Thinking back on a simpler time, we can all remember going to concerts and live events in large crowds. The excitement one gains from being in this environment allows for many to feel as if they are part of something bigger. For example, when I attended my first concert at The Palace of Auburn Hills seeing the Black Eyed Peas, I remember the way I felt as I knew I was with thousands of other people who shared the same interest in music as me. This is very relevant when thinking about the hospitality and tourism industry, as many Americans are not getting these events and concerts during COVID-19. This pandemic has changed the way in which we do things as a society, industry, and individuals. As many of these events are deemed unsafe during this time, it is important to think about the future of this industry and how we will adapt until we can finally return to a sense of “normalcy”. Events like a live concert or gatherings such as the Color Run are events we haven’t seen since the beginning of 2020 and as we continue to adapt, virtual events have been this industry’s go to. Throughout this blog, I will discuss my personal thoughts on these large gathering during a pandemic and how the hospitality and tourism industry will make their way in transiting as we make our way through the rest of 2020 and into 2021.
Thinking back on this sector of the industry, we know that these events require much planning overall. From having the proper facilities, vendors, tickets, and security etc. we know that these are just a few of the many things that go into event planning. Understanding the adjustments we have made as a society has allowed us to take advantage of technology and what it has it offer. We have seen so many events canceled due to this pandemic but defining the way for the industry has shown though these major technological advancements we have made over the last few decades. While we will eventually make it out of this global pandemic, we know that we must continue to find a way to entertain and inform the people of our society. This sector is one that I would love to be a part of in my future career path and possibly my lifelong job. As leadership and accountability is key in event planning, I feel as if my personal characteristics would set me up for success in this industry.
As we have learned to adapt over the last few months, it is saddening to not see people gathered in large crowds for a common purpose. For example, the Color Run has been an event that have allowed those to complete a 5k while being submerged in music and tons of color! This event has been moved to virtual as we have transitioned into this pandemic, which allows a quite different experience than most are used to. Looking at the Color Run website, we can see this event allowed of those to be in close proximity of others. This has created a challenge as we have had to adapt and not have these personal interactions that we are so accustom to. The new virtual experience allows one to incorporate all the same features of this run while incorporating safety measures to protect one another from a possible exposure of the virus. While these organizations have had readjust the way in which things were done, we can see that individuals in this sector have taken leadership to still provide the public with a way to be active and participate.
Reflecting on other events like concerts, we know that many have been canceled, especially during the beginning of the pandemic. With restrictions on capacity and increased measures to lower the spread, these events are often not plausible to keep their attendees safe. We have seen many public figures and performers using live stream to attract viewers from home, while still keeping that communication with the public. As this is not the same as planning a live event, it still requires those to make sure it runs as smoothly as possible. When looking back at my favorite event or concert, I would note the Katy Perry halftime performance. While I was not there in person, we saw over 50,000 individuals there packing the stadium in support for the game and the performer. When I was watching this event from home, it allowed me to connect with those who I was watching it with to share the love of music. These events leave a big impact on people whether they are in person or virtual and it is up to the professions in this field to make sure the viewer gets the experience they know and love regardless of the circumstance. As a future professional in the field, I will make sure that any event that I am a part will be most productive and successful to satisfy the public.
While I have discussed events on a larger scale, it also important to note that all events aren’t as massive as a concert or 5k run. As a public relations professional, it is important that smaller events hold just as much dedication and planning to be successful overall. Outreach and fundraiser events are prominent in both fields (PR & HTM) and making sure that we can tend to the overall satisfaction of the attendee is key. As we do not know when we will be able to gather in groups without putting others at risk, it is important to make sure that we continue to adapt to the virtual setting and strive for continuous improvement overall. As a future professional, I will use these key strategies and tactics from the COVID-19 pandemic and apply them to making the event planning sector of the industry even stronger as we make our way out of this global health crisis.
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