7 trends that will shape next year's events
American Express Meetings & Events has recently presented its “2018 Global Meetings and Events Forecast”, which identifies the main trends that will mark the MICE sector over the coming year:
1.- Technology, for the attendee and for the organizer.
When it comes to “leaving a mark” and improving the attendee's experience, technology is increasingly emerging as a powerful weapon to turn the event into an experience. Virtual reality, artificial intelligence, the use of drones or robotics are some of the options that are increasingly being incorporated into the design and execution of events.
Mobile apps continue to be the technological tool par excellence to reinforce loyalty, interaction before, during and after the event and, in general, to improve the attendee experience.
Among the advantages of having an app in the framework of an event, industry professionals highlight the improvement of networking and interaction among participants, the improvement of attendee engagement, the possibility of being able to communicate practically in real time last minute changes or emergency situations, as well as the possibility of making documentation or reservations available to the attendee electronically.
The apps are becoming a fundamental tool for the meeting planner when it comes to managing and planning each of the elements involved in the organization of the event. It helps the organizer to “take the pulse” of the event in real time through the opinions and reactions of the participants.
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The meeting planner's growing concern for security is also among the trends that will mark events during 2018 and that will undoubtedly mark the attendee's experience. Political, social and economic instability in many countries is a factor to take into account when choosing an event destination.
50% of participants surveyed in Central America consider security to be the main factor that determines the choice of one destination or another, while in Asia-Pacific that figure also reaches 41%. In Europe, 33% of participants rank security as the main priority that determines not only the choice of destination, but also the means of transport, accommodation or the choice of activities offered to attendees at the destination.
3.- The event as a strategy.
Most of the participants in the study agree that there is a growing desire to have an event strategy that is fully aligned with the strategic objectives of the company in question. This point becomes a fundamental element when it comes to allocating budgets and allocating human and material resources to the design and execution of events, but also to establish a coherent and consistent strategy that redounds and contributes to the general objectives of the company.
However, the study also points out that there is a huge challenge ahead in terms of companies establishing an event strategy, as in many cases the event is still perceived as a cost rather than an investment that can drive and support the company's overall strategy.
4.- Time to evaluate results.
Rigorously evaluating the results of events continues to be, on many occasions, an unfinished business, but the study shows that companies are increasingly emphasizing the importance of quantifying the effectiveness of an event in some way. Technology becomes the protagonist at this point, since it allows us, for example, to monitor reactions, opinions, experiences or attendee reactions in real time, converting this huge amount of information into useful data through the possibilities offered by big data.
5.- The power of “face-to-face”.
Less than a third of the participants in the study believe that virtual events will make up more than 10% of the total number of events they will hold during 2018. According to industry professionals from all regions, technological tools such as videoconferencing can be useful for small, in-house events or as a complement to a face-to-face event. But the event organizer is still aware that the "face-to-face" provides advantages, such as the quality of relationships between attendees or networking opportunities, which could hardly be replaced by the virtual event.
6.- Creativity.
When looking for the attendee to live a unique and genuine experience, events become more and more creative. Like any communication or marketing strategy, the event increasingly revolves around a creative concept that permeates every element involved in the celebration of the event, as well as the pre- and post-event. Most participants suggest that the fact that an event is creative is a determining factor in whether it becomes a success for its attendees.
7.- The “fever” for wellness
The growing concern for health and wellness has also reached the event. Participants in the study say that it is becoming increasingly common to choose locations, activities or diets that benefit the attendees' well-being and their growing concern for fitness and health.