It seems that nothing can stop the event industry, not even the global pandemic. Indeed, the events in 2020 and 2021 went through a significant rebuild. However, they still achieved to welcome millions of people online or in person. Intimate, emotionally evocative events will come out on top. From health & safety to sustainability – read our top 5 event industry trends we predict for 2022.
1. Face-to-Face Will Be Back
One hard-to-ignore fact is that people are anxious to get back together, especially when it comes to live meetings and events. The event industry thrives on human connections. People are anxious to get back together, shake hands, share hugs, and discuss the business face-to-face. Event planners are working towards creating more immersive experiences. They are looking for ways to fully engage their guests more than ever.
2. Creative Content
In the new year, stay committed to thinking outside the box! Content will continue to evolve in its placement, display, and absorption. Seize a chance to have fun and be creative with it by implementing assets such as gamification, live surveys, and polls, push notifications, chat rooms, and so much more. Be intentional and mindful about the kind of image you want to portray. Keep your event community engaged throughout the year. Post quality and more, post consistently.
3. Health and Safety Will Be Paramount
Ensuring health and safety at in-person events during a pandemic requires a lot of attention to detail, transparency and open communication with attendees, and adherence to health regulations that are constantly changing as the pandemic, well, mutates. Maintaining social distance and indoor mask mandates are most likely going to persist. Where the event will take place will be determined by COVID numbers as well. This makes timing and logistics all the more important. Some of the things to bear in mind; as organizers are contactless, safety reminders and guest screening.
4. Plan B
In 2021, the world has been in and out of lockdown, travel has been made possible again, and at times it has felt like life was back to normal before plunging into another set of restrictions. This has made things very difficult for venues, suppliers, and organizers to plan for the future, as things change so quickly. Whilst the uncertainty has been stressful, we believe it has molded us all into better planners. We have had to stay on top of the curve and make calculated decisions on what’s going to be best for business, best for our events, and of course best for our attendees. Always have a backup plan.
5. A Step Towards Sustainability
There are so many things that we can all do as event organizers to increase the sustainability of our events and reduce the impact they have on our planet, and it’s refreshing to see so many initiatives being introduced at recent events. Small-scale, siloed, low-effort initiatives like recycling sidestep the wide-reaching approach needed to holistically address sustainability, plus, they no longer offer the PR leverage they once did.
Conclusion
Despite the recent concerns around Omicron, we believe the events industry is raring to come back bigger and better than ever. Rethink traditional approaches. Focus on engagement. Build authentic relationships. Be honest. Embrace innovation. Take care of yourself. And to the best of your ability, accept the unknown. Because if there’s anything we’ve all learned, being prepared pays off, but you never know what’s just around the corner.
Here’s to the new year, and creating experiences that help us feel closer than ever. Your event ally is more than just the help. Fortunately, these days you get to work with a partner, not just a vendor. Capitalize on the value of an expert team at Amuse Bespoke and we will collaborate with you through the entire event process, from pre-planning to execution and follow-up.
