I gleaned some content from Cvent, an industry-leading meeting, events, hospitality technology provider, and others. Here are some meeting industry trends you need to know.
Millennials are the decision-makers now (I was talking about this when presenting to NSA Houston over the weekend):
+ Millennials are the largest segment in the labor force and the largest pool of potential meeting attendees
+ They value networking, experiences, and face-to-face meetings
Attendees want more control over the meeting agenda:
+ In-person meetings are back
+ Personalization is critical, with plans and options that appeal to different aspects of the industry.
+ Attendees want choice not only in content but also in food, activities, and breakout spaces.
Meetings should be “purposeful” experiences:
+Attendees want meetings with meaning, innovation, ideas, and insight, actionable strategies
+Purposeful meetings involve elements of high content, well-being, and connection to the world
Technology helps planners pull off more than ever before:
+ Event technology can now decrease costs, increase productivity, and increase attendance
+ It helps with marketing, management, event planning, real-time audience engagement
Where you meet matters more than ever before:
+ The destination is an essential part of meeting planning
+ Purposeful meetings often require a goal that reinforces the meeting’s purpose
+ Midsize cities are becoming more attractive to planners
Smaller cities offer convenience, knowledge economies, specific cultures, and lower prices:
+ Cities like Nashville have made significant moves to bring the meetings industry into their economy
+ Nashville saw a 38% increase in conventions between 2011 and 2016
Meeting industry trends are redefining event design and execution:
+ Millennials’ preferences are pushing for more significant and more engaging experiences. That’s why we’re seeing fewer hybrid events. They want to encourage attendance.
+ Technology is enabling planners to create these experiences.
