03/22/2023

Report: In-person Meetings Are Back, But Challenges Remain

It's harder to get more attendees and exhibitors to in-person events

In-person conferences have bounced back from the doldrums of COVID-19. But a new report finds that the return to in-person has not been as robust as hoped, and many leaders are concerned about their value proposition.

According to Omnipress' 2023 Conference Industry Report, released last week, an increasing percentage of organizations held in-person conferences in 2022: 49 percent, compared to 37 percent in 2021. But the percentage of those hosting hybrid meetings exploded, from 18 percent in 2021 to 47 percent last year, suggesting that meeting planners aren’t all-in on in-person events. (The report is based on a survey of 200 executives and meeting professionals from multiple industries, including associations.)

“Shifting attendee priorities, post-pandemic economic recovery, and staffing issues have made it harder for some attendees and their organizations to justify the time away and the expense,” the report said. “This puts even greater burden on planners to make their event truly worth attending.”

Please select this link to read the complete article from Associations Now.