CHICAGO — In the January 2025 issue of Trade Show Executive (TSE), events industry leaders shared their predictions for this year. Erin Clark Dunstan, Managing Vice President at Maritz, was one such power player. Dunstan anticipated geopolitical concerns impacting trade shows, event participants working to become Gen Z friendly and increased AI use in 2025.
TSE reconnected with Dunstan to discuss how these trends and more are playing out.
ANDREW: How have you seen geopolitical concerns impacting events this year?
ERIN: We’re watching the geopolitical environment closely in light of recent developments, particularly with regard to the announcement of tariffs and impacts on inbound international travel. Right now, it’s too early to know how this will impact our business, but we’ll continue to monitor this closely.
ANDREW: How have you observed Maritz or the events industry bringing younger professionals into the fold this year?
ERIN: With many early-career professionals entering the workforce, we’ve seen a need to get back to basics and arm them with the skills that more seasoned professionals may take for granted. One recent example of how we’ve applied this at Maritz is giving our clients quick hit training videos their exhibitors can use to educate their booth staff on the basics of booth etiquette and capturing leads.
On the flipside, bringing new generations into the fold is not a one-way street. It’s just as important that industry veterans actively incorporate new voices and perspectives when designing their events.
ANDREW: Have you noticed bespoke sponsorships still being a trend? Has this changed at all?
ERIN: Our team has seen that bespoke sponsorships continue to be a trend, with creative customizations being offered to attract more sponsors.
ANDREW: Has AI use shifted this year?
ERIN: The attention toward AI remains constant, but not at the speed of adoption we initially thought. Organizations are adopting tools into their everyday workflow and processes. Organizations using AI are outpacing the organizations that are not and we believe that will continue as people become more comfortable with using the tools.
It is no longer a competitive environment, but a competency that we must adopt. We are seeing more and more use cases specifically around experiences, AR/VR technologies and robotics that are driving new immersion in AI.
Maritz continues to explore, test and launch new AI technologies as it relates to enhanced experiences for our guests and differentiation in our solutions and services.
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ANDREW: Has cybersecurity remained a priority? Have there been any key developments in this area?
ERIN: Cybersecurity continues to stay a priority. We remain focused to ensure data is protected, networks are secure and all regulations are adhered to.
As cyber-attacks become increasingly advanced and sophisticated, we are committed to continuously improving our tools and process to ensure the security of all data and systems.
ANDREW: Have any of your 2025 predictions been proven especially accurate? Have there been any surprises?
ERIN: Our 2025 predictions to date around AI, engaging multiple generations and an increased focus on sustainability have held true as many of these trends have been taking shape for a number of years.
As mentioned above, we are now watching how the geopolitical environment could impact our space, particularly for organizations that rely on government funding, ones that serve members in the government sector and particularly those that include international attendees.
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