Event planners increasingly expect hybrid events to be more common in future and fewer think that the popularity is temporary, according to recent research by etc.venues. In fact, 73 percent of event planners now think hybrid events will continue to be more common in the future—up from 67 percent when asked in May—while those who think this is just a temporary trend have gone down accordingly by 6 percent.
With that said, the "irreplaceable" quality of face-to-face meetings was revealed, as 88 percent of event planners said they value face-to-face meetings more at the end of 2020, up from 77 percent in May.
These are two of the top insights gleaned from a recent survey with responses from over 400 event planners in the U.K. and U.S. by etc.venues, a U.K.-based provider of urban, non-residential event venues. Several questions included in previous research in May were asked again.
Adam Simpson, director of marketing and sales in the U.S., said in a press announcement, “To quantify how these trends have continued to develop since May when we thought the barriers to meeting face-to-face were only temporary is fascinating and very helpful. As we go into another period of lockdown it will be interesting to see if this appetite continues to grow.”
In the latest survey, when asked where they think virtual meetings and events will be broadcast from throughout 2021, 20 percent expected they would be from a professional studio set-up, 35 percent said from an office using video conferencing and the remaining 45 percent said it would be via Zoom from home.
Simpson added, “As hybrid and virtual events are increasingly established alongside live events, event planners are keen to refine and enhance the quality of presentation and the virtual audiences’ experience. In light of this we are expanding our studio offering and investing in the development of our virtual venue tours to help remote attendees feel more integrated with the live audience.”
Visit www.etcvenues.com.
Related Stories
American Express: Hybrid Gatherings Pave the Return to In-Person Meetings & Events
Stats: 82% of Planners Believe a Vaccine Is Top Factor for Return of In-Person Events
First Live Event Staged in New York City As etc.venues Partners With NECTR