Re-imagining and transforming events: Insights from the Australian events industry

Abstract

Over the past year, COVID-19 has hit the events industry with unprecedented force, resulting in event cancellations, reduced employment and salary cuts, with most event organisations moving either partially or fully to virtual events. Most challenging is the uncertainty in regard to the way(s) that events will be reshaped and rejuvenated. Our aim in this study is to discover how practitioners interpret the pandemic in relation to events and how events are reimagined and transformed in a pandemic world. Theories relating to transformative experiences and resilience are used to explore the phenomenon. This study contributes a framework based on qualitative insights by event professionals, suggesting the industry should focus on key priorities for event transformation, namely connectivity, meaningful experience design, adaptive capacity and education and, finally, practitioner well-being. Research limitations are discussed, and future research is proposed.

Keywords: event education, event experiences, event industry, human connectivity, meaningful events, transformation