Event professionals face several challenges when organizing events, and that includes trying to find a middle ground between the industry trends and what the attendees actually prefer. Nearly every industry professional expects hybrid events to dominate the future. Yet attendees overwhelmingly choose in-person experiences when given the option.
The industry data provides clarity on what attendees actually want versus what industry assumptions suggest they should want. Understanding these statistics helps organizers design experiences that resonate with real preferences rather than perceived trends.
This analysis examines 10 key statistics that reveal what truly drives event attendee experience when it comes to format, engagement, and personalization expectations.
Though the industry invested heavily in virtual infrastructure and many expected hybrid formats to become the default, the data tells a different story.
80% of attendees say in-person events are most trusted for discovering products
Despite massive investments in technology, attendees place higher trust in face-to-face interactions. Attendees find in-person event more valuable because they can evaluate products firsthand, ask questions in real-time, and build relationships with vendors.
What Event Professionals Need to Do:
60% of events happen in-person, 35% virtual and 5% hybrid
This shows a significant gap between expectation and reality. While 97% of professionals predict hybrid growth, only 5% of events use hybrid formats. This suggests the complexity and cost of hybrid execution outweigh the benefits for most organizers.
What Event Professionals Need to Do:
Attendees don’t just show up for the content, they are actively seeking connection, community and experiences that help them feel that they are part of something.
61% of Millennials and 63% of Gen Z plan to attend more events.
The increased need for attending events creates a lot of growth opportunities for organizers who understand that though event attendees value the content and information they gain from the events, they also value the experiences, connection and community that they find here.
What Event Professionals Need to Do:
64% of attendees say immersive experiences are the most important element of the event experience
Attendees are not satisfied with just passive observation; they also want to participate, interact, and engage deeply with the content. Immersive experiences create memorable moments that justify the time and travel investment better than traditional lecture formats.
What Event Professionals Need to Do:
From interactive art installations to gamified learning sessions, unique event experiences transform attendees from observers into active participants.
32% say live events help them feel connected to communities
Events serve social-emotional needs beyond information transfer and networking transactions. In an increasingly digital world, physical gathering spaces become more valuable for building authentic relationships and shared experiences.
What Event Professionals Need to Do:
40 million Americans participate in business events annually
The events industry reaches significant portions of professional populations. Quality event attendee experience decisions impact millions of careers, business relationships and professional trajectories.
What Event Professionals Need to Do:
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Nealry 60% of attendees say networking opportunities influence their choice to attend a convention
Networking isn’t just a bonus feature but also a primary driver of attendance decisions. Attendees evaluate events based on who else will be there and what connections they can make, often prioritizing networking potential over content quality.
What Event Professionals Need to Do:
Attendees want to attend more events, but they have to make choices about which ones deserve their investment of time and money. Generic experiences don’t build the loyalty that drives repeat attendance.
62% say personalized communication increases their loyalty
Generic mass communication fails to build relationships that drive repeat attendance. Personalization separates forgettable events from those that attendees prioritize year after year. This goes beyond using first names in emails and needs understanding individual interests, preferences, and participation history.
What Event Professionals Need to Do:
Modern event technology platforms make this level of personalization achievable by helping organizers capture preferences, track engagement patterns and deliver customized recommendations throughout the attendee journey.
50% of in-person attendees report smaller travel budgets
The desire to attend events hasn’t decreased, but financial constraints force more selective choices. Every event competes harder for limited travel budgets, making value demonstrations critical for securing attendance.
What Event Professionals Need to Do:
80% of attendees consider exhibitors and vendors as key to a positive experience
Exhibitors are crucial to attendee value. Attendees attend specifically to discover products, evaluate solutions, and connect with potential vendors. The exhibitor experience directly impacts overall event satisfaction.
What Event Professionals Need to Do:
The data reveals clear patterns shaping successful event attendee experience:
Format Decisions: Prioritize in-person excellence. Only add virtual features for genuine inclusion, not trends.
Connection Priority: Attendees want community. Design for both planned and unplanned interactions.
Personalization Imperative: Customize experiences using tech and data at every stage to boost loyalty.
Trust and Discovery: Attendees trust in-person events more for discovery and decisions.
The gap between industry expectations and attendee preferences reminds organizers that data should drive decisions, not assumptions. Understanding what attendees actually want creates experiences worth attending. The most successful events in 2026 will be those that listen to these preferences rather than imposing formats based on technology capabilities or industry predictions.
Q1. What event format do attendees prefer in 2026?
80% of attendees say in-person events are most trusted for discovering products. Currently, 60% of events happen in-person, 35% virtual, and only 5% hybrid.
Q2. What makes attendees feel loyal to an event?
62% of attendees say personalized communication increases their loyalty. This includes segmented messaging based on interests and previous participation history.
Q3. What's the most important element of event experience?
64% of attendees say immersive experiences are the most important element, indicating they want to participate and interact rather than passively observe.
Q4. How much do networking opportunities matter?
Nearly 60% of attendees say networking opportunities influence their decision to attend a convention, making it a primary attendance driver.
Q5. What drives repeat attendance?
Personalized communication, community connection opportunities, and immersive experiences drive loyalty and encourage attendees to return to future events.
Q6. How can event professionals personalize attendee experiences?
By providing attendees with the content and information that is adapted to their interest and their journey, event organizers can personalize attendee experiences. Tools like Rozie Synopsis capture live content, convert it into real-time insights and branded sponsor assets, and help organizers distribute these insights as per attendee interest. This makes it easier for organizers to design relevant, personalized experiences.
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