Although the meetings industry thrives on human connection, this has traditionally been interpreted as requiring delegates to maintain a high-energy pace from registration through to the closing lunch. 

However, this can be off-putting for attendees who appreciate downtime, prefer quality education over packed agendas, or choose not to drink alcohol—especially with research indicating that Gen Z (ages 12-27) consumes 20 per cent less alcohol than Millennials (ages 28-43). 

At this year’s Convening EMEA in Barcelona, organised by the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), delegates proposed reimagining conference programming to ensure inclusivity for all learning and interaction styles. 

Here are six tips to ensure your next event caters to diverse learning preferences, incorporates fun non-alcoholic activities, and communicates that you, as the event planner, trust your delegates. 

 1. Wind Up or Wind Down? 

Jennifer Kishpaugh, associate director of sales at Caesars Entertainment, shared her experience at a recent conference in Portland, US, where organisers offered 'wind up or wind down' activities. 

“After the gala dinner, attendees were given two options: either to ‘wind up,’ which involved dancing and partying late into the night, or to ‘wind down’ in quiet spaces with ambient music and relaxed conversations. There was even tarot card reading,” Kishpaugh explained. 

Providing these options removes the pressure to party and gives those who prefer a quieter evening the chance to stay involved without having to retreat to their rooms. 

“Just because someone doesn’t want to hit the dance floor or shout over music doesn't mean they want to end the night early in their hotel room,” Kishpaugh added. 

2. Design for the extreme to serve the mean 

“All too often, we design event spaces for ‘hypo-sensitive-seekers,’” noted David O’Coimin, director of Nook Event Pods. 

"Hyposensitivity in a mild form could mean needing a lot of sensory stimulation, like loud noise and bright colours, to create an impact—often the default setting for events," O’Coimin explained. 

This design can be overwhelming for those who are hypersensitive, even to a small degree. Instead of creating environments full of sensory overload, consider the preferences of those who may be easily overstimulated. 

“If we design events to accommodate individuals with additional needs, different learning styles, and varied responses to stimulation, we’ll create experiences that are better for all attendees,” O’Coimin added. 

For planners unsure where to begin with designing for hypersensitive attendees, O’Coimin suggests checking out Google's The Neu Project. 

 3. A Good emcee should foster safety 

When a moderator asks a question to the audience and threatens to ‘pick on someone,’ attendees instinctively look at the floor, hoping to disappear. 

“This happens,” says Jan-Jaap In der Maur, CEO of Masters in Moderation, “because the moderator hasn’t established a safe environment for interaction.” 

“A good moderator should engage the audience and encourage them to interact with each other, fostering a sense of belonging and a shared focus. The moderator should also act as a conduit between the audience and the content,” In der Maur added.