92% of companies want to ditch Zoom and get back to hosting in-person events

Virtual product launches, workshops and Friday work drinks on Zoom have become the norm for many Australians in 2021 but new research from VenueNow shows that 92% of the 478 companies recently surveyed prefer in-person events.

The event industry is set for a strong comeback in New South Wales and Victoria where residents have been in lockdown for months on end. 

Over 38% say they are planning to host an event in the next 90 days, a clear indication that businesses are eager to return to in-person events. 

The research is promising for the industry which has been crippled by COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions over the past 18 months. 

Jake Dimarco, CEO and Founder of VenueNow, one of Australia’s leading websites to find and book venues, said a key factor in the industry revival will be a consistent government response across the country providing certainty for venue owners and event hosts. 

“The novelty of virtual events has well and truly worn off. Our research and enquiry volume clearly indicates a post-lockdown boom for in-person social and corporate events,” said Mr Dimarco. 

“Over 85% of our corporate clients are confident that in-person events in 2022 will return, with 1 in 3 planning to host more events in 2022 than ever before. The event industry is about to see a boom like never before.

“The move to ease restrictions in NSW is a step in the right direction, and hopefully other states like Victoria will follow suit.” 

For some venue owners, newly sworn-in NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet’s accelerated reopening plan has sparked optimism ahead of this year’s festive season. Tilley and Wills CBD Events manager Saskia Eichler said they had received a “flurry of enquiries” in recent days and Philip Beauchamp, Director of The Venues Collection, is confident the event industry is ready to come back to life. 

“We're eager to see Sydney come to life again, and bring people together in the way only hospitality can,” said Mr Beauchamp. 

“We have seen a significant spike in our enquiries, which is a promising sign of great things to come. We’re just so keen to be able to welcome people back into our venues whether they are from Sydney or, in time, interstate, and start to bring the events industry back to life." 

With the Premier’s roadmap ending lockdown and venues reopening across New South Wales, many will be looking to celebrate and come together once again. 

For more information please visit venuenow.com 
 

About VenueNow:

VenueNow is one of Australia’s leading websites to find and book the perfect venue. Whether that is a wedding, birthday party or a corporate conference, VenueNow has the perfect venue with over 5,000 listings across Australia including restaurants, pubs, stadiums and everything in between. VenueNow has helped over 150,000 customers since 2013 easily discover, compare and book the right venue.