Fewer meeting attendees. Membership non-renews. Higher virtual attendance. A more global reach. Which of these trends are “for now” and which are “forever”?
In January of this year, the Consumer Technology Association held its first in-person CES (previously known as the Consumer Electronics Show) since the pandemic began. “We know it will be a smaller show this year, for obvious reasons,” said Jean Foster, senior vice president at the Consumer Technology Association, the event’s organizer. Around 45,000 people attended the show, down from more than 170,000 who came for the last in-person gathering in 2020. CES ran one day shorter than originally planned as a result. Those who attended were required to show proof of vaccination and masks were required.
More than 2,200 companies were expected to exhibit in person. The last pre-covid show had 4,400. More than 40 conference sessions were streamed for those attending remotely.
Tech industry analyst Carolina Milanesi said, “big industry events like this are becoming less important than they used to be” as digital technology has supplied other ways to network and keep up with trends.
I believe there will always be a segment of association members who prefer to meet in person. I also believe there is a portion who have seen the convenience, and time and money savings of virtual participation. And we’ve always known that there are some members who just can’t (or won’t) get away for in-person attendance.
From my perspective, it’s not a question of in-person meetings OR virtual meetings. It’s now a matter of in-person meetings AND virtual meetings. The needs of these audiences are different and how we plan meetings must permanently change as a result.
Which meeting trends are “for now” and which are “forever”? Time will tell. Monitor the data and trends for your association and plan accordingly. One thing’s for sure: we’re not likely to go back to the way things used to be. This means we get to help invent the future. Don’t miss this moment!