Future meeting outlook positive but expect changes
Virtual meetings are growing but the outlook for small and large events in the year 2020 is strong, according to a survey of 1,125 meeting and event professionals from 76 countries who were asked to look into the future.
"But to attract customers will require significant innovation in meeting formats, business models, organizational capabilities and the use of technology," according to Martin Sirk, CEO of the International Congress and Convention Association.
That group together with IMEX and Fast Future Research sponsored the Convention 2020 study.
"Far greater focus on enabling business will be expected, ranging from ensuring the right people are there to facilitating on the spot transactions and proving the return on investment," said project director and Fast Future CEO Rohit Talwar. He added:
"The next decade promises an uncertain economic climate where optimism and growth will be unevenly distributed across the planet, and where technology will offer an ever wider range of alternatives to live events.”
Study highlights:
• Nearly 80 percent of respondents expected growth in smaller, more sophisticated meetings.
• About half expected fewer larger events.
• Almost half of the participants forecast an "explosion in the number of free or very low-cost evening only meetings held in low-cost venues," such as libraries, wine bars and schools.
• Networking will be the biggest single factor to encourage attendance by 2020, agreed three-quarters of the respondents.
• Three-quarters of respondents expect live video streaming to remote participants to be common by 2020 and 70 percent expect a social network before, during and after events.
• Asked to identify the main drivers of today, a majority answered “quality of content, interaction, technology and networking.”
The three largest respondent groups in the study were the United States (22 percent), Germany (12 percent) and United Kingdom (11 percent), followed by Asia-Australasia (11 percent), Middle East-Africa (5 percent) and South America (2 percent).
By David Wilkening
David
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers