The Event Industry After COVID: Where We Stand in 2026

When I look at the event industry after COVID, I see opportunity, but I also see a need to be more practical about how we bring people together. A company offsite, product launch or client event needs a clear purpose, a realistic budget and a production plan that fits the room.

The conversation should go beyond whether events are “back.” We need to ask what makes an event worth attending and what it takes to deliver it well.

In-person events still need to earn the trip

There is good reason for confidence. In Amex GBT’s newly released 2027 Global Meetings and Events Forecast, 93% of the 500 meeting professionals surveyed across 11 countries were optimistic about the sector’s health next year. The survey was conducted in August 2026, so this is forward-looking sentiment, not proof of growth across every part of the industry.

For me, the strongest case for meeting in person is what people can do together: work through a difficult decision, try a product, meet someone outside their usual circle or have a conversation that would never make it onto a scheduled call.

The agenda has to make room for that. If we bring people together and spend the entire day talking at them, we are leaving much of the value on the table.

Budgets need to reflect the full production

Cost pressure remains part of the picture. The GBTA and ALTOUR forecast released in July 2026 identifies food and beverage, production and labor as continuing pressures on meetings budgets. Its global outlook is a planning reference, not a substitute for local quotes.

My advice is to build the budget around the event’s priorities before choosing the equipment. What must the audience hear, see and participate in? Which moments need recording? How much time is available to load in, test and rehearse?

Clear sound, readable visuals and a prepared crew deserve protection. A complicated stage design may be negotiable. Cutting rehearsal or assuming setup can happen in an unrealistic window can create problems that guests will notice immediately.

The useful conversation is about tradeoffs early enough to make them deliberately.

Smaller offsites and nontraditional spaces deserve a closer look

This is an area where I see real opportunity for East West Audio Visual. Company offsites, product activations and focused client gatherings can work well in galleries, studios, restaurants, cultural spaces and other venues outside the usual hotel or convention-center setting.

Cvent’s 2026 Global Planner Sourcing Report, based on a July 2025 survey of roughly 1,650 professional planners across six regions, found that 48% were sourcing non-hotel venues. That describes planners exploring those options, not the share of all events held there.

I think these spaces deserve consideration when they support the purpose of the gathering. A smaller offsite can leave more room for discussion. A distinctive venue can help a product activation feel connected to the brand. Hotels and convention centers still make sense for many programs, especially when accommodation, multiple meeting rooms and established infrastructure matter.

The opportunity for an AV company is to build relationships with venue teams early and make production easier for both the venue and the client.

Before committing, confirm power, acoustics, internet, sightlines, loading access, accessibility and weather backup. Get the venue’s AV policies in writing, including preferred-provider rules, outside-vendor fees and any exclusive services. A unique space can offer flexibility, but the address alone tells you very little about the operating rules or total cost.

Hybrid should solve a specific problem

I would start with the people who need to participate remotely. Do they need to ask questions, join discussions, present or simply watch?

Those are different production requirements. A live broadcast needs reliable audio, cameras, connectivity and someone responsible for the remote audience. A two-way discussion needs a plan for hearing and including people on both sides. Sometimes recording selected sessions is the more useful choice.

Decide that before the event is designed. Adding a camera at the last minute rarely creates the same experience as planning for remote participation from the beginning.

Product launches need participation and a plan

For an experiential launch, I would rather see a clear demonstration and a well-designed interaction than technology added only because it looks impressive.

Think through the guest’s path. Can people find the demonstration? Can they hear the presenter while another activation is running? Can they see the product clearly? Is there time to try it and ask questions?

Lighting, sound, video and timing should support those moments. Plan any photography or content capture around the live experience so the audience is not constantly working around a camera crew.

Where I think the industry goes from here

I see the best opportunities in events with a clear purpose, spaces chosen for the right reasons and production teams involved early enough to help.

We should also keep the planning discipline learned during COVID. Accessibility, illness-related attendance changes and contingency plans still deserve attention.

For clients and venue partners, my recommendation is straightforward: bring the AV conversation into the planning process before the room and format are locked in. That gives everyone a better chance to build an event that works for the people attending it.