It’s no surprise that Covid 19 rocked the global economy. Many industries were severely impacted by the pandemic, including the event industry. As a result, what once was common in the world of corporate and social events, may no longer be. That’s why we are bringing light to the difference in the world of events pre-pandemic and post-pandemic.
A Pre Pandemic Event Industry
Before the global health pandemic, the events industry was focused on new trends and being innovative; a post-pandemic world does not always allow for this flexibility. As planners, before the pandemic, we often had longer lead times to plan events and a wider choice of venues available to us. These venues were often host to larger audiences that filled ballrooms with tables close together. These larger-scale events often came with bigger budgets to work with and allowed for more interactive in-person audience activities. Guests could enjoy lavish buffets with 360-degree access around them as they danced the night away on the dance floor.
As a Vancouver corporate event planner with over 30 years of experience planning events before the pandemic, I believe our industry had well-established and reasonable resources to work with. There were many vendors to choose from, all of which had plenty of options and ample supplies. Labour, delivery and rental costs were within reason, and there were minimal issues with conflicting events and supplies. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case.
A Post Pandemic Event Industry
Due to uncertainty from the pandemic, clients are planning their events with short or often unreasonable lead times. This is putting a tremendous strain on the industry and our vendors. The event industry is playing catch up from two years of postponed or cancelled events. This means there is a shortage in available venues as contracts from the pandemic have rolled over to current times. When venues are available, guests and activities are spread out across a larger floorplan, and dance floors are often omitted. Long gone are the times of full ballrooms and large buffets. Now is the time for individually packaged meals or chef-served food stations.
This shift in post-pandemic events has also significantly impacted event budgets. Clients are reducing or adjusting budgets due to the added cost of virtual event technology. This financial change comes as in-person events are becoming too expensive for organizations to host. With the popularity of virtual events increasing, in-person audiences are growing smaller and smaller. As a result, there has been a significant decrease in interactive audience activities.
What is our world like today?
Event planners are being faced with a shortage of vendors and inventory on a daily basis. This lack of supplies from vendors can have a negative impact on clients and their event vision. Due to staffing shortages, some vendors have to turn away opportunities or increase labour costs. Shipping costs and time have also increased significantly due to the rising cost of gas, supply chain issues and shortages. This has sometimes resulted in double or triple the amount previously. Regarding florals, there is a global shortage of varieties and a significant increase in cost. As a result, this is leading clients to settle for what florals are available and does not allow flexibility for specific visions.
With all of this being said, there is no better time to hire an event planner or consult with an event consultant when planning your corporate event or social event. Our team has over 30 years of experience managing the unpredictable and bringing our client’s event visions to life.
Check out more on our event consulting services, and be sure to book your FREE consultation call today!
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