The Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the meetings industry supply chain is making it harder for planners to attract delegates to their events, a study has found.
Nine out of ten meeting planners were having to spend more time encouraging people to register, according to research by conference matchmaking platform, Conferli.
Flexible cancellation policies, partnering with
destinations to actively attract delegates and increasing market awareness were
listed as remedies to the problem.
However, the study revealed that delegate decision making
when it comes to attending a conference has changed since the pandemic. The ‘Insider’s
Perspective’ survey showed that in most cases (42 per cent), delegates only decide
whether to attend a conference one to three months before it takes place. Yet,
for 42 per cent of delegate respondents said they only book transport and
accommodation to the conference one month before.
Reflecting the pandemic, 72 per cent of delegate respondents
said the health and safety developments of the conference destination were a
major factor in deciding whether to attend. The sustainability credentials of
the host destination and the legacy-building of the conference destination came
joint second in priority.
Respondents alluded to what they now seek from a conference,
with a shorter conference format and a strong educational programme named as
top priorities.
One respondent said: “Knowledge transfer is easy via Zoom,
but exchange is important and that only happens when you meet in person.”
Networking opportunities and knowledge sharing were also
listed as important factors in deciding whether to attend a conference, more so
than whether the destination is easy to travel to.
However, 70 per cent of the event planners that responded to
the survey revealed that travel distance from the airport to the conference
venue was the most important aspect for them when choosing a destination.
Budgets continue to present a barrier for both prospective
conference attendees and conference planners. Nearly 90 per cent of delegate
respondents said they have become more budget-conscious over the last two years.
One planner respondent said, “We are looking even more at
the budget after not having had an in-person conference for two years.” While
another said that a reluctance from delegates to travel to the conference
comes, in part, from budgets not being approved.
You can read the full report here: https://conferli.com/news.
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
