5 meeting trends to be inspired by

The need for personal meetings is still just as great despite the fact that much around us is being digitized. However, one does not exclude the other, and a strong trend even within the meeting industry is that digitization is taking up more and more space.

This year, we are also investing more in playful activities, interaction, and more thought about sustainability when it comes to meeting trends. Since we live in constant change, it can be both important and necessary to understand and keep up with the trends that develop over the years. Below, we have gathered a number of strong and growing trends that are important for the meeting industry to keep an eye on right now.

1. The digital integrates with the physical meeting

Digitization is no longer seen as a parallel reality to the physical and analog world, but more and more people realize that there is only one reality where the two dimensions interact. This is according to Ida Malmström, project manager for meetings at Visit Linköping & Co, and also applies to meeting trends where the digital is taking up more space at meetings and events.

A strong internet connection and access to technology are a given, but she argues that despite the strong digitization, it will not eliminate the physical meeting but rather complement it. An example to be inspired by when it comes to digitization could be a setup like TED Talks where presentations or interviews can be pre-recorded or broadcast live from another location. This can provide a greater variation in the meeting experience and also means fewer trips for lecturers.

2. The sustainability trend continues to grow

It is becoming increasingly important to plan your meetings sustainably from start to finish. Sustainability can permeate and be highlighted in several different ways during the event, for example through sustainable food, several fairs or meetings at the same time to reduce emissions all travel can cause, and shorter travel distances to and from the event.

Why not get the participants to reflect on how they can reduce their own climate impact by, for example, indicating the climate footprint on the lunch menu or reporting the climate footprint of the activities offered during the day?

3. The meal becomes an activity of its own

For many years, we have focused entirely on what is served on the plate and who cooked it. Now we instead raise our gaze towards how the food and drink are served, prepared, and presented to contribute to the whole during the event. Food has a great significance for the experience and by, for example, putting together a special menu only for the day with a specific theme, it adds that little extra.

If you and your company are talking about sustainability during your meeting, it might be a good idea to serve a vegetarian menu with locally produced food. The healthy trend also continues where the era of classic lemonade is extinct and instead replaced with good old lemon water or other tasty non-alcoholic alternatives.

4. Short and effective meetings with more interaction

Something that Linköping Konsert & Kongress’s own meeting seller Daniel Fjäll is convinced will become a big meeting trend this year is short and more effective meetings. He argues that everyone’s time is important and that meeting should happen when it is actually needed – not just for the sake of it. Short presentation formats such as pecha kucha, which always contains 20 slides shown in 20 seconds, give a presentation of 6 minutes and 40 seconds – a perfect time to keep the audience attentive and engaged.

Another example is so-called campfire sessions where the presentation takes about 20 minutes and is then followed by an equally long conversation with the audience where the speaker also sits down. Activating participants to ensure they are not just passive spectators is important! Utilize digital tools like Mentimeter to engage your company or traditional analog activities like making posters or prototypes to contribute to more interaction.

5. New spaces for activities

Previously, the focus has been on the room where the event takes place and the other spaces have not played any significant role. Now, however, all spaces are equally in focus as activities happening outside the meeting room are just as important for the overall experience. It can, for example, be activity and interaction areas with exhibitions, stands with people from outside, or the opportunity to try out new technology.

Planning activities and different types of happenings both inside and outside the meeting room makes the audience more integrated and engaged throughout the day. Why not start the day with a stretchy yoga session, a run, or calm meditation? For recovery and relaxation during the day, one can also offer quiet and silent zones where participants can sit down for a break.