Well, doesn’t it feel like 2024 has flown by! Time is racing on (how is it nearly the end of November already?), and we’re diving headfirst into Christmas party season. Raising as much money as possible for our wonderful charity partner, SANE, we’ll be donating £5 per Christmas party guest to this champion of mental health support.
Now, before time gets ahead of us (again), and our trends for 2025 become predictions for 2026, we wanted to take a moment to share our thoughts on the key forces likely to impact the industry over the next 12 months…
Less is more
As 2024 is drawing to a close, we’ve noticed that people are increasingly looking for events with a more intimate and personal feel, particularly for Christmas parties. This is perhaps a reflection of a desire to make meaningful connections, something which may be perceived as easier in a more cosy setting. Or, maybe it illustrates a belief that intimate spaces create a warmer and more welcoming atmosphere, and therefore encourage collaboration.
Either way, event venues should consider how they can effectively utilise their space to create this feeling.
It might mean, for example, offering packages with a greater focus on conversation, camaraderie and down-time. It could mean shifting focus to promote the smaller event spaces at a venue rather than highlighting the larger, grander ones. Or how about changing the layout of the furniture to make spaces feel cosier and adding small touches, like twinkly lights, that don’t require a lot of work but can dramatically alter the ambiance of a space?
Quality over quantity
As visitors have returned post-pandemic, their expectations have also increased. Perhaps realising how precious their time is, particularly if an event is going to take them away from moments with friends and family, visitors are ever more selective in the events they choose to attend. They are often drawn to events which provide that little bit more in the form of immersive or interactive experiences, something which makes the sacrifice of their time worth it.
For example, we’ve noticed that event organisers are increasingly aiming to build events which facilitate better conversations, opting for bowl food over the formal dining style to encourage this type of interaction.
Event venues need to be aware of this and reflect it in their planning (and their budgets) for the year ahead. It doesn’t need to cost a lot more; using AV to create an immersive sound experience, cleverly playing with lighting, or perhaps partnering with a local attraction for a special added extra on a package. The important thing is that it engages the audience and makes the experience more memorable for them (and, of course, gives you an advantage over your competitors).
Elements such as these absorb the visitor into the story that is being told through the event, and invite them to participate in the narrative. This in-turn taps into their emotions, helping them to resonate with the experience on a personal level and, most importantly, deepen their connection to the event.
People power
The concept of corporate social responsibility has gained significant traction in recent years but now, in no small part because of the efforts of visitors, it is really coming to the fore. Visitors are no longer looking for a venue which suits just their budget and location needs, they are searching for one which aligns with their core values and resonates with who they are as a person and what they believe in.
Making their feelings known by choosing venues which put people and planet over profit, visitors are showing how small individual voices have the power to create great change collectively.
At the heart of this shift is authenticity – the pandemic stripped us back to our core, as individuals and as a society, highlighting our collective responsibility to ourselves, each other and the planet we are lucky enough to call home. It also reminded us, when we were at our most isolated, of the importance of connection. People want to see these changes honestly reflected in the companies they interact with; while it doesn’t have to be perfect, visitors need to know that you are at least trying to use the privilege of your platform to (yes, we’re going to say it) make the world, or at least their immediate world, just that little bit better.
Final thoughts
At the end of the day, what all these trends come down to is the idea of community; a recognition of the value of shared experience, and of the need to feel like we belong. Connection is at the heart of the human experience and it’s at the heart of events. As we dive into 2025, it would be easy to get swept up in the current, but, amidst all the push and pull, let’s not forget the magic of what can be achieved when we bring people together.
