Event Industry Trends 2024

The events industry is always evolving. 

Thanks to emerging technology and new innovative ideas, event industry trends emerge year on year.

We’re the PR agency for live events, so we get to experience these changes first-hand and watch them develop.

As 2023 comes to a close we look to 2024 to see what new trends are on the horizon. 

Thanks to the demand for live events, there have been all kinds of new and emerging trends taking place.

In this post, we will look at these new trends and what impact they will have on the events industry. 

Event Industry Trends in 2024

Let’s look at what trends the events industry will experience coming into 2024.

An Emphasis on Making Your Event More Sustainable

Events can be a cause for concern when it comes to carbon footprint and waste management. 

As we move into the future, sustainability has made its way into many industries, including the events industry.

Event organisers are becoming more aware of the impact that events have on the surrounding environment.

Events often involve large gatherings, which can result in significant environmental impacts. 

This includes energy consumption, waste generation, and transportation emissions. 

By adopting sustainable practices, such as using eco-friendly materials, reducing energy consumption, and promoting waste reduction and recycling, the events industry can minimise its negative effects on the environment.

As awareness of environmental and social issues grows, consumers and stakeholders are becoming more conscious of the social responsibility of businesses, including those in the events industry. 

Hosting sustainable events demonstrates a commitment to social and environmental responsibility, enhancing your brand’s reputation and helping build a positive public image.

Sustainable practices can lead to cost savings in the long run. 

For example, using energy-efficient technologies, minimising waste, and opting for reusable materials can reduce operational costs. 

This cost-effectiveness makes sustainability an attractive option for event organisers looking to optimise their budgets.

Many regions and countries are introducing stricter environmental regulations. 

Adhering to these regulations is not only a legal requirement but also helps event organisers avoid fines and penalties. 

Embracing sustainable practices ensures compliance with evolving environmental standards.

ISO 20121 is a globally recognised standard offering event organisers a structured framework for overseeing the sustainability of their events. 

This standard adopts a management system approach, seamlessly incorporating sustainability principles throughout the entire event planning and execution process, encompassing environmental, social, and economic factors.

Data-Driven Decision Making

Event organisers are always looking for ways to gain a competitive edge and make events more exciting and engaging for their audiences.

Thanks to the data that is available nowadays from technological advances, event planners have access to a wide variety of data points connected to attendees.

Using this data they can analyse demographics and preferences so that they can make a custom experience for their intended audience.

This data comes from sources such as marketing and social media.

Using this data organisers aren’t only tailoring the event itself but other aspects of the event including the marketing and event sponsorships.

By studying and analysing the data, attendees can be targeted from the moment they hear about the event right up until the event is long since past.

Using email and social media campaigns you’ll be able to stay relevant to your audience once your event is over.

Event organisers see the huge potential that data has when looking to the future.

It’s no wonder that the use of data is becoming a huge trend in the events industry.   

AI (Artificial Intelligence)

AI is working its way into many industries. 

The events industry is starting to feel the effects of AI and also starting to feel the full potential this may have for the future.

AI can be applied in various ways in the events industry to enhance efficiency, improve attendee experiences, and streamline event management processes. 

Here are a few ways AI can be utilised for live events:

Chatbots

AI-driven chatbots or virtual assistants can assist attendees with event information, scheduling, and personalised recommendations.

These chatbots can provide instant responses to attendee inquiries, improving customer support and enhancing the overall attendee experience.

Chatbots can assist with the registration process, guiding attendees through the necessary steps and answering common questions.

With chatbots, event organisers can automate processes such as these, meaning they can put their focus on other tasks which can further enhance the overall event experience.

Also, by installing chatbots at the appropriate opportunity, event organisers can save time and money as they will reduce staff recruitment and costs.

Studies have been conducted on the impact of chatbot technology and what it holds for the future.

Data Analysis and Insights

Analysing data can be a time-consuming task and can also involve human error. Thanks to AI we can analyse large amounts of data with very little room for error.

Using these AI techniques you can use AI to study data and gain valuable insights for your events.

