Ticket Tailor’s 2023 event industry trends
Here’s our take on how all of this is going to pan out over the next 12 months, with our event planning trend predictions for 2023.
As an event organiser it's likely you're always planning ahead and keeping up with the latest trends to make sure your finger doesn't slip off the pulse – so we've done some of the hard work for you. In 2022 we helped more than 24,000 event creators sell tickets around the world (!), so as you can imagine we have quite a few insights that have shaped our predictions for next year.
We roll into 2023 against the backdrop of strange and, for many, difficult times. Waves of tantalising freedom feel new and exciting, with lockdown-living receding but still visible in the rearview mirror. But this is offset by the fact many are grappling with a cost of living situation that they’ve simply never faced before.
All this makes for quite a unique outlook when it comes to the upcoming events scene. Thankfully, it’s not all doom and gloom. Out of the pandemic, rises a new zeal for life. And out of the cost of living crisis rises a dogged determination, and a bigger craving than ever before for the comfort of social connection.
Here’s our take on how all of this is going to pan out over the next 12 months, with our event planning trend predictions for 2023.
Our top 6 event industry trends for 2023
- Ticket buyers tending more toward late bookings
- Growth in demand for holiday and cultural events
- Increased importance of loyal and regular fans
- A drive to keep event costs low
- Events focussing more on sustainability
- Increased emphasis on social connection and wellbeing
Ticket buyers tending toward later bookings
We’ve seen an increase in people booking tickets later than usual, which may be down to budgets being tightened and financial security feeling, well, less secure.
Event planners could help offset this (and help ticket buyers in the process) by offering incentives to purchase tickets early or spread the cost.
Discounted early-bird tickets can make a real difference to those who have less to spend. And they give event planners that extra bit of visibility over turnout, rather than having to speculate until the last minute.
Tom, our Head of Product explains how Ticket Tailor will be supporting this trend of later booking:
“We’ll be offering more simple ways for your ticket buyers to pay in 2023. This includes integrations with Stripe Link, Venmo, and PayPal Pay Later, all of which are already live (!) and could help increase conversion at checkout. In 2023 we are also hoping to introduce more ways to make taking payments on the door even easier. So, while ticket sales might be a little slower than usual, you’ll be able to make the most of the last-minute demand.”
Growth in demand for holiday and cultural events
This year we saw a huge boom in seasonal events – think: Halloween, Fireworks Night, Thanksgiving, and now Christmas and NYE. In fact, we’ve had our most successful October and November to date with ticket sales at an all-time high. (Read our Annual Fireworks Report for more juicy stats.) As we readjust to life after lockdowns, we think we’ll continue to see these kinds of events soar. They tend to be relatively low cost, and can entertain the entire family - so provide a great escape and respite from day-to-day life!
“It’s no surprise that seasonal events continue to grow in popularity as we return back to in-person events. One of the most successful event organisers using Ticket Tailor this year was Hawaii-based Show Aloha Land. Check out my recent interview with them to get a flavour of how the pandemic led to one of the biggest, sparkliest, most festive Christmas events we’ve possibly ever seen!” – Therese, Customer Success Specialist at Ticket Tailor
Increased importance of your most loyal fans
The cost of living crisis is predicted to last through to the second half of 2023, with inflation predicted to remain high until 2024. With less disposable cash, ticket buyers will make more considered purchases, focussing spend on the special events that they love most.
So we predict there’ll be an uptick in event planners doting on their loyal fans – those who, if they had to pick one event in a year to go to, would pick theirs.
Key questions for event planners to ask as we go into the new year include:
- What am I doing to reward my event’s existing fanbase and loyal customers?
Think: early-bird ticket access, premium experience upgrades, discounts and gifts for email subscribers
- How can I keep loyal customers engaged throughout the year?
Think: social media competitions, excellent customer service, surprising new additions to events, selling products
- Why are people loyal to my events, and how do I maintain that?
Is it the niche music, the great food, or friendly teams? It’s more crucial than ever to pay attention to customer feedback… and keep up the good work!
“The cost of living crisis makes it even more important to communicate the value of your event to your audience – and that’s where marketing comes in. Whether it’s using our Broadcast tool to engage with your ticket-buyers, fostering a community on social media, or selling products in advance of events to build hype, it’ll all be worth doing. Early in the new year we’ll be launching the new Ticket Tailor store, to help make selling your merch all year round possible.” – Olivia, Head of Marketing at Ticket Tailor
A drive to keep event costs low
It’s not just customers who need to save money. As individuals’ belts tighten, so do that of businesses, so we’re certain event planners will be looking for more and more hacks to cut costs without compromising on experience.
Reassessing things like suppliers, ticketing platforms, venues and marketing costs can help shave off any unnecessary drains on profit (or raised funds for charity events).
“At Ticket Tailor we only charge a simple flat fee per ticket, rather than a percentage of ticket sales. That means whatever the price of your ticket, our fees remain the same. Why? Well, we think it’s fair – our costs don’t change, so why should our fees? If you’re looking to sell over 100 tickets then purchasing credits upfront, will save even more with up to 60% off our pay-as-you-go fees. So as we head into 2023, with ticketing platforms like Eventbrite putting their fees up even higher, we’ll be continually looking at how we can keep our prices low with our inflation-busting pricing!” – George, Commercial Director at Ticket Tailor
Events focussing more on sustainability
Climate change and sustainability remain as high as ever on the global agenda – something we’re seeing continually reflected in the events scene. Making steps towards running your events sustainably is no longer a nice-to-have, but rather a must-have.
But that doesn’t mean you have to ‘go green’ overnight, it could be as simple as introducing plant-based food options to your menu, encouraging attendees to recycle their litter, or even switching from single-use plastic to reusable.
TWELFTH NIGHT PERFORMED AT THORINGTON THEATRE
We’re loving the creativity behind some of the sustainable projects that we’re seeing crop up. Like the Thorington Theatre – a truly magical outdoor theatre nestled away in stunning woodland, crafted from a natural amphitheatre using only sustainable wood. Not only did they commit to building their venue as sustainably as possible, they’re also going through a carbon calculation to understand their entire operating emissions!
“Sustainability is close to our own hearts here at Ticket Tailor – we’re proud to say we’re now a certified a B Corp, balancing profit with purpose. And if the growth of the B Corp community is anything to go by, we think sustainability, rather than fizzling out like other ‘trends’, will continue to grow and, quite rightly, get louder across all industries.” – Jonny, CEO and Founder at Ticket Tailor
Increased emphasis on social connection and wellbeing
A recent study revealed that 56% of people feel more isolated after the pandemic, and 59% of people find it harder to form relationships.
We predict that because of this, there will be an increase in events focused on mental health and social connection, particularly community events and charity drives.
We love the sound of Buckinhamshire’s Oh Shala Wellbeing Community Festival, which focuses on wellbeing and sustainability (see above trend 😉) – with over 40 workshops for things like yoga, meditation, African drumming, wellbeing talks, and much more!
“Fostering a community is more important than ever, as it helps to build a loyal fanbase that’ll come back to your events again and again. But connecting your audience in advance can also help your attendees get the most out of your events, especially if you’re running a conference, expo or workshop. That’s why we’re super pleased to have been chosen by LinkedIn to pilot their community builder integration.” – Olivia, Head of Marketing at Ticket Tailor
And that’s a wrap…
Got big event plans in the pipeline for 2023? Check out how Ticket Tailor can help you save money, time and stress with the latest ticketing tech, stellar customer service, and simple flat fee pricing:
Hungry for more content? You might find these guides useful:
We sell ticket events of all shapes and sizes!
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