One of the opportunities being put forward for the industry is the use of visualization and interactive experiential
technologies to personalize the delegate experience. Three scenarios were tested on the respondents.
Those in the events sector were particularly attracted to the scenario of, “By 2020 all conferences and exhibitions I
attend will offer a totally personalized experience, tailor-made to my needs, and offering whatever technological
tools are needed to make the event fully interactive so I can engage with and influence the content of the event”,
with 80% considering it likely or very likely compared to 69% from outside and 77% overall. 70% felt that it was
likely or very likely that personalization would extend across the event experience and that, “In 2020, the personal
comfort of attendees will be much more important to organizers than today. Individuals will be able to obtain
personalized menus at meals, there will be many options for entertainment and relaxation, e.g. customized
seating. Organizers will make far better use of information about individual attendees than they do today.” Despite
the evident concerns over privacy, almost all respondents (93%) considered it likely or very likely that, “In 2020,
almost everything that happens at events will be measured and stored as useful data for organizers and
participants to use in real time, including sessions that individuals attend, interactions between attendees,
appointments that are made and the educational and business interests that individuals express (before, during
and after the event).”
Interestingly, the effect of technology on the meetings and events industry, along the pattern above, was also
forecasted in the three scenarios thoroughly studied and presented in “What will the exhibition industry look like
in the year 2020” at 74th UFI Congress by Professor Dr. Oliver Klante of HSBA Hamburg School of Business
Administration which was supported by HHL Lzipzig Graduate School of Management and AUMA (Association of
the German Trade Fair Industry). The first scenario, “personal-continental-profiled”, stated that with political
reforms towards a strong Europe, unlimited mobility, global exhibition groups without own exhibition space,
continental leading trade shows and high tech and high touch impact, the following would emerge: a power of the
big exhibitors, a growing relevance of exhibition company branding and trade show branding, changes in the value
creation by customer integration, and exhibition space that is no longer a cost unit. The second scenario, “crosslinked-fragmented-eventful”,
addressed that, with the prospect of Europe being pressured by a new ‘gravitation
centre’, a restricted mobility due to numerous existing conflicts, an exhibition industry being highly fragmented
and under extreme stress of competition, there would be focused special trade shows within the domestic market
and less globally industry/branch trade shows, performance consumption based on new media technologies,
intense efficiency-and service-orientation, and renaissance of consumer-shows. The third scenario, “virtualcustomised-anytime”,
emphasized that with the global multi-polar world with its economical centre in Asia, highly
restricted mobility due to numerous existing conflicts, virtual trade shows and less physical trade shows, there
would be an extreme shortage of time for every market player, a new business model like www.google.com, and
rapidness and knowledge as driving forces for the exhibition industry.
The Convention 2020 TrendWiki Dashboard that presents an aggregated view of some of the most recent issues
and trends of the event industry also revealed the same findings regarding the impact of new technologies and
materials on the events industry. Some of the examples included: “new gadgets and materials will revolutionise the
event experience”, “product individualization will become the norm within the events industry”, and “attendees
will expect an all inclusive integrated event experience, where their profile, preferences and opportunities are best
served without asking for input all the time”. It also provides a sample taken from the anticipated event industry