The Meeting and Event Industry Sizzle in '13: What's Hot and What's Not

Some of the biggest changes in the industry right now have happened due to increased scrutiny of events and travel.  There has been a renewed focus on strategic meetings management, cost effectiveness and ROI. 

Many organizations are hosting meetings and events closer to where the bulk of attendees reside to cut down on travel costs,  shortening the duration of the event and/or cutting out face to face events all together and opting for the virtual alternative. The current environment has created a new landscape.  It's back to basics with sustainability and "back to the future" with technology.

Here's a quick list of what's hot and what's not in the event and meeting world right now.  Of course things are ever changing and what may be considered in today could be out tomorrow. 

What would you add to this list? 
Add your ideas in the comments section below!

 

Registration and On-Site Management

What’s Hot	What’s Not
Attendee check in with kiosks, mobile apps and QR codes	Traditional, manual attendee check in using Microsoft Excel at a stationary registration desk
Eco-friendly thumb drives containing all event/meeting conference information	Tote bags containing printed event/meeting materials
Using document readers/editors, note taking apps and cloud-based storage like Drop Box to access and manipulate meeting files	Carrying meeting binders and printed files onsite
Coverless eco-friendly name badges with a recyclable/reusable clip	Traditional name badges, plastic holders and lanyards
Digital signage	Printed signage

 

Food & Beverage

What’s Hot	What’s Not
Creative twists on every day food – crab and avocado  shooters, maple bacon on a stick,  fruit salad served in an edible bowl, make your own trail mix, veggies cut like fries and served in a paper cone	Chicken satay, mini crab cakes, crudite, granola bars and cheese platters
Locally sourced and sustainable (so local that some hotels are sourcing foods from their very own gardens!) and more gluten-free options	Imported food, one size fits all approach
Food trucks	Off site dinners at restaurants
Hydration stations and naturally infused water in pitchers	Bottled water

 

Attendee Networking and Engagement

What’s Hot	What’s Not
Using gamification to turn ordinary traffic building activities into an interactive, engaging and fun competition	Using printed forms for “scavenger hunt” type games
Integrated and continuous attendee networking with social media apps for your event/meeting	Specific times set aside for attendee networking and physical attendee message/communication boards

 
Destinations and Venues

What’s Hot	What’s Not
Pedestrian friendly cities with lots of options for eco-friendly transportation (pedestrian pathways, bike lanes, electric pedicabs, hybrid taxis)	Simply put destinations that aren’t!
“Green Venues” that have adopted environmentally  responsible practices: i.e. LEED certified, designated hybrid parking spaces, solar panels, recycling and compost program in place	Venues without a sense of environmental responsibility; no recycling program, energy efficient lighting, etc.
Complete meeting package options, customizable to fit budgets	A la carte pricing
Using social media and web based event/meeting management software to source meetings	Traditional RFP process
Virtual site inspections	Traditional in person site inspections

 
Technology

What’s Hot	What’s Not
Charging station for attendee tables, smart phones and laptops	Cyber Café with provided laptops
Virtual whiteboards	Traditional whiteboards
Free Wi-Fi in meeting space	Paying for Wi-Fi per connection
Hybrid events/meetings	Face to face meetings without incorporating some type of virtual component
Presence on social media platforms such as Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, and Vine	No presence on social media platforms
Telepresence and immersive experiences	Traditional video conference
And for fun…Google Glass	Ray-Ban