Predicting the event trends we’ll see by the end of 2024:
1) Implementation of event technology
I feel like we say this every year, but technology is going to become ever more present in our lives. Technology will be implemented in all areas of event running, including ticketing, the accessibility and the entertainment.
Implementing technology in the ticketing of events helps to improve both security and speed of admission. Technology; such as with gates, automated entry, facial recognition and barcodes; is aimed to reduce line times, staff numbers and overall costs. Entry, exits and re-entry can remain consistent before, during and after the event.
Virtual reality (VR) has become increasingly popular over the last five years. The technology itself has come on leaps and bounds, able to be used at any event and in a range of scenarios. Very entertaining, stallholders may want to implement VR to help draw in a crowd and interact with potential customers. Perfect for parties, virtual reality games entertain more than just the user, but also the viewing public.
Augmented reality (AR) works hand in hand with events. Different to VR, AR is an overlay for the real world, adding a new HUD to the public’s experience. Perfect for large events, it can act as a directional marker and optional information provider.
In the past few years, we’ve seen these technologies be implemented in various creative ways, and are eagerly looking forward to its progression further throughout 2024.
2) Environmentally-friendly events
In 2022, the climate crisis and sustainability issues became the focal point of political agendas and regular front page news. Major disasters included Australian bush fires, Pakistani floods and African droughts. People are more than ever paying attention to their footprint.
You can publicise the sustainability of your event by implementing a few significant changes. Ensuring your event has wood, paper or metal straws instead of plastic; has segmented waste disposal units; and doesn’t use one-time use materials.
The popularity of veganism and vegetarianism also needs to be in the minds of event hosts. Ensure there is an adequate vegan option when catering your event. Try to use locally sourced products which are organically produced.
Encourage your attendees to use eco-friendly transportation, such as cycling, to your event from their hotel or from the station. Research your venue and research their practices to see if their ethics fall in line with your own.
3) Getting busy at events
Making an event tangible and new will be what define the best from the rest. 2024 will be the year of in-person experiences, as prospects and customers are seeking something that sparks their interest. With the growth of the Metaverse and the reaffirmation of contact post-covid, engage your audience appropriately. Turn your dead spaces into areas where creativity can flourish.
Get creative – build a sensory path, make appetisers, add VR and AR options. Allow customers to be your marketing tools by offering picture opportunities – For example: If you run a car or bike show, allow customers to interact with the exhibits. Bring out their childish side, include free access to art work, colouring, sculpture, and writeable walls. All these ideas can be cheaply implemented and will bring your event to life. They are also highly prone to social media stories, effectively weaponizing your clientele for your own gain.
4) Businesses and event organisers will struggle
Inflation has hit the economy hard, with huge impacts on the retail, hospitality and events sectors in particular. The cost of living crisis is affecting everyone, including potential customers, and the cost of setting up and running a successful event has risen. Energy prices have soared from last year, with security costs and insurance premiums also increasing. It’s only logical to predict businesses will struggle in 2024, so what do event organisers and stallholders need to do to protect their finances?
It’s critical for businesses, stallholders and event organisers to keep on top of what customers want in order to remain successful. Streamlining the business, adopting technology, embracing new practices and evolve in this difficult economic period before us.
Successfully advertising the business will be critical, which means attending events, networking with individuals, continually growing a client base. Event organisers need to accommodate this by creating cost-effective events and help provide a platform for businesses to promote themselves.
5) Local events
With a greater focus on costs, businesses will be more keen to reduce travel expenses – we predict local events to explode this year. Train strikes, busier roads, more traffic jams and the increased cost of travel means businesses will be less keen to look further afield, instead maximising their output locally.
Event organisers should look toward putting on regular events for the local community, with many certainly willing to support local ventures and local businesses post-covid.
Running an event? Get insurance
Event insurance is essential for both stallholders and event organisers. Whether you’re planning a party, celebration, market, festival, concert, dog show or wedding – all one-off events require insurance.
Effective public and employers’ liability insurance will cover you for any eventuality that causes claims to be made against you. Bad weather and cancellation insurance will cover the costs of your event, which is why we highly recommend purchasing insurance is one of the first priorities to get checked off the to-do list when planning an event.
Still unsure? See our quote form for an instant price on your event.
