South African corporates are ditching hybrid conferences and events in favour of face-to-face ones in 2023, reports FCM, the flagship corporate travel brand at Flight Centre Travel Group.
This shift is perhaps unsurprising for a variety of factors. For one, remote teams may be eager for in-person meet-ups. For another, events are a hugely effective medium for brands to build more personalised relationships with customers – and 3 out of 4 (74%) of marketers regard events and conferences as their most important demand generation tactic.
3 out of 4 (74%) of marketers regard events and conferences as their most important demand generation tactic.
A point in case is the African Mining Indaba which is taking place right now in Cape Town. Bonnie Smith, GM of FCM, says, “With many of our clients in the mining industry, the Mining Indaba has always been an important date on the events calendar. It’s heart-warming to see thousands of delegates converge in person to discuss issues affecting the African mining sector under the theme: Stability, Security and Supply.”
She adds, “Clients planning for virtual and hybrid conferences dropped by 75% in 2022 as compared to 2021. With budgets ready and no concerns about interruptions and cancellations, corporates are once again booking live events throughout 2023 and 2024. Significantly more events are being planned for than in 2019.”
“Clients planning for virtual and hybrid conferences dropped by 75% in 2022 as compared to 2021. With budgets ready and no concerns about interruptions and cancellations, corporates are once again booking live events throughout 2023 and 2024.”
As well as a resurgence in face-to-face events, Smith anticipates the following five trends will define live events in the coming year:
- Sustainably managed
The race to stall climate change is on, and many companies are seeking new ways to improve the sustainability of their operations. Meanwhile attendees would prefer to attend events that are managed in a sustainable and ethical manner.
“As we move towards in-person events, delegates will look for events that promote sustainability and a carbon neutral approach,” says Smith. She cites the recently released COP26 report that advises event planners on how to run more sustainable events. This includes seeking low-carbon alternative energy sources, using re-used and recycled material, prioritising locally sourced and seasonal food items, and encouraging attendees to use sustainable transport.
- Effective use of technology
Technology has created high expectations in your average person, and delegates in 2023 will be expecting seamless experiences that tech makes simple, easy-to-use, quick and effective. Think a touchless registration process, or networking tools that can suggest valuable matches. AI and voice technology could even make an entrance in the conference world soon.
- Engaged attendees
Rather than being merely spectators, modern event attendees want to be engaged at events. This can be done in many ways, from extended networking opportunities to inviting more audience feedback during content sessions. For the latter, we can expect to see more audience-engagement tools for events and conferences that allow attendees to share their personal views and experiences, such as live Q&As, polling and even mood meters.
- On-demand content
Despite the shift to attending events in-person, people still want to be able to access the content online and at their leisure. In response to this, some event organisers are building a 365 community engagement model.
One such event organiser is Megan De Jager, RX Africa Portfolio Director: Travel, Tourism & Marketing. She says, “A trade show is no longer a once-off event, it requires the event organiser to build a community of engaged attendants and connect with them throughout the year.”
She adds that in this regard, RX Africa is working year-round to build a faithful WTM Africa community thanks to its virtual hub: ATW Connect.
- Inclusivity is key
The Skift Meetings’ ‘Meetings Industry Trends to Watch in 2023’ report sums up this trend well when it says ‘Inclusivity is the new diversity’, and elaborates: “Diversity means being invited to the party, while inclusion means being asked to dance.”
Conferences in 2023 cannot stop at being representative of the population; they need to make an effort for everyone to feel valued and welcome.
Smith adds that, with ongoing power outages she expects to see more in-person events taking place, enabling people to escape these frustrations and instead have constructive professional experiences with their peers.
Cover image: By Fabian Friedrich on Unsplash
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