Louisa Watson, marketing director of Wyboston Lakes Resort
explores the growing importance of experiences and wellness together within
event formats...
People will forget most things about an event, but they
won't forget the way you made them feel.
It’s what they experienced and how it felt that makes the
event remain in their thoughts. At the root of this is the continuing, pressing
need for organisations to engage their audiences. Engagement remains a top
priority with 82 per cent* of business-to-business
marketers viewing it as a crucial key performance indicator and engagement
strategies are vital to keep attendees involved.
A new generation
The events industry is experiencing a transformative shift,
driven by rapid technological advancements, and evolving demographic trends.
With Gen Z and millennials soon to dominate the workforce, creating events that
resonates with these groups is crucial. This demographic prefers engaging,
interactive, and personalised experiences, and is concerned about wellness and
sustainability.
Amenah Rizwan, a Toronto based Gen Z event organiser says
that the key to engaging with this group are ‘Personalised invitations,
eye-catching aesthetics, fun and a non-traditional approach to event
experiences.’
In a feature on how to design events for Gen
Z delegates in M&IT magazine, James Kent, sales director Europe at
Event Travel Management UK spoke about the Experience Effect. “No longer will
events be reviewed by the excess of their giveaways or the amount of
information shared, but by the experience attendees had from pre-arrival to
post-event. Greater attendee engagement leads to higher output, and a higher
output leads to a greater return on investment.”
In recognition of this the events industry is responding by
placing greater emphasis on delegate experience and wellness, integrating them
into the core of event planning. Accordingly, venues are creating environments
that cater for both, while prioritising sustainability.
This shift is driving venues to innovate and offer diverse
experiences. While acknowledging that they need to create experiences suitable
for any weather, group or environment, many have recognised the benefit of the
great outdoors in providing different experiences in healthy fresh natural
surroundings. This trend was confirmed by the 2024
IACC Meeting Room of the Future Report which said that nature-based
meetings are higher priority than AI integration.
Wyboston Lakes Resort Photo Credit: Supplied
A recent event arranged by Inloco events at Wyboston Lakes Resort for PERI Ltd is a good
example. Designed to help the company engage with current and potential
customers, the event made the most of the resort’s Experience More features,
particularly the outdoors.
While some delegates took to the lakes in water-based
activities, others enjoyed the Pinseekers driving range or the 18-hole golf
course or walks around the Resort’s 380 acres which includes a nature reserve.
Socialising has also evolved, with competitive socialising now a popular trend
in corporate events.
Gala dinners are being reimagined with experiences built in,
transforming standard networking opportunities into memorable, interactive
experiences. Meetings are no longer confined to boardrooms; they now include
areas for calm and relaxation, as well as vibrant social hubs where delegates
can connect informally.
Catering
Food, a critical aspect of any event, is also seeing a
revolution. Beige, uninspired catering has not been acceptable for some time
now but attendees expect food that is not only different and really tasty but
also contributes to their overall wellness. Venues that offer nutritious,
diverse, sustainably sourced and visually appealing menus are setting
themselves apart and enhancing the overall delegate experience. “Food is often
what people remember after an event!’ said Tracy Armstrong, head of marketing
of PERI Ltd.
Sustainability and ESG integration
As sustainability becomes a cornerstone of event planning, understanding,
and communicating the ESG impacts, such as emissions reporting, is vital.
Agents and venues need to work together from the enquiry stage to ensure
clients are well-informed about the environmental impacts of their events and
can make decisions that align with their own sustainability goals. The evolving
events landscape presents an array of challenges and opportunities.
By
embracing new technologies, understanding demographic shifts, event planners
can create more engaging, inclusive, and impactful experiences. The key message
moving forward is to innovate continuously, adapt to changes, and always strive
to exceed attendee expectations, ensuring that every event is not only
successful but also ensuring that every event leaves a lasting impact.
