Zoom With Prevue’s Influencers

May 19, 2020

Prevue tapped our Industry Influencers to share their predictions about the return of meetings.

Here’s what our Influencers had to say about what meetings will look like going forward:

Joan Eisenstodt, Chief Strategist, Eisenstodt Associates: “I believe COVID-19 will stay in the world the same way AIDS has. It will not go away, and we are in for a very rough time. I see the second quarter of 2021 as when we begin to come back with regional meetings
“There’s a list of issues we have to look at before we can even have meetings, including the infrastructure in cities and states whose budgets are devastated…I wish I didn’t see all these things, but I do.”

Elizabeth Glau, CMP, CEO, Event Integrity: “We need the greatest minds to talk about what this will look like a year from now. We’re too hung up on when are allowed to meet again when the conversation should be about when attendees will feel comfortable. What is the value proposition even for them to get on an airplane?”

Corbin Ball, CSP, CMP Founder, Corbin Ball & Assoc.: “Virtual and digital meetings will remain in a larger component than in the past, with hybrid meetings becoming standard as a number of people choose to stay home.”

Jeannie Power, Founder, Power Event Group: “I have had clients trying to take the on-site experience and put it in video. This is a totally different medium. There’s no need need to replicate walking through a trade show floor!”

Issa Jouaneh, Founder, Jouaneh Ventures: “I was in the camp of coming back in August or September, but I have seen that shift in the past couple of weeks not even to Q4 but to Q1 of next year.
“I do believe we are going to come back and I see a lot of pent-up demand. There is significant volume and activity in Las Vegas, for example. For many dates and times, you have waiting lists of up to 5 companies.”

Guy Bigwood, Managing Director, Global Destination Sustainability Index and Gubi Consulting: “These times are urgent and we need to slow down. 98 percent of people recently surveyed said sustainability is equal or more important than before. Clean and green.”