• Machine learning – AI employs machine learning algorithms to analyse extensive datasets, recognise patterns and generate AI models. The machine learning model assimilates information it receives, revealing trends derived from its learning, and produces accurate outputs in response to queries.

• Natural Language Processing (NLP) – This enables computers to comprehend human language. Through AI algorithms, computers ingest extensive text data to grasp the meaning of words and formulate appropriate responses to user input. AI can scrutinise input text to produce fresh content or summarise existing content.

• Computer vision – This refers to how computers see and interpret videos and images. To look for patterns, computer vision helps the computer analyse large amounts of videos and images at high speeds. With the help of AI, the computer will extract features, track motion and even identify faces. 

Language Translation Services

Thanks to the advancement of AI there is a plethora of language translation software available.

This software now opens up all events all over the world to everyone.

For your event, you could have it in one language and it can still resonate and be an inclusive experience for someone who doesn’t speak that particular language.

It can also promote multilingual events which break down language barriers and further promote inclusivity.

Check out our full guide on using AI for events.

Gamification for Engagement

Live events are all about engaging with your audience and creating a memorable experience for them.

Using gamification your audience can participate in game-like processes which dive into event engagement and motivate attendees to keep interacting.

Having these game-like processes means they can participate and even compete for prizes which further incentivises them.

However, prizes alone aren’t the only incentive as having an actual challenge is enough to get people involved. 

With the rise in Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), event organisers are finding new and innovative ways to make gamification have an even bigger impact on their live events.

Some ideas for gamification at your event include:

• Ice breakers. 
• Interactive workshops.
• Scavenger hunts. 
• Escape room challenge.
• Leader boards.
• Trivia.
• Interactive Q&A.

Studies have shown the effects that gamification can have when it comes to engagement.

Clearly, gamification has a bright future when it comes to the events industry.  

Increasing Investments In Event Technology

Over the years, the events industry has been completely transformed thanks to the advancements in technology. 

As technology develops it benefits live events by enhancing the attendee experience and also assisting event organisers run a successful event.

We’ve already mentioned technology such as AI, VR and AR but these are only a small sample of the technologies being used to boost the live events industry. 

Thanks to the success of these technologies, companies are investing even more money into developing advanced software and applications that will enhance the live events sector further.

Some of these advances include:

Event Diagramming and Floor Plans

When you run an event there will be a huge amount of planning involved. 

Not only will you have to sort out the venue but you’ll have to ensure the venue is suitable for your needs.

Once you’ve found a venue you’ll need to map out the layout of your event.

Thanks to event apps with digital floor plans, organisers can simply drag and drop their associated floor plans using an interactive interface.

Not to mention these apps are available on mobile so the easy accessibility allows busy users to view and change plans from anywhere.   

Smart Badges

Attendees will nearly always collect some sort of tag or badge when arriving at an event.

Smart badges are a complete end-to-end solution for your event. They will be used right from the moment of check-in right through to when being checked out.

These smart badges help enhance the event experience for attendees as they become an asset that is used for engagement purposes.

Those who attend the event will use their smart badge to be involved with all that is on offer for the event.

Once the event is over the data collected from the smart badges can be evaluated and analysed to unlock any key insights on attendees that may be of interest. 

Contactless Check-in

Checking into an event is one of the first steps for any event-goer.

As in-person events and hybrid events make a comeback, event organisers are making inroads to enhance the check-in process for their customers.

Large crowds can attend events so automating this process is a great way to handle larger numbers of attendees. 

Thanks to contactless check-in technology, events are meeting the demand for large crowds better than ever before.

Live Event Planning & PR with Industry Trends

The live events industry is fast-paced and it is constantly growing and developing.

Being aware of these trends can give you an insight into what may or may not be worth looking at and implementing for your event in the future.

Gala PR works with live event companies all over the UK to help them gain the correct exposure using industry-leading PR strategies.

With many years of experience, we have an understanding of what trends can help you boost your live event.

If you run a live event and need an experienced and specialised PR team at your side for maximum results then please contact us today.