For months, I have been listening to my colleagues and friends in the event industry and everyone has had the same question rolling around in our minds: when can large-scale events come back? At the beginning of the pandemic, we thought it would be Fall 2020 but clearly that didn’t happen. With the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine underway, many are seeing it as a sign of hope that we could be back in convention centers and ballrooms later this year.

However, I have another thought on the timeline and here it is:

Could hotel skeleton staffing levels offer freelancers the opportunity to help shape the future? 

It’s hard to believe that in just two months we’ll be embarking upon the anniversary of the hospitality industry getting dismantled due to the effects of COVID-19. Not exactly an anniversary to celebrate, is it? I guess that depends on perspective though, as many individuals have risen from the ashes, focused on personal development and have possibly started new ventures where they are the boss now. Consider “freelancer” and “consultant” a few of your first 2021 buzzwords.

Let’s not sugarcoat it, the past 12 months have been difficult for everyone, especially the industry closest to our hearts: the business of meetings and events. It is easy to find ourselves a bit dejected and perhaps a bit confused. There was no rule book written for a year like 2020, and there’s no clear guide to move us forward in 2021. However, we’ve weathered storms together in the past, and we will move through this and dare I say, end up better than ever. With a little perspective and positivity, 2021 can be your best year yet!

It's an understatement to say that by many measures, this was an unusual and challenging year for us all. However, to be fair, I watched some TV series that I would never have considered and hope to never see again. Especially if they involve "big cats."

It has been a challenging year for everyone but your team needs their morale boosted now, more than ever. If you’ve bravely taken on the responsibility of planning the office holiday party this year but are struggling to come up with last-minute ideas, look no further!

Read on to find out some out-of-the-box ideas to host the best ever party for your team.

Being part of an event, whether virtual or in-person, takes energy, time, money and resources, and some businesses struggle with deciding if a show is a good fit or even the right decision at all. 

Use these tips to figure out what kind of industry event is right for you, how and where to look for them and why they are crucial.

Do You Share The Same Target Audience?

You’ve undoubtedly been hearing a lot lately – and not just in this space – about the COVID-19 pandemic giving rise to something often described as the Zoom Era. Virtual events, you see, have been a necessary function of maintaining public health, social distancing and general decorum. Whether it’s a work meeting, symposium, classroom or concert, we’ve all been dutifully doing our part to suck it up, hunker down and log on. For now.

As 2020 draws to close, COVID-19-weary event planners are looking towards a fresh start, a reboot for 2021. Whether planning for a conference, meeting or trade show, there are plenty of things to do beforehand to let your guests know they are walking into a clean and healthy environment. While there is no silver bullet, keeping proper cleaning protocols in place will help keep your event safe and secure. Clean is not only the new cool, it is critical for success.

Imagine an events ecoysystem where speakers can present remotely via engaging holograms. Where online events can have unlimited attendees and virtual reality can transport those attendees to unexpected and immersive environments. Where brands can geolocate customers at an event, make relevant recommendations based on their past buying behaviors, and distribute hyper-personalized content every step of the way. 5G technology will soon make it all possible.

Now that the novelty of online and virtual events has worn off a bit, organizations are looking for new ways to keep their audiences engaged. Many are turning to a perhaps unexpected source for inspiration: Hollywood.

It makes sense when you think about it — Hollywood knows how to tell a good story, and their stars are engaging. Plus, they know how to keep their audiences coming back for more, and that is pretty much what every company wants, no matter the specifics of their business objectives.