2021: what does the future hold for conferences, meetings & events?

The ‘new normal’ is a term that we often hear, but what can we expect to happen to conferences and meetings this year and in the future?

We all want to get back to socialising and meeting again, but there is concern about safety.

The question ‘is this meeting necessary’ will become normal. Some people are fed up with virtual meetings, but others have got used to working from home, are more productive and don’t want to spend time travelling.

The Talk Talk Group has done some research in to home working productivity and discovered:

• 58% of workers in the UK said they had been more productive because of working from home, while over half (52%) said they never expect to return to a five-day working week in the office
• A quarter (24%) have started to learn a language over lockdown, while a nearly a fifth (18%) worked on their IT & digital skills
• When business leaders were asked to select what the most important factors are in enabling effective working from home, 81% identified a safe, fast and reliable broadband connection
• 40% of business leaders said they expect to invest in digital skills and training more in the future, while almost a quarter (23%) named home broadband

Large meetings -v- small meetings

So, does this mean that there will be fewer smaller meetings? Maybe not, as people do want a different experience to meeting via their phone, laptop or pc. But there are other options, such as group whiteboarding using a touchscreen or draw-on-screen computer.

Large meetings are expected to be popular, despite increasing costs. Air fares will go up as the airlines revise their timetables and plan for financial stability.

The bigger the event, the easier and more cost-effective it will be to offer the flexibility of live or virtual attendance. International attendees will have the choice of travelling or dialing in to sessions in their own time. This is likely to boost overall attendance. It also gives organisers the ability to extend the event by sharing content beforehand, during and afterwards.

Technology

We’ve all improved our technology skills in the last year and technology is a huge growth area. The tools that event organisers are using will be very different in the future to the ones they are using now.

Designers are working to improve the event experience. There’s a lot to learn about using cameras and microphones to engage the audience. Rehearsals are essential, as well as a guide to technical requirements and an emergency-backup plan.

Health, Safety and Hygiene Protocols

The hospitality industry was quick to adopt higher standards and will continue to improve their programmes. The two main accreditations in the UK are Visit Britain’s We’re Good to Go and AIM Secure. In addition, there are many others such as the HBAA and Quality in Tourism’s Safe Clean & Legal, AIPC, ICCA and UFI’s Good Practice Guide, COVID-19 Certify, COVID-19 Control, COVID-19 Aware and AA’s COVID-19 Confident. Hotel groups have introduced their own standards and best practices such as such as Hilton’s CleanStay programme, Accor’s ALLSAFE and Marriott International’s Global Cleanliness Council.

Longer hotel bookings

Hotels have introduced extended stay programs as they expect travellers to take longer, but fewer trips. It’s a case of travellers taking the opportunity when then can, rather than risking several shorter trips which could be cancelled.

Improved working facilities and technology

Hotels are expecting visitors to combine business with pleasure, so are introducing dedicated spaces (other than Business Centres or bedrooms with better working facilities and faster WIFI.

Technology is being used to reduce human contact, with online check-ins, mobile keys and room settings controlled by touchless tech.

There will be more use QR codes or scannable menus to order food and beverage. The grab-and-go options, or room service leaving a meal at the bedroom door are expected to increase.

Space and Privacy

Guests are requesting more space and privacy, so that travellers can avoid contact with strangers and relax in their own environment.

There is more demand for outside space, whether it is for meetings and events, dining, coffee breaks or leisure.

Sustainability

This trend continues as guests and event attendees want to reduce their impact on the environment. Reducing waste, the use of water and sourcing local products are all important factors.