Eventbrite, like most of the event industry, has had an incredibly rough past 12 months. It now solidly seems to be on the path to recovery, although it is still feeling the effects of the pandemic. | Continue reading
There is a growing consensus that hybrid events will dominate in 2021, but industry best practices are still being refined. The few places currently allowing in-person events give planners the real-world models that they need to plan successful hybrid events. | Continue reading
We at Skift are bringing in new leadership for building the next phase of EventMB, intensely focused on the deciphering and defining the future of events that emerges in incoming months and years from the collision of virtual and face-to-face. The year 2020 was defined by monum … | Continue reading
The uncertainties and tight restrictions of the pandemic mean that many are struggling with a loss of agency. A new hybrid event model developed by Marriott and MeetingPlay aims to give attendees a sense of control without compromising safety guidelines. | Continue reading
Since the pandemic began, industry insiders have pinpointed trade shows as the event format least suited to virtual delivery. While the wider reach of virtual events might seem to provide automatic marketing value, trade show sponsors are telling a different story. | Continue reading
This is my last post as Editor in Chief of EventMB. Join me for a look back and a look forward to the future of this incredible industry. | Continue reading
Event insurance has been a complicated subject since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, with providers and planners clashing over potential payouts. Now, coverage is getting more expensive but removing protections for the most worrying risk: the pandemic. | Continue reading
Very few modes of digital engagement have captured an audience’s attention quite like video games. What makes them so captivating, and how can event planners leverage these lessons to stimulate online audiences? | Continue reading
The rapid shift to virtual events has revolutionized the way event planners operate in 2021, but what of the parallel shift to working from home? In many ways, remote working itself has had a marked effect on how (and how well) planning teams operate. | Continue reading
Virtual events remove a lot of the geographic and financial barriers to attending an event, but they often still exclude people with disabilities. Here's what planners should keep in mind to ensure that their virtual events are as inclusive as possible. | Continue reading
We recently covered a tightly controlled rapid-testing experiment in Barcelona, and similar initiatives are taking place in New York State, the UK, Canada, and Austria. If these real-world pilot projects work, will events have a model for reopening? | Continue reading
The UK-based Meetings Industry Association recently released new research about how long the events industry can go on the way things are — and it doesn't look good. Here's our take. | Continue reading
Despite being an event tech behemoth, Cvent had its challenges along with the rest of the event industry in the first half of 2020. Now, almost one year later, Cvent CMO Patrick Smith joins EventMB to reflect on the impact of the pandemic and what's next for the industry — and fo … | Continue reading
Does the fate of the exhibition industry rest on the successful rollout of the vaccine? The latest data from UFI seems to say yes, but not for the reason you’d think. According to Kai Hattendorf, planned events are safe — we just need to get everyone on board. Unfortunately, 2021 … | Continue reading
As the pandemic lingers, event planners will have to rely on hybrid models to boost attendance numbers, but what will that mean for the in-person experience? | Continue reading
In September 2020, EventMB reported on an innovative event bubble that used rapid testing to screen guests. The idea has since taken off, and a controlled experiment was even done at a Barcelona concert. What have we learned so far? | Continue reading
There is no question that virtual events remain the only viable option to give continuity to companies’ event programs. As the market matures, the focus is shifting towards more tangible objectives. | Continue reading
CES is one of the most important events in the tech industry, taking place each January in Las Vegas and kicking off the year with the newest tech trends. Due to the pandemic, CES 2021 was a fully digital event spanning four days. Here's what you missed. | Continue reading
New research from Reed Exhibitions shows rising approval ratings for virtual events. While there is growing consensus that digital solutions are here to stay, survey results suggest that they will enhance rather than supplant live events. | Continue reading
IMEX Frankfurt, one of the most important trade shows in the world, has officially been cancelled for the second year in a row. This decision not only affects the show's stakeholders but also indicates a longer recovery for the event industry overall. | Continue reading
The NBA made headlines with its 2020 sporting bubble held in Florida’s Disney World, and now the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championships has just secured a deal to host its 2021 games in Indianapolis. Is there an opportunity for destinations to rebrand as sporting hubs? | Continue reading
Hopin’s acquisition of StreamYard is just the last signal of a market that has changed for good. Who will dominate when things will go back to normal? | Continue reading
Events need to be planned long in advance, but the pandemic has made it difficult to predict what will happen from one day to the next. If anyone has their ear to the ground, it’s doctors — and a recent survey asked them for their opinion on events. | Continue reading
Shortly after announcing a massive round of funding and the acquisition of event app company Topi, Hopin has just announced the acquisition of streaming platform StreamYard. There is no stopping for Hopin. The virtual event platform, born in 2019, managed to raise unprecedented l … | Continue reading
