An attempt at predicting the future of meetings, events, hospitality and travel.

1. Predictions for the Decade
@danberger
June 12, 2020

2. @danberger
I’m a believer.
I’m an entrepreneur.
I’m a participant.
I’m a planner.
@danberger

3. @danberger
1. Data upfront.
2. Trends built off of the data.
3. Predictions built off the trends.
NOTE:
● This is meant to expand your thinking, not to
scare you.
● Some data is global but mostly US.
The Rules of the Road

4. @danberger
100s of data points
40 Trends
9 Predictions
30 Minutes

5. We need to zoom out of our temporary reality
Wave 1
Wave 2
● While COVID-19 is current state, it is still
temporary within a greater context.
● Therefore, we need to look past the next
18+ months (time to vaccine) to
understand where things are going.
● Some earlier signals may be accelerated
and become standards...
● While more traditional ways of doing
business may take longer to change.
Wave 3

6. @danberger
Global hotel investment
volumes held steady in 2019
#hotels DATA

7. @danberger
Convention hotels are a thing of
the past (US)
#hotels DATA

8. @danberger
Limited and select service is the
name of the game (US)
#hotels DATA

9. @danberger
● Hoteliers will continue to be hands-on as they
become more sophisticated and concerned.
● Chains will continue to invest in limited & select
service brands, especially as “MICE as usual”
experiences a 2+ year dip.
● Revenue managers will focus on smaller groups
more than ever.
● 2019 was the last year of global hospitality growth
for the foreseeable future.
Hotel owners are diving into the
details
TRENDING#hotels

10. @danberger@danberger
The new decade has started
with a buyer’s market
PREDICTION

11. @danberger
US meat consumption has
shifted towards chicken
#F&B DATA

12. @danberger
The US is an outlier in terms of
beef consumption
#F&B DATA

13. @danberger
Alternative meats are picking up
steam
#F&B DATA

14. @danberger
Beer accounts for less than 50%
of alcohol consumption
#F&B DATA

15. @danberger
● Lab-grown meats are starting to replace
ingredients, leapfrogging vegetarian/vegan
meals.
● CBD-infused drinks will appear on beverage
menus as an alternative to alcohol.
● Alcohol-free events will cater to the sober and
sober-curious.
● Local fast-casual concepts will take the place of
restaurants in hotels.
Every aspect of F&B is being
challenged
TRENDING

16. @danberger
Most events will be meatless
and many alcohol-free
@danberger
PREDICTION
Food may even be optional.

17. @danberger
Consumers are more concerned
about their personal data
#data DATA

18. @danberger
More than half of Americans think
Facebook will do more harm than
good
#data DATA

19. @danberger
Big Tech regulation is not a
political issue
#data
15% jump in 4 months
DATA

20. @danberger
Americans are spending more
time on digital media than ever
before
#screen-time DATA

21. @danberger
● GDPR-inspired regulation will be the global
norm.
● Device-free events will be welcomed and
enforced.
● Virtual events will face new threats from data
breaches to security issues.
● Some attendees will go badgeless and choose to
be anonymous when it comes to face-to-face.
Privacy and safety standards will
be higher
TRENDING#data

22. @danberger@danberger
Attendees’ safety and privacy
expectations will reach
new heights
PREDICTION

23. @danberger
● Events will require more square footage due to
social distancing regulations and on-site testing.
● Public health officers, PPE, disinfectants, and
other health products will add complexity and
cost to events.
● Venue hygiene standards will be part of
contracts; and force majeure will be redefined.
● Large MICE will break up into regions or into
smaller redundant chunks.
Public health is the newest skill
planners will need to study
TRENDING#health

24. @danberger
1. Leisure - people itching to get out and can’t
travel abroad
2. SMERF - smaller size social events (eg weddings)
3. Business Travel (BT) - corporations will trickle
travel in on a needs-basis
4. Small MICE - regional over national meetings
5. Larger MICE - but only in late 21/early 22
Hospitality’s return will be
staggered over two years
TRENDING#health

25. @danberger@danberger
Public health management is
an event’s newest ‘feature’
PREDICTION

