During a panel discussion at M&C Asia Connections 2024 in Macao, Jacqui Le Crerar, Senior Business Operations Manager on Opus Agency’s London-based team, shared insights into how event professionals are navigating these shifts.

"Clients are very much looking forward to getting back into events and doing a lot more events than we’ve previously seen, but they’re very cautious in terms of budgets, and the timeline has become much shorter," Le Crerar said. "More often than not, clients want something now."

Le Crerar emphasized the budgetary pressures facing European clients and how this has driven a surge in interest in Asia as a destination. "European buyers are shying away from expensive cities like London and Paris – even Barcelona is becoming costly. We’ve seen a lot more people wanting to come to Asia – it’s a great opportunity for us to explore the region."

While budgets may be tighter, the demand for hybrid events continues to grow, allowing clients to maintain valuable connections while managing costs. "A hybrid event allows for networking, where clients can get together and see and talk to each other. Being able to have that face-to-face connection and have their personal conversations is really important for clients, and it’s so much easier than when you’re doing a purely virtual event," Le Crerar noted.

Moderated by M&C Asia Senior Editor Xinyi Liang-Pholsena, the panel also featured insights from Brett Han, Managing Director at iCube Events, and Rhanee Palma, CEO of Rhanee Palma and Co., to discuss the latest trends and challenges in the MICE industry.

Read more insights from the panelists in the full M&C Asia Connections 2024 recap.