‘Noticeable improvement’ in business performance with return of face to face, etc.venues survey finds

Over half (53.5%) of event planners have seen a noticeable improvement in business performance since returning to face-to-face meetings, according to non-residential venue provider etc.venues’ fifth annual survey. The survey, carried out in the UK and USA, is designed to provide insights into the value of face-to face meetings, one day meetings and sustainability. Almost 99% of the planners said they value face-to-face meetings more than or the same as before the pandemic. The figure is up from 82% a year ago and a 22% increase from the start of the pandemic. The survey found that 26.7 % of event planners are looking at holding more in-person meetings than before the pandemic, with 35.7% keeping the number the same as before. In 2022, etc.venues  said it saw nine months of positive growth in meetings enquiries and bookings across the UK and USA, a trend that is continuing into 2023. One respondent was quoted: “After being forced online for so long, we have definitely seen our busiest year of face-to-face events with people desperate to be in the room. I think that people really realised how important physical meetings are”  More one-day meetings, fewer multiple-day events The research also identified that 65.3% of event planners are arranging more one-day meetings than previously. Of these 37.9% said it is to make better use of people’s time, 31.8% are doing to so to reduce costs and 30.3 % says it’s to help the work-life balance of delegates. This is a sign, according to etc.venues, that the impact of a dispersed workforce has changed the way in which meetings agendas are constructed. Despite all the noise around the issue, planners are seemingly not yet taking a comprehensive approach to sustainability, the survey results would indicate. “Everyone is talking about it, but no one is doing anything except planting a few trees here and there,” commented one respondent. Under 5% thought planners were strongly engaged with the issue. while 43.7% said they thought that organisations were taking action but not very committed. Adam Simpson (pictured), director of marketing for etc.venues said: “It’s great to see that business performance is improving as in-person meetings return and that face-to face meetings are now universally valued. Confidence in the industry is back and etc.venues is growing to accommodate this trend with new space opening in both the US and UK.” The survey had 423 respondents and research was carried out in December 2022.