The best part about the new year is that we get to start fresh. Incorporating new trends to make your meetings and events more memorable means effectively using the valuable tools already available to you while merging them with new trends to ensure your 2018 meetings are unforgettable!
Emerging Technology
• Mobile Indoor Positioning Systems. These systems afford attendees a means of successfully navigating their way around an indoor event. Unlike GPS systems, Mobile Indoor Positioning Systems work seamlessly indoors despite barriers such as walls or glass that can distort or block signals.
• Virtual Reality. VR isn’t just for gamers anymore. Utilizing this attention-grabbing technology allows attendees to undergo a more interactive experience, becoming involved in a presentation in a way they’ve never been able to before.
• Planning Tools. Evolving tech functionality makes planning events easier and faster than ever with online tools that allow planners to digitally choose and virtually tour venues, search for suppliers, and even send out RFPs.
Safety + Security
• Peer Security. Increased security demands a greater number of visibly present, uniformed security and police personnel. Additionally, undercover security officers, also known as “peer security,” are increasing at meetings and events. These professionals are intended to inconspicuously blend in with a crowd, while providing enhanced security to address any threats.
• Security Planning. With an even greater emphasis on safety and security, security planning will become one of the most critical aspects of putting together a successful meeting or event this year. Planners should engage more closely with CVBs and venue management to put together a strategy that addresses any potential concerns, such as evacuation plans, warning signals, communication issues, transportation problems, medical emergencies, airport closures, inclement weather, or other natural disasters.
Experiential Engagements
• One-of-a-Kind Experiences. Keeping attendees engaged means involving them in ways that they’ll never forget. To that end, planners will be building itineraries that offer attendees an experience they might never encounter on their own. Producing an unforgettable event might take the shape of incorporating enhanced technology, interactive décor, overarching themes, and appealing activities that encourage group participation, attendee interaction, and social media sharing.
Venues
• Non-Traditional Spaces. Look for more non-traditional event venues, such as pop-up spaces or environments that allow for both large and small group gathering spaces that offer more intimate ambience for networking. Also, consider venues that offer non-traditional breakout spaces, such as on-site cafes, outdoor patios, or hotel lobbies with comfortable seating arrangements that encourage conversation.
