Events Industry in 2020

As you’re aware, the community is in uncharted territory with a global pandemic that has swept across the world disrupting our lives for more than one year.  Trade shows and events have been hit particularly hard, impacting both the industry directly and all its supporting services, including printing, signage, travel, hospitality, and others. However, with mass vaccinations, PPE, and Covid-19 testing, we are finding ways to manage and return to a new normal.

The pandemic will end and companies will get back to business. At present, local governments and industry leaders are calling for trade shows, conferences, and events to get back on the agenda. Trade shows, conferences, festivals, and events may take time to fully return and may look a little different than they used to, but they will rebound!

Face-to-Face Connections

Coronavirus halted the industry in 2020,  but it also made us all acutely aware of the fulfillment we get out of face-to-face, in-person meetings. Keeping people connected and businesses moving forward is critically important for economic recovery. As a result, events will become a more attractive way to connect with colleagues, experts, prospects and customers.

Recent surveys have indicated signs of optimism and an uptick in in-person events for 2021, mostly in the second half of the year. In fact, 81 percent of polled meeting planners reported that they will hold their next in-person event sometime this year. Several large conferences and events have been scheduled for mid-to-late 2021, including Mid-America Trucking Show, AAOS, and the National Restaurant Association among several other large shows. So, with in-person trade shows and events slowly making a comeback, are you prepared?

Ready for In-person Events?

There are many new questions and issues event organizers, exhibitors, and attendees are facing. Here are some of the questions to consider for trade shows in 2021:

• How does your business plan to manage in-person events?
• Will events be in-person, virtual, or a hybrid?
• If exhibiting, will you increase your footprint to allow for social distancing, or shrink in size and only attend small events?
• Have you addressed new considerations for travel and hospitality?

Here are a few ways you can prepare and strategize for the return of events.

Check-in with Vendors

Establish relationships with your vendors. Do you know what’s going on with trusted partners? Do their capabilities fit your future needs?  After the industry disruption in 2020, there is a chance you may need to establish new vendor relationships in the coming months. Don’t get surprised later with information you can find out now. Touch bases with your vendors!

Exhibitors & Organizers

As the industry ramps up to full in-person events, there will be new challenges for exhibitors and event organizers. Work with trade show experts that can help you navigate the new rules, new health and safety regulations, and new considerations for your exhibit space.

Safety First

Don’t sacrifice your company culture or the safety and well-being of your staff in order to rush back to in-person trade show events. Take the time to understand and address how employees feel about attending in-person events.

While this is a starting point on recommendations for in-person events in 2021, there’s much more work to be done for a safe and healthy return of in-person events. Connect with the trade show experts at Plum Grove your 2021 event marketing solutions.

Submit Your Feedback

We’d like to invite you to take a few minutes to share your thoughts about 2021 trade shows, conventions, and events. After the survey closes, we will share the results with you! It will take a few minutes and the results can help you plan your 2021 events.