We’ve all been to conferences. But have you ever been to a conference with over 10,000 meetings and event professionals gathered together for four days to network, learn and have some fun? Cvent CONNECT 2022 was THAT event.
Cvent, the world’s largest technology provider for organizing and executing meetings and events, held its annual conference Cvent CONNECT at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas from April 11 – 14.
Over 2,000 attendees were there live in sunny Las Vegas, and an astonishing 10,000 professionals also tuned in virtually for this state-of-the-art hybrid event.
We were one of the lucky ones to be in attendance, but we also had our Virtual Attendee Hub set up.
Cvent CONNECT is something our team always looks forward to, and this year’s event did not disappoint. It exceeded our expectations.
Nearly two months later, we’re still talking about the valuable lessons we learned and the connections we made. The four days were full of great sessions and talented guest speakers.
After years of attending, we can confidently say it: Cvent CONNECT is the BEST conference for meetings and event professionals, marketers, and experience makers!
If you’re looking to improve your attendee experience and take your event planning to the next level, check out some of the highlights from the conference.
Exhibitor Booth at Trade Show
On Wednesday, April 13, there were more than 150 exhibitor booths to visit at the Trade Show.
Our team members, Sam Mukherjee (Customer Relation Manager) and Sebri Omer (Sr. Account Manager), attended the conference in person at Booth #P9, looking to network and get more business on the table. Blain Mehari, our Account Executive, oversaw our virtual attendee hub.
Sam and Sebri explained our services, generated leads, and extended brand awareness. In addition, they had the opportunity to speak with hundreds of event professionals who use technology to enhance their event experiences and delight their attendees.
They discussed challenging the status quo, explored our environmental impacts, and envisioned how to host more sustainable conferences.
With the Cvent Attendee Hub, people unable to come to the meeting could view product videos, chat with Cvent staff, and even meet with Cvent experts on a specific topic. The Attendee Hub also had onsite session content.
As a Cvent shop, we always cherish attending Cvent CONNECT and meeting other innovative members of the Cvent community.
Valuable Lessons from Guest Speakers
Cvent CONNECT brings together a variety of keynote guest speakers from across the meetings and events industry, both in-person and online.
These industry thought leaders spoke about trending industry topics, such as virtual events, hybrid events, inclusivity, sustainability, and more. The speakers also touched on technology case studies and best practices.
One of the keynote speakers that stood out for us was Nyle DiMarco. Nyle is an influential leader and ambassador for the deaf community.
His session was titled How Technology Fosters Inclusive Experiences and was incredibly insightful.
During his keynote speech, DiMarco shared his experience as a deaf man who has risen above stereotypes. He described many ways to make the event experience more accessible to everyone. First, he suggests hiring deaf individuals to serve on event planning teams to improve representation. He also suggested leveraging different forms of technology to provide subtitles, boost accessibility, improve attendee engagement, and foster inclusion.
Accessibility and inclusivity are a fundamental part of the event planning process. Still, when the world went completely virtual, it became clear how limited access was to virtual event experiences for deaf and blind participants.
Technology continues to evolve, and as it does, Cvent wishes to advocate for more inclusive and accessible hybrid and digital experiences.
Technology and Hybrid Events are Here to Stay
One of the best things about Cvent CONNECT is that it allows you to learn about upcoming trends and changes to the current platform. The forum was buzzing with Cvent representatives with a hands-on approach to teaching you the new information.
But there’s nothing better than learning key insights from Cvent founder and CEO Reggie Aggarwal.
This conference was the second time Cvent CONNECT was held in a hybrid format. Reggie stressed in his opening lecture that hybrid events would continue long after the Covid pandemic is over.
“I want to applaud all of you for your strength and dedication for adapting and embracing digitization so that our industry can move forward,” he said of meetings and event professionals’ efforts to get up to speed digitally during the pandemic.
“Just keep in mind that technology is here to stay.” It’s becoming more prevalent across the entire event lifecycle, and you need to embrace it as a fundamental capability.”
Events have evolved in new and exciting ways, but there’s much to learn because of this transformation.
In Conclusion
Whether you’re new to event planning or a seasoned veteran, year after year, we leave Cvent CONNECT with valuable information, inspiration, and the best processes to immediately improve your services and attendee experience.
We’re excited and already preparing for Cvent CONNECT Europe 2022, which will be held in London, England from 4-6 October at the InterContinental London.
Just like in 2022, Cvent CONNECT 2023 will present a reimagined hybrid event experience that blends the best of virtual and in-person gatherings, anticipated to have thousands of registrants globally. This is your chance to reach a global community of meeting and event professionals – so don’t miss out!