The State of In-person Events

The events industry continues to thrive amid ongoing international challenges - COVID - 19 , monkeypox , a recession , supply chain disruptions , and more . We surveyed event organizers in mid - 2022 and found that not only did 83 % plan to host 3+ in - person events in 2022 , but the perpetual optimism of organizers has become a force multiplier.¹ 2021 83 % hosted at least 1 57 % hosted 3+ 12 % hosted 10+ The State of In - person Events Based on our survey , 72 % of organizers " agree " or " strongly agree " that in - person events are a crucial part of their company's overall marketing strategy . So how many in - person events are organizers planning ? 68 % 45 % Trade Shows & Expos 28 % Webinars A In - person Events : Past , Present , and Future Where In - person Meets Virtual Virtual elements at in - person events are table stakes for a majority of event organizers , and standalone virtual events continue to be a crucial piece of the marketing portfolio . 53 % A CA Let's Talk Event Types The sky's the limit for in - person events . Here are the event types organizers have in their 2022 calendar : 43 % Industry Conferences 21 % Sales Kickoffs plan to have a virtual component at their next in - person event 2022 99 % 83 % are hosting 3+ 24 % are hosting 10+ 12 % 1,001+ attendees are hosting at least 1 21 % 66 Show Me the Money Surprise ! Event budgets are much healthier than is often portrayed on LinkedIn and elsewhere - at least according to our survey respondents.² $ 70 % $ 43 % Private Events 21 % User Conferences Attendees , Participants , and Guests - Oh My ! of organizers said their budgets have " increased " or " stayed the same " from 2021 to 2022 37 % care about their ability to network 500-1,000 attendees 45 % are prioritizing attendee engagement 38 % are prioritizing attendance 35 % are prioritizing budget 35 % are prioritizing COVID - 19 safety 35 % are prioritizing event content According to our survey , 73 % of organizers said people are " ready " or " very ready " to return to in - person events . Only 3 % said participants were not ready . Here's a look at attendance for the last event our survey participants hosted : MM 32 % Field Marketing Events 2023 98 % plan to host at least 1 85 % plan to host 3+ 35 % plan to host 10+ 26 % 13 % Internal Training 51-100 attendees I think it will take time to increase in - person event attendance . Whether participant travel reluctance or business travel budgets , we must navigate these challenges . " 29 % care about the ability to socialize 54 % 33 % 27 % 19 % 11 % are tracking registrations said " I'm or " I'm not * Throughout June and July 2022 , 2 Note that 10 % of respondents involved in the events budget . " 3 Survey participants were given choosing to three priorities . 4 Survey participants were given the option of choosing up to three priorities . the option of up are " focused " or " very focused " on a virtual events strategy for 2023 Pinpointing Priorities and Measuring Event Success Although the majority of event organizers said they're prioritizing attendee engagement , a majority reported that attendance is their top success metric . The Top Priorities for Event Organizers.³ 29 % are prioritizing sponsors 21 % are prioritizing a virtual component 19 % are prioritizing community engagement 16 % are prioritizing vendor selection 6 % are prioritizing travel accommodations are tracking pipeline are tracking overall satisfaction MAMA What Event Success Looks Like Event registrations once defined event success , but the tide is shifting toward pipeline . These are the key metrics event organizers are measuring for in - person events : are tracking engagement 30 % Multi - department Meetings 101-499 attendees are tracking attendance 11 % care about a virtual option 9 % Recruiting Events Ꭿ 42 % The Top Priorities for Attendees Organizer priorities are one thing , but what about attendee priorities ? We asked organizers what they thought attendees cared the most about at in - person events.4 Here's what they said : the survey received more than 600 responses . This infographic features response data for 234 qualified event organizers . not sure " 46 % 39 % care about COVID - 19 safety care about the time investment 30 % 44 % care about the cost to register pa With healthy budgets and an appetite for in - person events , one thing is certain : The future is bright for in - person events ! Bizzabo care ab ravel considerations CA CA