Heading into 2024, meeting and event planners are most likely wondering what industry trends are going to come to fruition in the new year and what attendee behaviors to expect. In an effort to answer some of the lurking curiosities, Freeman, a global event and event service provider, recently released its Freeman Trends Report, “2024 Attendee Intent and Behavior.”

As reported in the last Trends Report, attendee numbers have returned to in-person events and now, with a new generation of event-goers, organizers have more opportunities to capture the hearts and minds of this new audience. The company says the research reveals that:

  • 80% of respondents say that the most trusted channel of all available marketing channels is in-person events — a trend that continues to rise.
  • 92% say that they will attend more in-person events in 2024 than last year.
  • 87% indicate that their number one factor influencing attendance at events is discovering new products, solutions and partners.

The study additionally highlights four key components for planners to adopt in meeting the new needs of attendees:

  • Now that artificial intelligence (AI) enables personalization at scale, it’s up to event planners to incorporate personalized experiences like curated agendas, persona-based wayfinding and interest-driven meetups.
  • Objective-based measurement.Look at who attends your events, discern how they’re different, and calibrate your strategy and measurement methods to deliver an attendee-centric event.
  • Know what attendees need so you can deliver the right content at the right time to help them achieve their goals.
  • We must always keep a pulse on our social and economic landscape when planning.

“Event success relies on more than attendance alone and there is no one-size-fits-all event strategy,” says Ken Holsinger, Freeman’s senior vice president of strategy. “It’s essential for event planners and exhibitors everywhere to be more intentional by taking a closer look at who attendees are, what they want and how to meet their needs.”

Results of the “2024 Attendee Intent and Behavior” Freeman Trends Report can be downloaded here.