Planners Embrace Transformational Experience-First Events

25.08.2023 - 14:22 / skift.com

Gains in efficiency were realized during the pandemic when virtual gatherings were the only option. There was no other choice — business had to be conducted online.

Most companies survived with the help of technology. People met, collaborated, and work got done. As a result, online meetings are here to stay.

Today, attendees need a compelling reason to leave the house and get on a plane to meet in person. Why go to the trouble of traveling if you can access the information presented from home?

In this new report from Skift Meetings, we explore seven key trends that will shape the meetings industry in 2023 and beyond. These trends will shape how we plan, design, and execute business events in the coming year. Download the report now to see what the future holds for the meetings industry in 2023.

The days of windowless conference rooms serving rubber chicken and soggy potatoes out of rows of stainless-steel chafing dishes are gone. So are talking heads standing behind wooden lecterns spewing words that dissolve into thin air. 

It is now about creating welcoming environments where attendees drive their own experiences. Agendas are fluid, content shorter, breaks more often, start times later, and lunches longer. The future starting in 2023 is all about self-directed event experiences. 

Attendees are demanding to return home inspired and connected. One of the byproducts of the pandemic is how time is valued more than ever. “Attendees are now more intentional with their time and more empowered about how they spend it. More priority is focused on wellbeing, both physical and mental, and making space for the things and people that enrich us,” said Greg Bogue, chief experience architect at Maritz Global Events.

“We used to be able to embrace the idea that if we build it, they will come. Now, as event designers, we have to think of this with a different lens, with attendees now feeling, ‘If they build it for me, I will come.”

Events will continue to focus on connection, community, and content. If the last two years taught the industry anything, it is the fact that connecting face-to-face is powerful. “We see the fallout of what happened to us when that was removed for several years — the toll it took on mental health as individuals as well as the impact on workforce culture,” said Bogue.

Spontaneous conversation during breaks, enjoying a meal together, eye contact, and body language is hard to replicate online. Therefore, meetings and events that encourage connection and meaning are well-positioned for success in the future.

Anick Beaulieu, vice president of growth and partnerships for C2 International, the company behind C2 Montreal, stresses that the depth of the experience is most important. “Creating wow