Meeting Professionals International's (MPI) Business Barometer for the third quarter of this year has found that marketplace uncertainty is giving way to the "need to find more creative and efficient ways to deliver great experiences".
Major current trends include increased social media and app use, hybrid and virtual events, innovation in format and content and rapid technology innovation.
The report also noted: "Europeans saw an increase in business of about 1.5% over the last 12 months, but predict an increase of 3.6% in the coming year. In the US, meeting professionals saw an increase of 2.7%, but predict an improvement of 4% into 2014."
The Business Barometer, which has become a quarterly study instead of bi-monthly from this edition, found European meeting professionals are especially keen to implement more creative alternatives to traditional designs and tactics.
Globally, event professionals reported advantages to exploring creative tools and tactics, more emotional engagement, new demographic sectors, greater overall participation and higher stakeholder satisfaction.
Social media is allowing brands to increase visibility, as well as generating a buzz around specific experiences, while technology is helping to engage audiences of different ages in a meaningful way, the report also found.
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