FUTURE EXPLORATION DUTCH EVENTS INDUSTRY

The corona pandemic has been challenging for the events industry. The Fieldlab Events was set up to conduct applied practical research into the efficacy of corona crisis measures during an increased capacity for events. This period has put great pressure on the agility of the events industry. Innovation and the combination with digital developments (such as Virtual Reality) provide new concepts in the events industry, so that events take place in a combination of the physical and digital world. The events industry has thus added value to digital innovations that in turn (can) lead to new social developments.

The events industry has recently resumed business-as-usual activities. At the same time, many uncertainties still exist, such as the coronavirus and Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine. In addition, the future generation of event visitors (the current 12-year-olds) will grow up in a world where physical and digital intersect. This group will want to experience events in a different way. The various innovation developments are expected to continue to impact the events industry. As a result, there is more than ever a need for a longer-term view of the future of the events industry.

The research
TNO will therefore investigate how digitisation, innovation and social developments will change the events industry in the coming 5 years, in a scenario in which physical and digital events become more intertwined (e.g. due to the chance of a new (corona) pandemic), and what this means for the Dutch industry.

The following research question is central to this research:
How can the Dutch events industry capitalise on opportunities (including adding value) from emerging digital, technological, and social developments?

The results of this project should inspire and give direction to organisations in the Dutch events industry for innovations that can guarantee their futureproofing, including in case of pandemics. At the same time, this research will yield new knowledge about drawing up future visions in close collaboration with stakeholders from the ecosystem (participatory foresight).

€150,000 will be used as a PPP programme allowance.