Q1: What are the biggest transformations you see shaping the meetings industry in 2025 and beyond?
AI is definitely the biggest trend. It will influence creativity and experience, but it will be widely used for connecting participants. This trend is followed by sustainability – we already see it in our work and demand from clients. Our industry forms and influences opinions and behaviour, so I think it is crucial that we embrace this trend in the long term without negotiations.
I also noticed that the budgets for events are not rising, but the prices (3rd party cost and agency cost) are climbing, so it will be hard to balance new trends, especially technology, with budget constraints.
Q2: How do you balance the demand for in-person experiences with the continued evolution of digital and hybrid event formats?
Balancing the demand for in-person experiences with the evolution of digital and hybrid event formats requires a strategic approach – considering audience preferences, event goals, and resource constraints.
The trick is to blend the irreplaceable energy of face-to-face with the scalability of digital.
A music festival might keep the live stage sacred but stream it globally with behind-the-scenes broadcasts online. A tech summit could host thought leaders in person while letting remote devs join hackathons virtually. Hybrid is not just a compromise; it is a way to amplify both. It’s less about choosing one over the other and more about making them work together smarter.
Q3: Personalisation is becoming a key trend; how can event organisers create highly tailored experiences that meet attendees’ expectations?
Personalisation in the event industry involves tailoring every aspect of an event—content, communication, and interactions—to the preferences and needs of individual attendees. This approach is increasingly vital as attendees expect experiences that resonate with their specific interests, job roles, and past behaviours. All trend reports highlight personalisation as a key trend, especially its role in enhancing engagement. The focus is on creating memorable, value-driven events that foster attendee satisfaction and long-term relationships.
If we are talking about practical implementation, this can be data collection during registration and asking about interests and expectations. This can lead to segmented email campaigns pre-event, highlighting relevant sessions. During the event, there are many apps already developed that can provide real-time recommendations and facilitate networking. After the event, we follow up with personalised messages, offering resources aligned with attended sessions.
While personalisation enhances engagement, it must be said that challenges include data privacy concerns, especially with GDPR compliance, and the need for robust technology infrastructure.
Q4: Artificial intelligence, automation, and immersive technologies are redefining events. How do you see them impacting the industry in the coming years?
Technology is already impacting our industry – we can see it globally. Fantastic examples can be seen everywhere: from all AI-created events in terms of creative concept development to events in the metaverse hosted by AI assistants, there is one fantastic example done for big pharmaceutical companies for their employees. I guess a lot of new possibilities will be open, which we cannot even imagine now. One thing is certain – change is already here, and we must embrace it fast if we want to be on the top of the game.
Q5: Sustainability is no longer optional. What are the most impactful ways event organisers can reduce their carbon footprint while maintaining event quality?
Reducing the carbon footprint in events is crucial, especially now when there is a lot of pressure on big global companies, with travel and food being major contributors. It seems likely that adopting virtual or hybrid formats, sustainable menus, and waste management can significantly lower emissions. The evidence leans toward offsetting carbon and choosing eco-friendly venues, though there’s debate over “greenwashing” in carbon offsetting.
Q6: What are the most innovative event formats or concepts you have encountered recently that could redefine the future of meetings and conferences?
It is definitely an event which received many awards created by my colleagues from 27Names from the agency onliveline from Germany.
The main protagonist is Yuuki – a 3D protagonist teaching the employees of the company Takeda about AI. Yuki created an escape room, asking them to help her by using AI tools. It is all about gamification & collaborative learning w/o hierarchies. AI brings incredible new tools onto the market, allowing for a much more efficient way of working in corporations.
“In my opinion, the hardest part is to master people skills, especially when each project is new, and you have to communicate with new suppliers and partners each time.”
Q7: In an unpredictable global landscape, what strategies do you use to stay resilient and adaptable in the meetings industry?
At Agency Alert, we are focused on constant learning – we must adapt to changes very fast, faster than ever. We attend industry conferences in order to stay ahead and participate in global competitions where knowledge and experience are shared. Also, we often have one-on-one training in the agency and meetings with different experts.
As part of 27Names, a European organisation of top life-experience agencies, we have access to best practices from European markets, top managers meet at least 3 times a year in order to exchange knowledge and ideas – besides that, our top employees have a chance to visit other agencies and participate in the biggest event in order to get first-hand insights.
Q8: How do you see the role of destinations evolving to remain competitive in attracting international business events?
Clients will choose event locations accessible by public transport to reduce car and flight emissions or think about the distance and choose locations that are closer to all attendees. During the event, they will encourage attendees to walk or bike and consider hybrid or virtual events to minimise travel needs. Also, venues with green certifications or renewable energy sources, like solar power, and ensuring energy-efficient lighting and temperature controls to save energy will have advantages.
Q9: What leadership qualities do you believe are essential for event professionals in today’s dynamic environment?
Event professionals must have many skills – from imagination & creativity to communication and organisation skills. In my opinion, the hardest part is to master people skills, especially when each project is new, and you have to communicate with new suppliers and partners each time. I am not mentioning everything else – from knowing the digital and social media environment to new technology availability. I also think being very well educated and having a lot of interests is a must both in the advertising & event industry.
Q10: The meetings industry is facing a talent shortage. What can be done to make the sector more attractive to young professionals?
I think it is the responsibility of agency leaders to promote their work and develop talent programs within the agency – we did that, and it is more than successful.
Q11: How can industry leaders support ongoing education and skills development to future-proof careers in event management?
There are many ways – the only problem is that we are so pressed by deadlines, and it is often hard to think or do anything else besides cope with a client’s requests during the day.
Q12: If you were to give one piece of advice to emerging professionals entering the meetings industry, what would it be?
Go for it! It is fast-changing and dynamic, and it can be very frustrating and stressful, but, at the same time, it is one of the best jobs in the world.
Q13: Can you share an example of an event or initiative from the past year that you believe set a new standard for excellence in the meetings industry?
I already mentioned it above, but there are so many fantastic events it is hard to select only one.
Learn more about the Alert event agency here.
