The eventing industry locally and worldwide has seen more than its fair share of ups and downs over the last two to three years. The overarching challenge of navigating our ‘new world order’ has left a residual impact on eventing as we know it.
Even with most events getting back into the swing of in-person formats, no one can deny that eventing looks different these days – and will likely look different for good. This new era has come with new hurdles that we must respond to and overcome: ‘adapt or die’, as the saying goes.
Ensuring that your event products can be adjusted to fit within new industry realities is going to be the key to knowing where to allocate your resources going forward. Flexibility, innovation, and creativity are essential components of a successful eventing toolkit.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of these eventing hurdles…
The greatest challenges the events industry is facing right now
1. Rising Costs
The costs of putting on an event continue to climb, yet budgets are growing tighter. This poses a significant challenge for event planners: how do we do more for less? And how do we do it well? Balancing budget with experience remains a constant juggling act. Inflation continues to rise, including the cost of staff and supplies.
Event planners are being forced to be resourceful and reconsider their usual formats in order to meet attendees’ networking needs, all while feeling the pinch of those ever-tightening purse strings. Key stakeholders are keeping an eagle eye on ROI, scrutinising every line item on the budget, and demanding data to back up every expense.
2. Decreased Demand for In-Person Events
According to the latest event statistics, hybrid and virtual events still have a claim on the eventing space, even though we are seeing a strong move back to in-person gatherings. Most events continue to offer the option to attend remotely, giving more guests access to events they would otherwise need to travel for.
The rise of the remote working environment has proved that great eventing is possible without attendees being in the room, and many prefer it that way. Meeting the expectations of both in-person and remote attendees without compromising on a great event experience is a constant challenge.
3. Travel Chaos
The costs and logistical nightmares associated with travel these days remain a challenge to the eventing sector. Attendees are finding it harder to justify the cost and environmental impact of flying in general, especially when it’s compounded by constant logistical issues found throughout the travel industry.
Attendees need a really good reason to leave the house and endure the unpredictability of air travel to attend an event in person. Flight mishaps regularly disrupt the travel plans of keynote speakers, exhibitors, and staff members heading to events. Therefore event planners have to prioritise event formats that minimise the stress associated with travel.
4. Technology Issues
A great event requires great technological support, and yet event planners worldwide are identifying tech constraints as one of their top challenges. Most events today reflect a combination of in-person, virtual, and hybrid experiences, and require a robust technological setup to power them successfully.
From event registrations to check-ins, and live streaming to mobile eventing apps, the need for seamless tech flexibility is essential for a successful event that brings value to all involved.
Face your eventing challenges with Flock
While some of these challenges in the event space require significant effort to meet and overcome, technology and digital support don’t have to be one of them. Book a demo with us today and see how our effective and efficient event solutions can help you put on amazing event experiences within your budget.