ITB Asia圆桌探讨：人际连接与技术应用如何重塑未来活动

The business events sector is moving away from transactional order-taking toward deeply consultative, value-driven partnerships, and while tools, formats, and technologies continue to evolve rapidly, the core purpose of the industry remains anchored in human-to-human connection.

These insights were discussed by speakers on the Future-Ready or Falling Behind? Preparing for the Next Decade of Events & Experiences panel at ITB Asia at the end of October, addressing how the sector is navigating shifting client demands, operational pressures, and technological change.

According to Xinling Yap, regional account director for APAC at BCD Meetings & Events, today’s clients are looking for robust compliance tracking, data transparency, and ROI that extends beyond attendance metrics.

Yap noted: “It is no longer just taking orders from our customers, but coming back with a more consultative approach based on our experience. What we have done in the past, what worked, what did not work, and giving clients honest feedback because sometimes, it might even save them some money.”

Echoing this sentiment, Hajar Manaf, executive producer at Singapore-based experiential design agency Motion: For Impact, emphasised that the true magic of an event lies in crafting an experience that goes beyond functional and technical requirements. She stressed that audiences are looking for unexpected moments as “the felt impression is what people remember, and what makes them want to come back”.

With geopolitical uncertainties and tighter corporate budgeting, large-scale mega-events of 5,000 to 10,000 attendees are also giving way to agile, multi-market satellite hubs and smaller workshop-style breakouts.

However, Scott Nodsle, managing director international for EMEA & APAC at Encore, pointed out that shrinking booking windows remain an operational challenge, and advised planners to book early. “The booking window has gone from six months to three months to one month to weeks these days, and it just it is very challenging to organise and manage costs, while providing exceptional experiences.”

While technological investments – such as Encore’s substantial commitments to advanced LED walls and wireless capabilities – are transforming stages, panellists struck a cautious chord regarding artificial intelligence (AI). Although AI can streamline administrative tasks, data analysis, and basic wayfinding, they agreed that human connection remains irreplaceable.

Manaf opined: “I feel like the heart of event experience or experience design – it is substance over spectacle, because people forget spectacle but they remember substance.”

Addressing the rise of AI matchmaking tools, Yap acknowledged their value in clearing out manual work, but stressed that automated recommendations should be vetted by experienced event professionals.

“We as human elements have to step in and verify these recommendations. At the end of the day, we don’t want to pair two individuals with vastly different cultural backgrounds who end up completely misaligned. While we should definitely venture into AI matchmaking, it is that final validation piece where we have to be exceptionally careful,” she elaborated.