Subscribe and receive the latest insights & essential content in the special events industry.
Yes, it's completely free
Part 1: Special Events State of the Industry 2024Part 1: Special Events State of the Industry 2024
Budgets may be tight, but creativity is blossoming
2 Min Read
Elevate in Concert at Dr. Phillips Center, produced by Hello! Destination Management, won the 2024 Gala Award for Best Event Produced for a Corporation or Association: Overall Budget Under $500,000. Immersive entertainment has been trending as events become transformational experiences. Hello! Destination Management
Survey says...
Earlier in the third quarter, Special Events released our annual State of the Industry survey to our readership. We had around 300 respondents who weighed in regarding how this year has looked for their companies and clients, as well as provide some industry predictions for 2025. Top concerns revolve around economics and budgets, while top characteristics of style lean toward personalization and spectacle.
Who responded to our survey?
20% of respondents reside in Alabama, 18% in California, and the rest are scattered across the U.S., with 4% living outside the U.S. The majority are production managers, event producers, or event designers (41%), with CEOs and Sales/Marketing pros making up the bulk of the rest. The industry is mostly comprised of people who have been establishing their place or are already established: 54% have been in the industry for five to nine years, and 25% have been at it for more than 20 years. This is a significant change from last year’s results, where only 5% of respondents said they’d been in the industry for five to nine years, and 63% had been in it for more than 20 years.
Spectacle has been a huge trend in 2024. We've seen many aerial performers/servers greet guests with dramatic flair. Photo courtesy Teneo Hospitality Group
Top concerns
The overarching concern we’ve been hearing from industry pros is the economy. While progress has been made since the pandemic four years ago, there are still effects plaguing event pros and looming large as we begin a new year. Our respondents ranked their top three concerns as an uncertain economy (38%); reduced client budgets (37%); and increased competition (29%). This past year, event pros worried about client budget constraints (34%); cost of goods and services (31%); and staffing live events appropriately in all areas (21%). These concerns have remained relatively the same in the past few years, demonstrating that while many pros have come up with creative solutions to recover from the pandemic, the economy is still a major factor in the obstacles of event pros.
There may be a sliver of hope: respondents said their staffing troubles may be on the mend, with 43% of event pros having increased their staffing by 1%–25% since this time last year, and 36% unchanged, while only 15% reported a decrease. Perhaps staffing shortages will be slightly less of a concern at this time next year.
Stay tuned for the rest of our State of the Industry 2024 report!
