As the pandemic stretches toward the one-year mark, charting a clear path forward for meetings and events is proving difficult, but there is some light. Photo Credit:Getty Images
It's 2021, but still feels a lot like 2020. As the pandemic stretches
toward the one-year mark and uncertainty lingers, charting a clear path
forward for meetings and events is proving difficult, but there is some
light — as evidenced at the recently concluded PCMA Convening Leaders
conference. Here are some future trends from leading industry voices:
Demand for sustainable meetings will increase
[The pandemic] raised questions as to what we were doing to the
planet, questions which have existed a long time. [Covid-19] will force
acceleration, change the whole travel industry around tracks that are
more responsible, sustainable, and bring authenticity back to
experiences by sourcing locally, and incorporating CSR elements.
— Markus Keller, senior vice president, sales & distribution, Accor
Create modern work cultures
Lots of talent has been lost as a result of the pandemic. We need to
focus on creating great places to work, with modern working cultures, to
attract the next generation of talent.
— Selina Sinclair, CEO, REALM
Tech-savvy audiences will demand more from virtual events
We are now entering the second phase where technology has to be at
the highest level. Instead of relying on Zoom, bring your speaker to a
green room — I know it’s complicated and very expensive — but...we
always [need] someone [to be] the trailblazer. Hotels and venues must
collaborate: In AV, basic facilities, and be on the same level of
technology-readiness.
Moving forward, technology and emotion will go hand in hand. To
transfer emotional through technology — that’s the challenge I see for
the future.
— Annalisa Ponchia, director of innovation & customer experience,
director of international congress development, AIM Group International
Industry leaders in APAC walk the talk with a 'hybrid' discussion panel that included in-person and virtual speakers. Photo Credit: PCMA/GPJTransform think tanks into 'do tanks'
Some associations are now hosting poster sessions and
knowledge-sharing sessions online, before their in-person meetings, so
that the meeting is really focused on problem-solving and having
collaborative conversations.
— Karen Bolinger, managing director, PCMA APAC
Create inclusive environments
[There's still the challenge] of a divide in technology and bandwidth
in everyone’s homes — that changes your experience…[not just] in the US
but across the globe. How do we level the playing field? There’s a lot
for us to work through in 2021 with our partners.
— Julie Coker, president & CEO, San Diego Tourism Authority
More multi-hub meetings
Multi-hub events are reaching an Olympic Games-level of coordination.
Not just with regards to technology, but also fleeting from one venue
to another, with some attendees in the physical venue and the rest of
the audience virtual.
The other difficult part about hybrid events is the degree to which
[the online audience] can interact with those who are physically at the
venue. For those who are [connecting] virtually, there's a time lapse
and it's never a great experience.
— Markus Keller, senior vice president, sales & distribution, Accor
In-person meetings will never truly go away
Our highest attended meeting so far was virtual. [However], there is
still value in physical events. Our need for personal interaction can't
be replicated from a virtual standpoint.
— Lisa Astorga, director of meetings, International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH)
Rethink space
Hotels have been quick to transform empty guest rooms into co-working
spaces, but there’s a lot of meeting space in hotels that might need to
re-purposed in the long term. If we're not expecting large meetings to
return, then transit these places into broadcast studios in order to
professionalise hybrid or digital events.
— Markus Keller, senior vice president, sales & distribution, Accor