It’s no secret that your venue can make or break your event. The perfect venue can create a memorable experience your guests will never forget. A poor venue can convince people to leave early and ignore your invite to the next one.
If you want to create a powerful experience your guests will never forget, you need a venue that’s unique and trendy. It should be something they’ve never seen before - something that will make them take photos and rave to their friends.
How do you find a venue like that? Look to the latest trends for inspiration. These will help you rent a venue and fashion the space to surpass your guests’ expectations. Here are the hottest event venue trends for 2020 and how you can take advantage of them.
More Unusual Event Locations
Event attendees aren't satisfied with hotels and convention centers anymore. Traditional venues still have their uses, but younger crowds want unusual spaces that serve the overall event experience, even if those locations are hard to reach. Stranded on the North Pole Experience, Dinner in the Sky, and the Press Halls at Printworks London are just a few examples of unique locations that create memorable experiences.
Unusual events can be anything out-of-the-ordinary. Look for venues in places your guests have never been, especially if they make a great story. Consider converting spaces that aren’t typically intended for events. Apply the Instagram test: Is your venue worth posting on Instagram?
Multiple Spaces for Multi-Day Events
Multi-day events can get stale pretty quickly when attendees are forced to use the same space. Who wants to sit in the same lecture room, walk around the same exhibits, or eat in the same dining hall for several days? Savvy event planners have learned to keep guests on their toes by planning multi-day events that span several locations. We expect to see more of this in 2020 as events become more competitive.
You don’t have to split your event across the city, but you can spice things up by sourcing venues with multiple on-site locations (outdoor spaces, buildings, patios, etc.). Don’t be afraid to rent off-site options, too. For instance, you could host a networking event at a restaurant down the street from your convention hall.
Guests Want More Face-to-Face Time
Your guests don’t just want to attend an event. They want to be part of it. They want opportunities to network with one another, chat with your speakers, and even meet the hosts. (Interestingly, networking is the second biggest motivator for event attendees.)
In 2020, we’re going to see more event venues designed with “collision” spaces. They’ll use minimalist design with fewer seats and open, accessible features, so guests can bump into one another organically. These kinds of spontaneous interactions will ignite relationships, thereby packing your event with tons of value.
Venue Sourcing Platforms Will Become Standard
According to the Global Planner Sourcing Report, only 16% of event planners report feeling comfortable with the venue they choose. They also agree that the research stage is the hardest part of choosing a venue. This is why venue sourcing platforms have become popular. We expect the trend to continue in 2020.
Consider using a venue sourcing platform to discover and research new venues. This is a great way to expose yourself to venues you may not even know exist. It will also save you a lot of time and expedite the venue sourcing process. Cvent, Aventri, EVENTup, and LiquidSpace are a few of the best.
More Venues Embrace Minimalism
A minimalist decor trend has gained a foothold in event venues over the last five or six years, but we expect it to flourish in 2020 as more events are designed to appeal to younger generations. Younger people tend to prefer sleek and bold styles that focus on clean architecture and seamless function.
Minimalist designs reduce your costs since you need less furniture and decor to fill a space. It also gives you more venue options, as any industrial space can be used for an “intentionally” minimalist theme.
Venues Offer Built-In Technology
Event attendees expect technology to be baked into the entire event space. They want media at their fingertips, information seamlessly available on their phone, and the ability to communicate with other guests online.
Increasingly, while Wi-Fi has always been considered a critical feature that every event should offer, stronger data plans have relieved some of the pressure to supply a great connection. That said, a lot of new technology these days is Wi-Fi dependent, so don't throw your routers away just yet.
In 2020, we expect to see more venues take technology seriously. They will offer more tools for event planners to access without bringing in additional equipment or people. Venue managers will grow more comfortable helping planners implement complex technologies, such as RFID tech, augmented reality, or virtual reality.
Vacation-Like Experiences
As modern work changes, the line between business and pleasure has blurred. Your attendees view your event like a small vacation. 71% of people consider the destination in the decision to attend an event, according to the International Association of Exhibitions and Events. As such, they increasingly expect a vacation-like experience, even if they are attending the event for work purposes.
In 2020, we expect to see more venues take advantage of this shift. They will offer more leisure experiences, such as local tours, health & spa features, cultural cuisine experiences, and entertainment for its own sake.
More Plant-Based Menu Options
Plant-based diets (veganism, vegetarianism, and even mere preferences) are more popular than ever, especially among younger people. They want healthier foods that don’t create an impact on the environment, but they also don’t want to sacrifice taste.
In 2020, we’re going to see a lot more venues pushing meatless meal options. They will hire in-house chefs and caterers who have experience sourcing local produce and creating plant-based menus. A larger number will go so far as to grow their own food on site. This is good news for most event planners since plant-based food options are generally cheaper.
Venues Adopt Sustainability Models
Sustainability has crept into most industries these days, and events are no exception. Guests aren’t satisfied with token sustainability measures like recycling bins or the absence of drinking straws. 86% of consumers want the businesses they purchase from and the places they visit to take serious steps toward environmental protection.
Venues have already taken steps to minimize their carbon footprint, but we think this practice will explode in 2020. Venues all over the country have taken extraordinary steps to produce their own solar and wind power on-site, donate leftovers, compost waste, and either purchase local goods or grow them on the property.
As an event planner, sustainability is always a win, which makes it a powerful selling tool. Almost everyone appreciates a business that takes environmental responsibility seriously.
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Beyond Trends
We’ve laid out some of the big event venue trends in 2020 to make your events memorable, but don’t feel bound to them. Feel free to explore your own ideas and create your own trends. Most importantly, create events for your specific guests. If you keep your mind open, you’ll design powerful experiences they can’t help but share.
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