Good mood and optimism among event professionals - Heavent 2022

by Jade Caillot
November 23, 2022
Events
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Heavent Paris, the exhibition of innovation, solutions and services for events and shows, has just closed the doors of its 21st edition. The event industry players testified to the strong recovery that gives them great hope for 2023.

For three days, Hall 4 of Paris-Expo Porte de Versailles hosted Heavent Paris, Europe's largest trade show dedicated to the events industry. The number of exhibitors, which reached 450, returned to the same level as in 2019. A first encouraging sign. The aesthetics of the stands and the crowded aisles show, firstly, that the exhibiting service providers have taken care of their presence and, secondly, that the visitors have projects and want to review the numbers of their potential partners.

Attracting new talent to offset departures

For three days, Hall 4 of Paris-Expo Porte de Versailles hosted Heavent Paris, Europe's largest trade show dedicated to the events industry. The number of exhibitors, which reached 450, returned to the same level as in 2019. A first encouraging sign. The aesthetics of the stands and the crowded aisles show, firstly, that the exhibiting service providers have taken care of their presence and, secondly, that the visitors have projects and want to review the numbers of their potential partners.

Is the event still an attractive medium?

In a conference, event managers in companies even mentioned a " deprofessionalization " and a " juniorization " of professionals in agencies and service providers these days. Aware of this, they explained that they wanted to use several tools: work-study programs or apprenticeships to attract students, training, more attractive salaries, flexible working hours, etc. They also discussed the attractiveness of events as a management and communication tool for companies and other organizations. On this point, there are real debates between those who consider that the event has become unavoidable again and those who foresee a forthcoming decrease in budgets.

Reducing the impact of events, an imperative

Second issue: CSR commitments. Everyone seems to be aware of the efforts to be made. But the practical solutions remain, for the moment, complicated to implement. It is difficult to tackle the issue of sobriety in the use of scenic means (audiovisuals, carpeting, etc.). It is difficult to measure and reduce one's carbon footprint, since no two events are alike. It is difficult to eliminate meat from meals. However, a CSR director of a CAC 40 company was very clear during a round table. The objective of his company is to reduce 90% of its emissions by 2050. The event will have to pay its way. First tracks: events organized more in proximity and the reduction of meat catering.

Demonstrate your CSR commitment

In any case, contractors, whose legal constraints will increase on January^1, 2023, will increasingly entrust the creation and production of their events to partners who will prove that they are committed to reducing their own impacts. Although criticized, ISO 20121 remains a trusted third party. Other labels or demanding certifications are also welcome.

The dynamism of digital offers

Third issue: digitalization and hybridization. If the return of face-to-face events and their unavoidable place are established, the digital habits developed during the crisis are here to stay. Of course, the participant experience is clearly not up to the standard of face-to-face events. But the platforms and other digital solutions exhibiting at Heavent are showing real dynamism and their offers are seeking to promote interaction and improve participant engagement.

Live streams, a strong trend

As we know, digital technology allows you to expand your audience. Hybridizing a face-to-face event is a way to capture an audience that would not have come to the event. The objective remains to gain the attention of people behind their screen. This often requires a double editorial line, because the attention of people present in a room is not captured in the same way as that of people present behind their computer or smartphone. At Heavent Paris, for the first time, many exhibitors did live streams from their booths to reach audiences not present at the show. This is definitely a trend.

Attractiveness of the sector, CSR commitments and digitalization of events are the three major challenges facing both event suppliers and principals. All the conferences at Heavent Paris, as well as the exhibitors' scenographic and editorial choices, bear witness to this. 2023 will certainly bring its share of novelties and solutions around these three themes that will strongly impact the future of the event industry.