WESTMINISTER RESEARCH // A study into the events industry and the stance it may take over the next 6 to 12 months. The report covers business impacts and potential organisational restructuring, taking account of the Covid 19 environment and global economic contraction predicted by the International Monetary Fund and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (IMF, April 2020; OECD, June 2020).

TSNN // While virtual events are not new to the industry, there’s no doubt that the pandemic has accelerated the switch to online-only conferences considerably. In fact, 70 percent of the respondents in this survey report moving their face-to-face event either partially or fully to an online platform.

This shift to virtual will likely go on until the virus is defeated, as new research suggests large-scale events were at the core of the spread of COVID-19, and many experts predict a second wave is still ahead. Now tasked with holding online events that deliver just as much value as in-person ones, event organizers are seeking ways to adapt to this new model as fast as possible. Here are our top three predictions for the virtual events industry as we enter this new normal.