Majority of Attendees Surveyed Are Open to Returning to Live Events, Says GES Study

September 2, 2020

If events are held responsibly through strict implementation of health and safety guidelines, will people feel safe to attend in-person trade shows and events during a pandemic? That’s the question event organizers continue to struggle with, yet new data from event marketing and planning company GES sheds some light on the answer.

In a survey of more than 1,300 attendees in June and July, GES research uncovered five distinct groups of show attendees based on their COVID-19 perception of risk assessment and mitigation requirements, including temperature checks, mandatory face masks, sanitation practices and more. Respondents in these segments ranged from having no concerns returning to live events to being highly concerned about COVID-19 and having strong doubts about mitigation efficacy. 

According to the findings, 88 percent of respondents are open to attending trade shows in person, with 65 percent demanding some form of mitigation to attend and 23 preferring no mitigation tactics. From the study, five core segments with varying priorities for returning to live events emerged and were classified by their distinct perception of COVID-19 risk assessment and mitigation requirements. These groups are as follows: 

·      Won’t attend: 12% were highly concerned by the health risks of attending live events and don’t believe in mitigation. 

·      Might attend: 24% were concerned about COVID-19 risk, but open to attending an event if it provided high value to them. 

·      Moderately concerned: 24% had only moderate concerns about COVID-19, expressed willingness to follow personal restrictions but are against set meetings or limited meeting times. 

·      Mildly concerned: 17% expressed only mild COVID-19 concerns. While this group expressed faith in personal mitigation procedures, they support structural changes to shows to promote safety.

·      Not worried at all: 23% had low COVID-19 concerns and would like shows to proceed as they did before the pandemic. 

 Besides the importance of following federal and local health guidelines, the GES study highlights how essential it is for event planners to design their shows to accommodate different client segments while also balancing the differing views of acceptable event practices among constituents. For example, planners can avoid possible friction by proactively designing show schedules according to attendee risk tolerance and separating education activities by in-person and digital learning. 

“[These] findings provide great insight to event organizers and underscore how critical it is to understand the attendee base and their risk perceptions to plan event design and mitigation strategies to attendee needs,” said Wendy Gibson, GES Global CMO. “It is our duty to proactively take action to understand all measures necessary and partner with all parties to safely and successfully reopen live events.”  

Find more insights from this GES research here.

 

Don’t miss any event-related news: Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter HERE and engage with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram!

Add new comment

Partner Voices
HERE, hosting responsible meetings and caring for our communities are top priorities. Through its 'Focused on What Matters: Embracing Humanity and Protecting the Planet' philosophy, MGM Resorts commits to creating a more sustainable future, while striving to make an impact in the lives of employees, guests, and the communities in which it operates. Water Stewardship Efforts MGM Resorts understands the importance of using water efficiently, especially in the desert destination of Las Vegas. Conserving water has always been part of the mission, but MGM Resorts has expanded its ambition into water stewardship. In 2022, MGM Resorts President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle signed the CEO Water Mandate—a UN Global Compact initiative mobilizing business leaders to advance water stewardship. MGM Resorts International was the first gaming company to take this important step. MGM Resorts replaced 200,000 square feet of real grass with drought-tolerant landscaping in Las Vegas. MGM Resorts pledges to reduce water withdrawal intensity by 33% by 2025 and by 35% by 2030. From 2007-2021, use of more than 5.6 billion gallons of water was avoided because of conservation efforts. Caring for One Another MGM Resorts’ Food Donations Program collects and preserves unserved food from conventions held at MGM Resorts properties, then safely donates to food insecure people in the community. Since the program’s launch in 2016, more than 3.7 million meals toward a 2025 goal of 5 million meals have been donated into the community. Donations include: Unserved perishable prepared foods from events Perishable unprepared food from MGM Resorts’ kitchens Nonperishable food items from minibars and warehouses The collaboration with Southern Nevada’s primary food bank, Three Square, has developed the infrastructure needed to safely collect, transport, and store food from MGM Resorts properties in Las Vegas, reducing food waste while serving the community. Fostering Diversity and Inclusion To MGM Resorts, a diverse and talented workforce is essential to success. By cultivating innovative strategies that consider multiple perspectives and viewpoints, the company creates an inclusive workplace culture that benefits its employees and community. MGM Resorts takes pride in being a welcoming home for veterans, individuals with disabilities, people from diverse backgrounds, LGBTQ+ community members, and more. This commitment to inclusion is reflected in the company's recruitment and hiring practices and its social responsibility initiatives. From the workplace to the community, MGM Resorts' commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion remains unwavering, and its efforts continue to create a more equitable and sustainable world for all. MGM Resorts understands its responsibility to contribute to the social and economic progress of the communities in which it operates. HERE, we embrace humanity.