Forecasting trends for the year to come is an exciting end of year ritual, and we’ve been soaking it all up. But as great as it is to predict what’s to come, how about we decide what the future of the meetings and events industry could be? Here’s a combination of what’s in the ether — and what should be. Presenting 2024’s biggest and most game-changing trends for 2024.
Greenwashing just won’t cut it
Positive impact is now a clear differentiator. It’s not enough to go paperless or offset mileage, or to send a couple of green-sounding press releases. Events must have sustainability as a core principle of their planning from the outset, or risk being perceived as backward. At Business Events Montréal we champion sustainable actions by following a clear sustainable tourism directive, offering a free toolkit and supporting our community. We’re lucky in Montréal to have a selection of certified sustainable event spaces to choose from, not least our striking Palais des congrès, Montréal’s convention centre, which is BOMA BEST 3-certified and full of creative ideas for avoiding waste and lowering the industry’s footprint.
Togetherness is in overdrive — but also we need chill zones
The isolation years had one clear effect: making us appreciate the unique connections and exchanges that come from in-person gatherings. More than ever, the industry numbers show it’s about the human need to meet, share and thrive. As reported by Globetrender, 78% of the meeting professionals polled expect the number of in-person meetings to increase in 2024. By the same token, sensory overload is also something most are more aware of — so it’s a must to design your event environments with plenty of areas to take a break and recharge. That means foreseeing sensory deprivation rooms and nooks with lower lighting or minimized sound.
One-of-a-kind experiences reign supreme
AS we all know, the success of an event is only as powerful as the memories and ripples it creates. And based on the principles of joyconomy, the best ROX — or return on experience —comes courtesy of small, extraordinary moments. You can integrate these by collaborating with local experts who’ll introduce you to fun, only-here experiences, or you can gamify your events with scavenger hunts, quizzes, competitions and alluring prizes that keep attendees engrossed. Attendees are more likely to retain your key messages when they’re actively invested in the experience, which will translate into a more impactful and meaningful event.
Here comes the automation revolution
We’ve been dabbling with AI for a while, but 2024 will take it up to a whole new level. Projects like the pilot that was tested earlier this year at Montréal’s Palais des congrès prove how invaluable AI-collected data can be for predicting attendee engagement, for example. Beyond that, AI-powered event management platforms can automate repetitive tasks such as registration and ticketing to free up your time so you can focus on the strategic and creative aspects of the profession, but they can also help with that by suggesting event speakers and session scheduling. Another notable use of AI is AI-powered marketing assistants, which optimize your audience communications by automating email scheduling, social media posting and data analysis.
Inclusive personalization at scale
Automation is all well and good, but only inasmuch as it increases the ability to personalize services to every attendee. Inclusivity is key to event design today, whether that’s on a gender, culture, mobility or sensory front. Inclusive designs ensure that all individuals, regardless of their specific requirements, can not only fully participate and engage in your events, but do so without standing out or being spotlighted. Wheelchair accessibility goes without saying for most event spaces, but real-time captioning of presentations and panel discussions, as well as automatic translation for international events, are also easy courtesies that ensure all attendees will feel addressed.
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