Many of us in the events industry are wondering how to move forward. We know that humans will gather again — after all, it’s in our DNA — but we don’t know exactly what events will look like. Undoubtedly we’ll be using new technologies for events, such as video platforms or contact tracing tools. But beyond technology, how will we reinvent ourselves?

This is the question that Montréal’s convention centre (the Palais des congrès de Montréal) is exploring, in partnership with Yulism, a Montréal company that exists to connect people. The two organizations are creating a training program for event professionals to prepare themselves for the new realities of meetings, conventions, tradeshows, concerts, and other types of events.

Big questions

The training program — which is offered for free to the selected participants — will explore some big questions. What do events look like in a post-pandemic world? How do we, as event professionals, make the desired impact? How do we attract sponsors? How do we sure our meetings are human-centred and meaningful?

Since the onset of the pandemic, the primary reflex of event professionals has been to focus on technological tools and platforms for offering events online. However, whether we are talking about face-to-face, virtual, or a combination of both (hybrid events), the most successful event professionals will be the ones who refocus on objectives and to reinvent the industry. And this means technological evolution but also deeper: systemic reinvention.