Even as the first vaccine programs roll out, Covid continues to loom large as a public health threat. While in-person events may become increasingly viable, it is still too early to abandon safety guidelines. But what is the best way to enforce these rules? | Continue reading
As Covid-19 cases skyrocket and vaccine plans lag, the event industry is set to face a difficult start to the new year. | Continue reading
As 2020 comes to a close and different governments begin to roll out Covid vaccines, the event industry needs to double-down on health and safety — normally a paramount priority that event planners have down pat, but these days the subject of some debate. | Continue reading
The pandemic has decimated every segment of the event industry save event tech, in which it has fueled unprecedented growth due to the need for virtual and hybrid solutions. Despite a recent dip in Zoom stock, the trend shows no sign of abating. | Continue reading
In March 2020, EventMB embarked on a monthly journey to support the event industry through a series of online events. It turned out to be quite an eventful journey, and here are the learnings. | Continue reading
Canapii is an end-to-end event management tool that includes a virtual event platform as well as a mobile app. It is built for and supports in-person, virtual, and hybrid events. Here is our review. | Continue reading
A strong wave of acquisitions will define virtual event technology in 2021. With massive investments flooding the virtual event technology space, acquisitions are the next most logical step for companies looking at growing faster. | Continue reading
As long as the pandemic continues to threaten public health, hosting safe events will require a collective effort from all segments of the industry. Destinations play a vital role in standardizing safety protocols, but venues also need to offer well-designed solutions. | Continue reading
With consensus growing that hybrid formats will become the go-to option for events, planners face the challenge of making the in-person experience worth the added expense and risk. The solution: micro-experiences. | Continue reading
Pathable’s Virtual and Hybrid Event Platform offers extensive features for a wide range of events. Because of its customizability, the Pathable team focuses on a consultative approach to ensure planners' needs are met. Here is our review. | Continue reading
For the time being, one of the biggest challenges hosting in-person events is selling the value of the masked, socially distanced experience. Live events have changed. To shed some light on what these events are like, Kagwiria Kimathi shares her experience. | Continue reading
Covid restrictions on crowds mean lower attendance numbers, but these necessities can lead to new possibilities for smaller destinations and venues. Small-scale options often offer more character in the form of an interesting event narrative. | Continue reading
The economic impact of pandemic is exposing weaknesses within the hospitality industry’s meetings and events lines of business, but independent hoteliers have an opportunity to position themselves to thrive as events return. | Continue reading
With news of vaccines on the horizon is starting to cut through the shroud of uncertainty surrounding the future of the industry. Nevertheless, 2020 has changed events for good. | Continue reading
Happy hours have long been a staple of networking activities at live events, but they’ve been largely left out of the virtual scene. Now that more planners have learned to do without it, some are questioning whether it should be reintroduced at hybrid events. | Continue reading
As planners in many wintery destinations hunker down and return to virtual events as the safest way to engage their audience, those in warmer climates need to start thinking about outdoor venue options. | Continue reading
It has been an incredibly difficult year for event planners, and with 2020 nearly coming to an end, it’s more important than ever to keep abreast of what is happening and where things are going. | Continue reading
As the eventual end of the pandemic finally appears to be in sight, event companies are homing in on the next phase for the industry: hybrid events. Event platform Bizzabo has now raised almost $140 million to fuel its continued growth in this sector. | Continue reading
If 2020 has a silver lining for the event industry, it’s that seven years worth of virtual event progress was accomplished in seven months. The virtual engagement cat is out of the bag and shows no signs of going back in; both event planners and attendees are wising up to the val … | Continue reading
Happy hours have long been a staple of networking activities at live events, but they’ve been largely left out of the virtual scene. Now that more planners have learned to do without it, some are questioning whether it should be reintroduced at hybrid events. | Continue reading
The event landscape keeps shifting as the pandemic continues to spread around the world. Eventprofs will need to adapt to a new job market as virtual and hybrid events become the norm for the foreseeable future. | Continue reading
To facilitate virtual and hybrid events during the pandemic, convention centers around the world have begun to build out full-fledged virtual event studios — but planners still need to consider the skills necessary to use them. | Continue reading
Event planners have more to worry about than ever, but destinations can be an essential ally in the safe path to recovery: Their connection to the local community can translate to added layers of convenience, safety, and reliability. | Continue reading
Ticketmaster is looking at how to use its ticketing app in partnership with health firms and vaccine distribution providers to verify attendees' testing or vaccination status. What are the implications for events? | Continue reading