, ensure that all attendees complement one another and have potential of becoming business partners.
4. Unique venue experiences are in high demand
Event attendees are more and more interested in attending events at unique and diverse venues rather than just a standard hotel. A 2019 survey by socialtables.com found that 92% of planners and property professionals said they believe events are more likely to be booked outside of a hotel than they were five years ago. In light of this change, we’re adding more quirky venues to our portfolio this year.
5. Attendee experiences will define events
Linking back to the last point about unique venues, having a unique event idea is just as important. A creative event idea could be the key to your success. Kelly Peacy, Founder of Insight Event Strategy says that “the expectation is high with experiences at events. It’s just not good enough to put your event in a hotel room or convention centre with little regard as to the experience around it.” This year, event experiences will continue to define events and the jobs of the event organisations behind them. A creative event leaves a long-standing impact on its attendees and as an event organiser, a successful event could give you major exposure to become recognised, leading many more opportunities. So, let’s get creative in 2020!
The evolution of technology and ever-changing attendee expectations and demands will continue to redefine current trends in the event industry. If you are planning events in 2020, these 5 event trends will be what you can expect to see this year, and each trend is a different opportunity to maximise your engagement and success this year. If you’d like us to help you with your events strategy in 2020, you can get in touch with me at natalia@secreteventservice.com.
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