Event Industry In 2019

The year 2019 is on its way to winding up. The event industry in 2019 adopted some new practices and left some old traditions behind. While some myths got shattered, some beliefs were strengthened. After covering this long journey of changes and challenges, we are finally at this point where we can discuss how 2019 looks like. Here are these major event industry trends we noticed throughout the year- 

More organised approach

2019 brought a significant shift from passive to active event promotions. Organisers were more organised in their plan to attract the audience. As a result, event marketing was more experiential and intent-driven. Organisers leveraged the potential of advanced technology to target the right audience. Digital marketing was still a leading way to connect to the potential audience. Event organisers have stopped considering it as a separate domain and it now forms the core of overall marketing. Organisers also devised ways to leverage social media channels. Live streaming made the events accessible even to the remote audience. 

Overseas audience 

Overseas travel for business became more frequent this year. Consequently, there was a significant rise in the number of overseas audiences, especially in large scale events. Many event organisers recognised this change which was obvious as the partnership between events and travel agencies/hospitality brands grew deeper this year. 

Digital safety 

While digital safety was a major debate of 2018, 2019 witnessed its on-ground applications. Event industry was quick enough to respond to the privacy issue. The effect of stringent GDPR laws was evident as event managers were more cautious in securing and handling event data. Event professionals chose to comply with the new rules than risk huge fines. Not just data safety, even venue security was a major concern of event organisers. 

Not just Persona prediction but Real Personalisation

Personalisation isn’t a new concept. Especially in the event industry, organisers have always focused on the personal touch. But one thing has changed. While earlier, organisers worked on various attendees personas and planned their campaign accordingly. These days, the advancement in event technology redefined personalisation by making it more data-driven and accurate. Organisers moved beyond persona creation and attained real-personalisation. This was possible because of advanced Artificial intelligence. 

Beyond just apps 

The year of 2019 witnessed more and more event organisers relying on the potential of event apps. Event app not only enhanced the branding of the event but also helped in the engagement of the audience. Organisers realised the importance of event apps and made it a strategic element of their overall event planning. The popularity of white-label apps over container apps gave a clear sign that organisers have started seeing an event app as a branding tool for their event. 

Eco-friendly events 

In recent times, many brands have taken inspiration from the UN’s sustainable development goals and it’s clearly reflected in how they work. Event industry was also not behind in adopting these positive changes. Many venues were designed with ‘Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Platinum certification’ in mind. Also known as LEED certification, it is provided by the United States Green Building Council. While many events and venues achieved ISO 20121 certification, many others decided to do away with single-use plastic waste.

It is clear from the above discussion that 2019 has been about embracing positive changes. Face-to-face meetings are as relevant as always. Technology and digitisation have actually empowered face-to-face meetings by making them more eco-friendly, secure and personalised.