Trends become staples when proven to be useful. Event planning trends forecast by industry professionals for 2019 are oriented towards this philosophy. Astute observations about their customer base produced interesting predictions for the coming year, which include the following:
Tougher Competition for Spaces
Browsing for wedding places in Wichita, KS or a business retreat in Wilmington, NC will be a little trickier in 2019, as demand will continue to outstrip supply this year. The good news is this will make venue owners become more transparent with their pricing.
Technology may also play a role in a planner’s decision. Venue sourcing will become more dynamic, thanks to technology already in place and new services that will make planning easier.
Venue searching technology helps organizers become certain of their location through detailed information and visuals. Virtual 3D walk-through venue presentations will play into venue sourcing, as they give a more 3D look at what planners will be working with. Decisions regarding the venue can be done without multiple site visits or tedious and expensive face-to-face meetings.
Value-Rich Experiences
Nearly all marketers, about 93 percent of them, believe the customers want experiences when they buy a product. Another study pointed out that customers who feel compelled about a product will make them feel more positive about said brands. Planners who want success will want these feelings translated to their events.
A key for converting these facts into an event’s success is providing engaging experiences. Planners must know what will get attendants to be active in these instances. Sit-down presentations can be followed up with a standing dinner with drinks with the speakers at the end. Presentations can become more interactive altogether with forums and incentives.
Paying attention to real-time crowd data will help planners immensely. If their planned formats do not pan out the way they expect them to, they can modify these experiences on the fly. Responding to feedback from attendants will encourage the same people to rebook for the event without extra nudging.
Business and Leisure—Bleisure
Bleisure or business and leisure trips are here to stay. An astounding 79 percent of employees—say leisure activities available at an event determines their return rate. Corporate events are notoriously a hit-or-miss regardless of the industry people work in. The concept of bleisure aims to maximize the productivity of employees through the right balance of work and play.
Planners have always considered the climate, cultural vibe of the venue and company, and weather when they organize events. In bleisure, these aspects are integrated into the decision-making process when coming up with leisure activities for offices. With 71 percent of attendees saying that the destination is a major deciding factor for their attendance, choosing the right locale can spell an event’s success or failure.
Authentic and Sustainable
Sustainable everything is the rage nowadays and it extends to events management. Single-use coffee cups, stirrers, and other plastics and non-recyclable materials may be replaced with more personable souvenirs that attendants can reuse. Sustainable venues that are eco-friendly will also be valued.
At the front and center of these innovations are the customers. After all, the needs of the couple looking for wedding places or the company seeking a retreat form the basis for the event. Good organizers are knowledgeable of what their clients want and follow trends that align with them.
