DALLAS — Freeman released a new report that explores how macro trends are impacting the future of events and gives ways for organizers to meet the moment and position their shows for success.
According to the Freeman 2024 Event Organizer Trends Report, Gen Z now outnumbers Boomers in the U.S. workforce, and by 2030, the workforce will be 35% Gen Z, 40% Millennial, 20% Gen X and 5% Boomer.
Freeman suggests that many organizers should update their strategies to cater to this growing group of attendees: 65% of organizers use traditional classroom formats — even though 56% of attendees prefer interactive, hands-on and collaborative experiences — and 51% of organizers highlight tech tools like apps and digital displays as a priority, while 64% of attendees prefer immersive experiences.
The resource also asserts that 48% of organizers currently understand what potential exhibitors and non-attendees want and highlights how focusing on their needs can drive growth.
“As Gen Z enters the workforce and begins to influence events, organizers are presented with a unique opportunity to rethink how they deliver value,” Janet Dell, Freeman’s CEO, said. “It’s not just about keeping up with trends, but about truly understanding how younger generations engage and connect. They prioritize experiences that are more personalized, tech-driven and purpose-filled. For organizers, this means embracing innovation — not just in technology, but in learning methods, engagement strategies and event formats. Those who adapt quickly and strategically will be the ones to deliver deeper, more meaningful connections with their audiences. At Freeman, we see this as a pivotal moment for the industry, and we’re committed to meeting the evolving needs of our customers and helping organizers navigate these changes to create experiences that resonate and drive future success.”
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Innovation and Best Practices
The Trends Report identifies a group of organizers that are prepared for the events industry’s future and calls them “The Innovators.”
Freeman’s Innovators are the most influenced by market trends, in-tune with attendee and exhibitor objectives, able to balance rising costs with the need to evolve attendee experiences, likely to diversify educational formats and interested in non-attendee and potential exhibitor feedback.
The Innovators also prioritize elevating attendee experiences more than increasing the number of attendees and believe that private events are more of a threat than the Conventionalists, what Freeman calls their more-traditional counterparts, do.
For organizers looking to adapt to the rapidly changing events landscape, the report suggests learning from the Innovators, analyzing the needs of participants and non-participants, dedicating a group or person to networking, balancing participant value with rising costs and taking charge of change with the right data.
It also dives into the misconceptions and areas of alignment that organizers have with attendees and exhibitors, uses Freeman’s XLNC (pronounced “excellence”) Framework to uncover why people attend events and supplies ways for organizers to create “must-go” events.
The full report can be found here.
