Eight Post-Pandemic Trade Show Trends

COVID-19 put a cork on many conferences and trade shows last year, but in late 2021 we already see a gradual move to the new normal, and we are observing a trend of people becoming open and ready to meet new folks now. Below are some other trends that will likely shape trade shows in the US and around the world.

?Events Closer to Home Prevail

While COVID-19 vaccinations continue worldwide, there's still a massive slump in international flights, even as borders continue to open for tourism. In addition, people are only willing to drive to events close to home, so local US exhibits and trade shows will dominate in the new normal. Expect people to avoid flights if they can help, so prioritize local shows that bring you closer to local businesses and consumers.

?Eco-Friendliness

Businesses and individuals are concentrating their efforts to minimize their carbon footprints because of climate change, travel's impact on the environment, and how we can make a change. As a result, attendees and presenters who would otherwise have traveled a significant distance to participate in person may now do it more environmentally friendly with the hybrid event style.

Attendees who are less likely to travel to live events owing to COVID concerns may favor events that use virtual platforms and are billed as "travel-free."

Since the pandemic, organizers have aimed to return to live events, but several advancements and changes in customer behavior have transformed the sector for the better.

Event organizers can ensure that their significant events are triumphant and enjoy a profitable transition to the "new normal" by accepting change and leveraging emerging trends and possibilities that have developed because of the pandemic.

?Promotional Face Masks with Logos

Trends show that customized masks can become popular promotional items – and for a good reason. The CDC continues to ask people to wear masks when out in public so that this accessory will remain consistently in demand.

Branded face masks are an essential good, and you can explore various materials to find the one that suits your business best. Face masks have different designs and are manufactured from other fabrics nowadays, from pure cotton to surgical masks with a waterproof side. Be sure to explore your giveaway/promotional items before a trade show to attract a good amount of traffic to your booth.

?Prepare Those Hand Sanitizer Stations

By now, every establishment should have at least one hand sanitizer station, and trade show exhibits will be no different.

Luckily, there are different ways to approach this need.

The simplest would be to have a lone stood with a pump bottle or touchless dispense installed, ready to drive those germs back. Trade show exhibit companies are also coming up with a medley of attractive hand sanitizer stations, so this accessory truly becomes a part of the overall aesthetic. Some trendy variations include:

- ? ? ? Stands with an automatic sanitizer dispenser and a hands-free temperature reader

- ? ? ? Wellness stations with temperature readers, a large graphic background, and a hand sanitizer dispense

- ? ? ? Kiosk displays with a temperature reader and hand sanitizer dispenser

- ? ? ? Mobile pop-up carts with a hand sanitizer dispenser

?There is barely any limitation in designing these new kiosks and mini stations for trade shows. Integrating branding and logos is also easy, as the health and safety messages have already been established – you have to prepare the canvas for them.

?Hybrid Event Technologies Are Here to Stay

Hybrid events, which combine in-person exhibits with digital elements, are projected to remain popular even after the pandemic has passed, with more than 66% of event planners planning to use the format once in-person events restart.

The development of event software has sped rapidly in the last year, and hybrid material is now more accessible to attendees and hosts. In addition, the capacity to hold a global event with cross-border access can broaden the reach of material and information, boost ticket sales, and make the event more popular overall.

For example, a hybrid event that includes a Q&A with in-person delegates and uses events software to allow hundreds more to attend from the comfort of their own homes or offices can reach a much larger audience, making hybrid events critical for those looking to recoup profits lost in the previous year.

?Flexible Ticketing is a Must

Organizers will need to offer more versatile ticketing alternatives when events migrate from virtual to hybrid or live to handle future uncertainties and changing conditions.

Small COVID-19 outbreaks, attendees who need to isolate, illness, and attendance limits are all eventualities that event planners must consider and plan for. As a result, businesses will offer more flexible ticketing alternatives, such as the ability to postpone, reschedule, or transfer events to virtual, decreasing the need for refunds and assisting in the retention of delegates.

Thanks to flexible ticketing, customers will now have the option to choose between live and virtual attendance based on their location and preferences.

Variable ticketing will be the way for event organizers to retain participants, provide delegates peace of mind, and allow events to run well despite constraints and problems.

?Renaissance of Micro-events

Despite the lifting of regulations, many event organizers are likely to continue conducting smaller micro-events. For example, hosting an event for merely 20 people can frequently result in a far more enriching and engaging experience for both presenters and attendees.

While they are delicately balanced in terms of financial viability and don't always provide the same networking opportunities as more significant events, they can gather a more upscale crowd that can better get to know the speakers, ask questions, and learn more can be far more beneficial for delegates.

These gatherings may be prioritized for the rest of 2021 to limit the potential of large-scale outbreaks and to provide organizers more control over COVID-19 safety measures among a smaller group of people.

?Temperature Monitoring and Rapid Testing, On-Site

According to several sources, a return to conventional live events is on the verge of becoming a reality, with health and safety safeguards and changes expected to become the industry norm.

To prevent COVID-19 outbreaks among guests, several events and venues will include on-site testing and temp checks. While these protections are likely to become a requirement for locations as event organizers continue to prioritize safety, they also can become valuable selling points for attendees who are still uncertain about returning to live events.