Transparency, honest information and a sense of exclusivity? Or co-creation, guided tours and knowledge exchange?
The event industry is rapidly developing and Amsterdam RAI has carefully studied the wishes and demands of the current and future generations of exhibition visitors. The results show how Generation X (age 35-50) and Generation Y (age 20-35) experience events and what they are looking for.
‘Experience’ being the operative word here and ‘event’ the way forward for the future, with each generation loading these terms with different meanings.
Together with TrendsActive and Ruigrok | NetPanel, Amsterdam RAI has created an overview of all these characteristics and preferences. It is sure to inspire all professionals in the event sector as well as being of interest to all who identify with generations X and Y.
The exhibition/event medium is in constant development. What started out as a vehicle for sales and product presentations has rapidly evolved into a place where physical communities are created. The rise of virtual meetings and applications has made the shape and content of events more relevant than ever, forcing the organisers of exhibitions, conferences and events to focus on opportunities for connecting to the latest technological and social trends. Amsterdam RAI has studied these developments and is now publishing the results.
Insights on generations X&Y
The event visitors of today mainly come from Generation X and, increasingly Generation Y. These two generations have very specific ideas, philosophies and needs, which are based upon their upbringing and social context.
Generation Y expects a real ‘experience’ when they visit an exhibition. In addition to acquiring information, they want to be actively involved before, during and after the event. Participation, co-creation and being able to improve and develop themselves are vital to Generation Y and they also want to be certain that a visit will be worth their while.
Generation X also has specific demands with regard to event visits. They want to know what to expect in advance of their visit, and place great store in trust. They require transparent, honest information that is as personal as possible. Gen-Xers want to know exactly what they are paying for and what they will receive in return.
Cooperation with TrendsActive and Ruigrok | NetPanel
In partnership with TrendsActive and Ruigrok | NetPanel, Amsterdam RAI has mapped out the changing wishes and demands of generations X and Y. The result is a document full of interesting insights about X & Y, along with various concepts for innovating exhibitions and events and making them future-proof.
The generation insights are based on qualitative research and socio-cultural trend analyses. The qualitative research was performed among visitors to business-to-business and public events. The analyses and concepts were further elaborated from the viewpoint of exhibitions, conferences and other events.
