It appears that the economy is recovering from the recession and therefore companies are beginning to invest more in organising events and meetings. Just last year, 2015, throughout over 100 hotels in 19 different countries, over 6,500 events have taken place.

This is an undeniable sign that the events industry is beginning to gain confidence; although in moderation and progressively. However, companies are not prepared to invest in just any event in any fashion.

It is not only a question of budget. Businesses have realised the necessity of innovative formats and the creation of more participative, original experiences. Consequently, the priorities and requisites for choosing a location and space have also changed. Hotels and convention centres have had to adapt to these changes, offering more versatile spaces, compatible with the use of digital tools and searching for differentiation through singularity. It was important before, but now it is even more so.

Singularity and versatility

The trend now is for buildings with a story to tell, spaces that transmit values, rooms with avant-garde design and architectural constructions with innovative self-sufficient energy systems, but that are also versatile enough to host any type of event.

Personality and originality

For incentive trips, for example, there is a tendency to want to create more original experiences; bringing the participants in touch with local culture and doing activities that have a direct and positive repercussion in the area, not just financially, but also environmentally. For this reason, companies look for destinations that can offer this or conference centres located in rural areas.

Fulfilling experiences

Some companies have begun to design meetings and incentive trips that combine work sessions with other activities that have a direct, emotional benefit for the participants. Meetings that are more productive and are focused on creating healthy habits.

Technology and adaptability

The technological factor has become a must within the events industry. For this reason, for many organisers, it is essential to be able to use spaces that allow complex technological equipment to be set up, whether that is interactive mappings, holograms, 3-D presentations or any other wonder that has been seen lately in some events, such as filming with drones.

Businesses are holding events where as much the content as the values transmitted tend to be less superfluous. Meetings promote greater implication and participation from the attendees, whether that be using new technologies or with group activities.

The location of the event or meeting is still important, but for certain meetings and events more emphasis is placed on singularity, originality, versatility and other aspects such as sustainability.

The key is to create an experience that allows you to connect on an emotional level with the participants and find a space and location that, as well as being a location, is another integral element of your event.