This summer, flight cancellations have soared 250% from pre-pandemic levels, causing widespread disruption for those needing to travel. With rail strikes and hours of traffic building up at Dover also contributing to the stagnation of Brits this summer, the case for flexible, adaptable and thoroughly planned events has been proven. 

Almost half of eventgoers have missed or been late to an event because of travel issues and a further 54% have been unable to attend an event as it would be too difficult to get to. Keeping this in mind, it's imperative to learn from the shift to hybrid events that the pandemic encouraged to keep access, flexibility and planning front of mind.

Accessible events

Event environments should allow absolutely every attendee to connect, consume content, learn and reflect when and where it suits them. Supporting delegates in every way possible is essential to hosting a successful event, with travel chaos and grounded flights not needing to be a risk that leads to cancellation.

Much of the hum around the benefits of virtual events that arrived during the pandemic was focused on accessibility - anyone could tune in from anywhere.

This presented an opportunity to drive change in the events industry and carve out a space for a new type of event, incorporating the lessons the industry has learned over the past two years.

 At Live Group, we are committed to creating the most accessible and inclusive events - using the latest technology, data and insights to be the pioneer of this transformation.

Our hybrid wrap service is specifically designed for those wanting a return to in-person events without losing the benefits of the virtual world. Built around an audience's unique needs, the wrap service allows our clients to stay in complete control and work their event into any shape. By truly understanding the audience, we design hybrid events that deliver meaningful content and enable full engagement throughout. This allows participants the ease of flexibility whilst enjoying the delivery of meaningful content - and enables them to avoid the perils of unexpected travel disruptions.

Flexibility first

A greater sense of flexibility and freedom to work from anywhere is certainly one of the pandemic's lasting legacies. A recent survey from McKinsey shows that over 87% of people would still choose to work remotely if given the choice.  Similarly, the offer of flexibility and hybrid working is thought to be the latest golden ticket for businesses wanting to attract top talent.

The expectation of flexibility has diffused into people's lives - and events are no exception. Over 60% of event planners say that they are looking to accommodate virtual audiences despite in-person options growing.

At Live Group our virtual platform provides an intuitive and flexible space to deliver virtual and hybrid events to our clients' audiences. Our aim with virtual and hybrid engagement isn't to replicate the opportunities a delegate might have when attending an in-person event, but to create new methods of connection that lean into the strengths of digital and hybrid event formats to provide the perfect flexible events experience.

Planning

The travel havoc experienced this summer has highlighted the importance of planning ahead. When it comes to events, we have virtual contingency plans in place to mitigate and manage any potential risk that could derail the event.

When it comes to hybrid events, technology plays an important role in on-the-go event planning. For example, real time data-tracking can provide a powerful strategic advantage in knowing how interested audiences are and what they are finding to be most engaging. Technologies such as facial recognition is a very useful tool for doing this.

Data harnessed from technology is a key component for event planning. At Live Group, rather than waiting until delivery to examine data from an event, we keep a constant eye on feeds to ensure we're always making data-based decisions in event delivery - for both our in-person and virtual events.

This allows event planners to react quickly to changes in delegate behaviour and ensure event planning is truly one of a kind.

There is no doubt that the events industry has adapted itself in response to the pandemic, from changing delivery formats to technological advancement. The most recent setbacks stemming from the turmoil in transportation illustrates the need for the greater flexibility and accessibility that many event organisers now offer their clients.