When the Coronavirus pandemic hit back in early 2020, no one expected it to last anywhere like a year or longer that has become the fact. The optimists thought the clouds of this life-altering infection would clear in a few weeks as did some previous epidemics. The cynics contended that it could take a few months. Both turned out to be wrong. As we enter the second year of this devastating global calamity, the future of events as we knew them remains unclear.
In the event industry, some players have closed shop and exited the field altogether, while others have morphed into new creatures. While the future looks bleak to some, others see it as an opportunity to transform their core businesses into more sustainable endeavors with lasting power into longer-term future.
The traditional events consisting of many thousands—or even hundreds—crowded in a hotel ballroom for hours and days on end may be a long time before returning. Both the organizers and attendees will remain leery about some events. The future of events in the near term will likely be hybrid of some sort. Digital experiences that emerged in response to the lockdowns are likely here to stay. Much like future of workplace that will now possibly always involve some remote work, events will also take on different shapes and forms.
While the craving for once-in-a-lifetime incentive programs will be the driving force by some participants and their employers to revert to some form of traditional get-togethers, the burden of ensuring the health and safety of participants will weigh heavily on event planners for some time to come. It only takes one asymptomatic infected attendee to play havoc with the wellbeing of all and ruin the experience for many.
Virtual and hybrid events that quickly emerged during the pandemic opened up new avenues for planners. Last year was a big year for virtual events although the format was still new to many event planners—and evolving. Virtual engagement remains one of planners’ biggest challenges throughout this transition. When done right and in tandem with some in-person sessions, virtual or hybrid sessions can only add flavor to an overall program. But offering an event that is geared as much towards an in-person attendee as one that’s online is not as simple as blending both elements together. There is a lot to consider to ensure a successful event regardless of whether or not it is entirely virtual or hybrid.
Organizing a virtual or hybrid event can be a challenging prospect for the unfamiliar, but it doesn’t have to be. Virtual events have now become somewhat of a norm during this pandemic. That makes it important for the planner to master all the requirements to ensure that the event runs smoothly and it is engaging and inspiring for all.
There are glimmers of hope that we may soon be able to look forward to welcoming our attendees in person and offering some of elements that made incentive programs such sought-after perks. For now, it is encouraging that the planners do have other gears in their tool box to keep their clients engaged.
GMS Global Management Services offers a portfolio of event planning and production services, including digital experiences and state-of-the-art platforms for virtual event production, editing and streaming.