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manage the ongoing headwinds that are emerging post-pandemic .
I am confident the future is bright for our industry . I see a lot of innovation and retooling as we emerge from the pandemic , along with a refocus on the issues we have long felt strongly about – sustainability , diversity and technology integration among them .
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What are the biggest challenges that SISO members are facing at this time and what is the organisation doing to address them ? When I hear industry CEOs talking about what keeps them up at night , those conversations invariably include sustainability , talent management and navigation of the post-pandemic waters , which include staffing challenges , inflation concerns , travel disruptions impacting our events and supply chain issues . While a lot of those challenges fall outside of our direct control , focusing on the areas where we can successfully impact our organisations is all the more important .
In those direct-impact areas , SISO continues to be a connection point for education , inspiration and connection for leaders of for-profit show organisers . From SIG groups covering many major functional areas of an event , to participation in sustainability and diversity initiatives , SISO provides the resources and information our members need to move their organisations forward .
In the harder-to-impact areas , SISO continues to be a major contributor and provider of oversight to the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance . This lobbying organisation was born from the Go Live Together initiative from the early days of the pandemic , and has solidified as a permanent presence and voice in Washington D . C . representing the events industry . Educating lawmakers about the
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challenges our industry faces is a first step toward solutions for us and other industries facing similar challenges .
Digital event technology has become more widely-used since the start of the pandemic . What type of digital events do you see becoming mainstream and what innovations do you see reshaping the industry next ? Digital events or online exhibitions did not fulfil their promise , as they weren ’ t effective at the core benefit that has driven the traditional exhibitions industry : connecting buyers and sellers . However , there were some innovations and evolutions that were necessary during the Covid-19 era that remain in demand , including better insight into attendee data points , more curated connections , and digital badges and event materials , which will find their way back into live exhibitions going forward .
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“ Digital events or online exhibitions did not fulfil their promise , as they weren ’ t effective at the core benefit that has driven the traditional exhibitions industry : connecting buyers and sellers ” |
The pandemic showed us that our exhibitors truly value live , in-person events as part of their marketing mix , and that attendees truly value the in-person experience of seeing , touching and experiencing the product or service as part of their decision-making process .
However , the pandemic also made it clear that other solutions , including online connections , continue to rise in their importance and viability . The future of the live event industry will depend on further incorporating digital touches , online connections and data management to ensure the ongoing value of the live experience , but real work and innovation remains to be done to integrate digital more fully into these experiences . And , as the demographics of exhibition delegates shift to younger generations , these digital touches will be widely expected and sought after by audiences .
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