What will the corporate events of the future look like? What event trends will become the norm over the coming years? In which way has COVID-19 changed the meeting, convention, incentive and event sector in the province of Malaga? What sorts of events will clients in the Costa del Sol choose from this moment on? Keep reading to discover the event trends that are on the horizon.
More rigorous safety and hygiene measures
The COVID-19 pandemic was doubtlessly a watershed moment for the tourism industry and, more specifically, the MICE sector. Change was driven by the use of technologies and the desire for trustworthy destinations like the Costa del Sol where measures and restrictions were and are upheld. The shift in paradigm forced professionals to be more careful when planning events, ensuring attendees maintained a safe distance between each other and maintaining a rigorous cleaning regime.
Hybrid events combining in-person and online
One clear event trend that we have seen in the wake of the health crisis is the reduced capacity. Alongside this, there has been a slight rise in the popularity of hybrid events, a format that combines the benefits of events as we’ve always known them (in-person) and online events.
Tailor-made events
Event, conference and trade fair attendees currently want more than to attend an event: they are looking for an experience. Just like streaming platforms like Netflix, attendees demand interesting content when and where they want it. Organisers could, therefore, think about offering attendees the option to attend only the talks and activities that are of interest to them, using personalised agendas, or make the content available for longer so it can be consumed at a time convenient to the user.
Outdoor events
The trend set to dominate future events in the Costa del Sol is outdoors. The province of Malaga is blessed with beautiful weather, making it an excellent place to host an outdoor event. And it doesn’t cost a great deal, opening up the option to all event types and budgets.
Community around the event
Another event trend on the rise is creating a community around the event, strengthening the connection between the attendees and the event itself. It’s important to build a strong brand and promote it throughout the year, not only offering à la carte content (as we mentioned before), but also constant talks and communications before, during and after the event.
Data security
Hosting a big event nowadays involves managing lots of sensitive data. From personal and tax to financial and more, organisers need to make sure they and their technological providers are committed to cybersecurity to keep attendees’ data safe.
Sustainable, charity and eco-minded activities
Another of the biggest events trends out there right now are activities that have some kind of social purpose. We are seeing more and more partnerships with charities and associations with teams increasingly aware of the importance of contributing to different causes in the best way possible.
The Costa del Sol, a leading destination in the MICE sector
With the pandemic firmly behind us, 2022 is proving to be a successful year in the events sector. We can therefore say with confidence that the Costa del Sol remains a leading MICE destination. The wide range of events on offer, paired with beautiful weather, security, excellent connections, quality hotels, boundless experiences, delicious gastronomy and fascinating culture make the province of Malaga the perfect place to host any type of event.