26. @danberger
Employers are embracing
remote work
#work DATA

27. @danberger
Freelancers are a growing part of
the economy
#work DATA

28. @danberger
● Pop-up coworking spaces will become the norm
in events.
● Hotels will offer coworking amenities as they
transform into lifestyle products.
● Internal events will be seen as a key tool to
engage remote workers.
● New meeting formats will be created to better
include a remote workforce.
● The office will be more important than ever.
Coworking is the new normal
TRENDING#work

29. @danberger
Planners will integrate
coworking and remote
attendance into their
programs
@danberger
PREDICTION

30. @danberger
Community events are growing
as people seek connectedness
Total Meetup.com Group joins per week
#event-types DATA
● Meetup hosted 250k meetups/month in 2019.

31. @danberger
Employee engagement is the key
to positive business outcomes
#employee-engagement DATA

32. @danberger
Events must balance inclusivity
and exclusivity
● HR is going to devote more resources for
employee events
● Employee events are going to be more important
than sales & marketing events.
● Employers that provide event & meeting
planning training for their employees will do
better.
● Company events will be viewed as perks that win
in the war for talent.
● More platforms will emerge to help people create
face-to-face communities.
TRENDING

33. @danberger@danberger
Events that provide attendees a
sense of belonging will win
PREDICTION

34. @danberger
New digital supply channels for
group business emerge monthly
#distribution DATA

35. @danberger
● Third party planners will lose market share.
● Suppliers will proactively reach out to qualified
planners with sales enablement tools.
● Hotels will introduce direct book for small groups.
● Untrained and misaligned hotel sales
professionals will be forced out.
● Hotel sales reps that focus on successful meeting
outcomes and customer retention will win.
● Non-traditional event spaces will compete with
hotels and venues.
● CVBs will focus on economic impact rather than
room nights.
Group business is growing in
complexity
TRENDING

36. @danberger
There will be more ways to
source groups & meetings
@danberger
PREDICTION

37. @danberger
Predictable physical work can be
replaced by machines
DATA#labor

38. @danberger
● The price of event software will drop.
● Workflow automation and emerging technologies
will give planners more time to be creative.
● Hotels and meeting planners will choose
consolidated event management platforms.
● Virtual site visits will augment in-person visits.
● Floor plans will be more effective thanks to machine
learning.
● Robots will replace certain hotel and event staff.
Technology is upgrading every
step in event planning
TRENDING

39. @danberger
Technology will augment the
way we plan for the better
@danberger
PREDICTION

40. @danberger
The middle class is growing
globally
DATA#macroeconomics

41. @danberger
● The growing global middle class means more
prospective attendees.
● Home-sharing will add new inventory in areas
with limited hotel supply.
● Driverless vehicles will unlock new destinations.
● Secondary markets will compete with traditional
ones.
● “Last mile” commuting vehicles will ease clogged
arteries during events.
New ways to travel will open up
new possibilities
TRENDING

42. @danberger
Events will be more accessible,
both in terms of attendance
and location
@danberger
PREDICTION

43. @danberger
There is a gap between what
businesses say and what
millennials believe
DATA#values

44. @danberger
● Every event will consider diversity & inclusion
from the planning committee to the program
itself.
● Organizations will take a strong stand on social
justice issues, impacting their everything from
choosing destinations to suppliers.
● Leave no trace (“LNT”) will be an industry
standard.
New voices are entering the
industry
TRENDING

45. @danberger
The next generation’s values will
be reflected in the way we plan
@danberger
TREND

46. @danberger
● Virtual event products will create even more
commodities in the market.
● More last minute purchases means just-in-time
planning and supply chain management.
● Event insurance will be big business.
● Successful events will subcontract content from
specialized frenemies.
● Unconventional organizations will enter the
event planning business (eg LinkedIn).
● Most activations will be roaming, making
experiences less sequential and more fluid.
Staying relevant will be more
difficult
TRENDING#experience-design

47. @danberger
Event organizers will need to be
more flexible than ever
@danberger
TREND

48. /end
email: dan@danjberger.com
twitter and instagram: @danberger