The event industry in the post-pandemic world

When we welcomed 2021, the new year, we were hit by the news that this year’s Grammy Awards ceremony was postponed. It’s originally taking place on January 31. However, Los Angeles, Calif., where it is set to be held, struggles with the rising cases of COVID-19. This is a cause for concern for the Recording Academy and CBS, the network broadcasting the live event.

Instead, the organizers have decided to move the ceremony to March 14. Hopefully, the coronavirus cases in the city will be contained at a much lower rate by then.

But despite news such as the postponement of the Grammys, many are predicting changes in the industry even after the pandemic inevitably passes. It’s only a matter of time before event organizers look for red carpet rentals, more much-anticipated events.

The rise of virtual events

When the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak a few months back, the authorities and the public are adamant about practicing social distancing. Because of this, organizers had no choice but to cancel their planned events. This resulted in a tremendous loss in revenue. But there’s still a ray of hope. Some companies have adapted to the changing times. Moreover, they did so by taking advantage of the advancement of technology.

Zoom parties and events were planned. The marketing and hype of such events were on their websites, media outlets, and, of course, social media. The virtual setup has its downsides, yes. It’s really not the same as being there in person and getting to enjoy everything that events can offer, from music, food, and ambiance.

But the setup led to some positive outcomes as well. Cvent, a company that supports event planners and marketers through cloud-based software, found that virtual events garnered eight times more attendees than in-person events.

Because of this, it’s not surprising if some organizers opt for virtual events in the future to widen their reach of attendees even when the pandemic passes.

More tech in events

The rise of virtual events also led to another positive outcome. It urged organizers to understand how they can use technology more in other aspects of the event. They’re now more used to developing their marketing strategies for websites and social media. They also see now how convenient it is to manage the registration online. This way, it saves the attendees the hassle of falling in line to register and claim their registration packets. And they’d have to do this before they could even get inside and start enjoying the event.

Technology is also making a huge impact on the nitty-gritty details of event organizing. The organizers now use apps to set up itineraries and maps. If they have room in their budget, they could develop an app to help the attendees navigate the event.

Event organizers are still very much careful–reluctant, even–to conduct in-person events. But such tech advancements help them control the crowd and make sure that everyone is safe.

More conscious about sanitation

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes that some United States communities are open to holding events. To help the organizers and their communities stay safe from the coronavirus, they set up a list of protocols that they should follow to keep everyone relatively safe. The experts at the CDC made it clear that hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette are a must.

So organizers have requirements to make sure that there are many sanitation booths around the space. They also have to continuously remind their attendees to stay six feet apart. They also have the task of reminding them that physical interactions such as handshakes and hugs are prohibited.

Even when the pandemic passes, it’s clear that people are more conscious about their sanitation. It’s one of the biggest lessons that we’ve learned from the pandemic. So it’s highly probable that events may continue to practice such protocols even after the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to affect the event industry. The ban on mass gatherings and the enforcement of social distancing would stop various events that were lined up for 2020 and beyond. This, of course, was experienced not just in the United States but also around the world.

Roshan Abbas, the president of the Event & Entertainment Management Association (EEMA) in India, said that the industry lost about 30 percent in human resources. They predict that the industry will start to get a sense of pre-pandemic normalcy in the second quarter of 2021. That is if there’s a vaccine.

With the recent news of the vaccine, more people are hopeful for the event industry’s survival and eventual success in the coming months.