The Future of Events 2023

For those of us in the events industry, recent years have been tough. After bouncing back from a global pandemic that brought our business to a halt, we are now dealing with a financial crisis. Despite all of these challenges, the events industry is still surrounded by a positive attitude and a buzz of excitement. We are happy to say that 2023 appears to be a promising year for all of us.

In-person Events are Back!

Even though there was a rise in in-person events in 2022, 2023 hopes to build on that. According to 71% of event decision-makers, it is difficult for virtual events to capture the experience of an in-person trade show. Considering that 95% of exhibitors prefer live events over virtual ones. While we do anticipate some virtual events in 2023, we think in-person events will still be favored by many companies. The in-person events business is expected to have its “strongest year ever” in 2023, according to Meeting & Group Business magazine.

Experience-first Events

Attendees are more eager than ever for genuine and memorable experiences after years of lockdowns and virtual events. Events in 2023 will need to concentrate on giving guests the finest experiences possible to provide exhibitors with real ROIs. To genuinely become an “experience first event,” live events will need to make the most of the resources, including holding parts of their events in the Metaverse and making the most of social media.

Event Technology

AR and VR

Technologies like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are gaining popularity in the world of events. The education system has also had quite a dramatic adoption of these technologies. For instance, Microsoft HoloLens allows you to step inside the human body while SkyView teaches you about constellations. Just think of the “wow” factor event planners can offer with these options.

Accessibility

The growing use of virtual and hybrid events has made it possible for us to attract attendees from all over the world. As event planners, this has pushed us to adapt and break through the language barrier. We anticipate seeing live translation used at next year’s larger events because it enables the inclusion of guests who might otherwise miss out on the experience.