What’s in vogue for Vegas meetings? LVCVA Vice President of Global Business Sales Chris Meyer highlights some movements of the moment:
- From participants expecting robust Wi-Fi infrastructure at show venues to using virtual reality as a new form of communication, staying up-to-date on technology remains important for moving the meetings industry forward.
- An emerging technology-driven trend getting attendees right into the action is eSports, or online gaming. Thousands of gamers are coming to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center this July for the Evolution Championship Series (or Evo, billed as the world’s “largest and longest-running fighting game tournament”). There’s also a new facility at Neonopolis in downtown Las Vegas (the 15,000-square-foot Esports Studio and Arena opened in February 2017). These facilities can host tournaments, online streaming, viewing parties for online tournaments and special events. Some reports estimate the combination of online and in-person events can reach tens of millions of spectators.
- As indicated in our recently released LVCVA Visitor Profile study, the average age of our visitor is lowering. For the Millennial generation quickly taking over the meetings landscape, experiences and stories are crucial. They want to be part of the conversation, not just listen. As such, many meetings are moving into different territory, away from the meeting room or focused on interactive gatherings.
Meeting planners are focusing on extended activities beyond the tradeshow floor. Examples include teambuilding excursions to the Grand Canyon; paddleboarding on Lake Las Vegas; bonding over anti-aging treatments and wellness activities; and giving back to the community through volunteer work or donations.