2018 Event Tech Trends

Technology trends are possibly the most difficult for events professionals to stay ahead of as they change quickly and evolve overnight. They revolutionize what we do, often well before we realize that there is an application for new tech or a need that tech could fill.

2018 promises to be an exciting year in technology for the events industry. Here are some of the trends we’re anticipating will take off or continue to rise in popularity as the year progresses.

Virtual and Augmented Reality
Imagine you are a venue with a property that has a spectacular ballroom with beautiful crystal chandeliers, a magnificent view of the city lights. You are thousands of miles from your property and sitting in a café with a potential client who is looking for an event space. Sure, you could paint a picture with words, or show static photos of past events to try to sell your client on your space, but you could also do better.

What if you pulled out your Oculus Go Virtual Reality (VR) headset and tell your client to have a look. You’ve transported your client into your venue world within seconds, immersing them in a visual walk around your property with music and the sounds of the location. Once immersed, your clients can even access a dropdown menu that will build out tons of ideas for them to touch, feel and explore.

We are definitely seeing a trend toward the increased use of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in events.

Wearable Tech and Drones

The technology of the moment, wearable cameras like GoPros and drones, will continue their popularity this year. The unique, candid perspective that they offer is appealing, adding depth and dynamics to sales presentations for prospects, and great ways to upgrade photography and videography services for current clients.

Technology and Destination Weddings

Technology will continue to impact events and how they are planned, especially destination weddings. Visualization tools, smart phones and software that allows you to build the environment in real time for your couple to experience are invaluable. Clients, especially destination ones, want more control over their planning than ever before, and they want to be able to do it all via mobile devices, not in person or over the phone. Working with clients at a distance requires collaboration online via live chats, chat groups and video conferencing, and technology is in place to allow all of those to happen smoothly.

Tech and Communication

In addition to making themselves available via social media and email, events professionals are introducing technology into their events from 360-degree booths and 360-degree photography, to hovering 360 cameras. These technologically advanced tools are crucial in making them appear ahead of the curve and on trend.

Technology is not a luxury today the way it has been in previous years. It’s part of our daily lives, which means clients are a critical part of the event planning process. Event professionals need to understand that they must not only stay ahead of trends, but continuously adapt to their clients’ requests. The ones that do will likely find themselves among the most successful businesses in the industry.