In 2024 so far the events industry has been characterised by a surge in short-lead events, most notably for the months of May and June (peak season!), and a concurrent shift towards prioritising the quality and scale of the events.
The prevalence of short-lead event planning persists as a prominent trend in 2024 so far, reflecting the industry’s ability to act swiftly to find meeting space. Whilst February is looking like an average month the back half of January and March / April are extremely busy, with availability on venues still quite hard to come by.
We are also seeing an ever present trend of “Joint First Options” as opposed to Second Options. This growing trend we saw throughout 2023 and basically runs on a first come, first serve basis.
Simultaneously, the industry is witnessing a notable emphasis on the quality and scale of events. Both ourselves and our industry peers are finding that the size of events our clients are holding is increasing this year. Larger events are no longer merely gatherings or standard conferences; they provide networking opportunities and an ambition to foster deeper connections, often instigated by an element of Team Building.
Looking into the latter half of 2024, despite overall busyness, there are discernible pockets of availability. We expect a surge of enquiries towards the middle of the year for Q3 and Q4, aligning with the prevailing trend of short-lead inquiries. This reflects a calculated approach, underscoring the industry’s commitment to optimising outcomes. The forthcoming general election may also be influencing factors for the latter half of the year too.
Hippo offer Event Project Management and Global Venue Finding services. Contact us today on 01372 460 100 or events@hippoevents.co.uk to see how we can assist.