It’s going to take some time to build conference attendance and corporate travel budgets back to 2019 levels. As we progress through the recovery, conference organizers — now more than ever — must help potential attendees justify their in-person participation in the event.

Planning large conferences has gotten even more complicated. The pandemic and the subsequent Great Resignation have greatly reduced the number of skilled workers in hospitality and related industries. Here are seven areas to take into consideration.

As live conferences return, event organizers need to make complex decisions about how to incorporate digital product extensions into their business model. Here’s a framework to consider.

Revenue recovery is an urgent priority for organizers of major conferences and trade shows, and sponsorships can help get you there.

If you had a major meeting in Q1 or Q2 of 2022, you’ve likely had some sleepless nights, thanks to your registration pacing. Here’s some help for that. 

For years, high-tech conferences have designed innovative hub spaces to engage and nurture their top customers. While some of the elements in these areas can be costly to implement, creating a town-square-like experience can help bring your participants together and grow your community.

After living through a pandemic, conference participants will be more apt to lean towards conferences that align with their beliefs and passions through corporate social responsibility efforts.

As we return to in-person meetings, questions and best practices are evolving for hosting large gatherings.

We’re seeing a trend that association leadership is more open to making changes to the annual conference than ever before. It’s about time. 

As organizers work through pre-pandemic contractual commitments, they are finding their supply-chain relationships tested like never before.

Over the past year, industry experts have proclaimed that meetings and conferences are forever changed and hybrid is here to stay. Agreed, says Velvet Chainsaw’s Dave Lutz, but in order to be successful, meetings of the future also will need to embrace the tenets of strategic product management.

In the second half of 2020, many virtual conferences grew attendance, attracting global and non-member participants. Part of this growth — which improves reach and brand for organizers — can be attributed to significantly reduced registration pricing.