While hybrid meetings can increase attendance, some are concerned about their impact on event quality. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Nelson

Are hybrid meetings still a thing? According to planners interviewed for this story, the answer is absolutely yes … and definitely no. There are probably multiple factors that can explain such differing perspectives. Beyond the usual budget considerations, these might include the specific organization involved, the type of meeting, the goals for the event and whether the attendee base is spread across either the country or the globe.

Meetings and events come in many forms, including those that are fully hybrid and some that feature on-demand content provided during and/or post meetings. Others offer live-streaming, giving remote attendees a chance to view — and potentially participate in — a meeting in real time.

A Matter of Perspective

However, the way these different meeting types fit into today’s larger event landscape is a matter of perspective, and Meeting Professionals International (MPI) has the advantage of its broad outlook and considerable research. Former MPI Academy vice president Jessie States says that some MPI attendance projections showed that digital attendance was declining while attendance at in-person events was projected to rise significantly. Still, she adds, tech-driven digital connectivity remains a valuable tool for planners — but not everyone agrees.

“We do not manage any hybrid meeting groups. All of our meetings are live and in-person,” says Dahlton Bennington, CMP, CMM, managing director of PROfound Planning.

Echoing that sentiment is Nancy Nachman, founder and chief connecting officer at The Meeting Concierge, who says she’s never been a fan of hybrid meetings, “nor are the attendees.”

“The request for hybrid meetings doesn’t happen often,” Nachman adds. “Thankfully, people still enjoy face-to-face meetings. They don’t get anything out of staring at a screen versus in-person engagement and conversations.” Yet, she doesn’t think hybrid meetings will disappear altogether, acknowledging their effectiveness in certain circumstances: “It makes sense to be able to include some people who can’t get to the meeting location.”

Another person who sees a decline in the popularity of hybrid meetings is Shannon Jones, CMP, senior manager, meetings + events for Destination South Meetings + Events.

“During the pandemic, it was the best option and the shiny new toy on the block,” Jones says. “Now, people have learned how to multitask and act as though they’re attending a virtual meeting while performing other tasks. I don’t know that virtual attendees absorb as much and return as much ROI in this capacity.”

She adds that hybrid elements are being eliminated. “The main reasons are financial … and human capital resources,” she says. “Everything continues to cost more. While ‘too expensive’ can be subjective based on budget, the cost of running a hybrid meeting is still very high and is frequently among the first budget items to get cut. Human capital is also stretched, so if there’s a task or scope of work item that can be removed, all that comes with planning and executing a hybrid meeting will be removed. There’s a time and a place for them, though we’re definitely seeing that decline.”

ROI vs. Attendee Access

As to whether hybrid formats provide ROI, Jones says that’s subjective and asks: “What type of meeting is being held in the hybrid format? How many sessions? How long are they? What are the topics? Is there a networking component?”

While she agrees that hybrid meetings might increase attendance in terms of quantity, she’s not sure that equates to quality. “It could actually have a negative impact on the meeting by pulling people who would attend in person if the option to attend virtually was not there,” she says.

Jones’ clients have largely moved to in-person events only. In addition to financial concerns, she says most believe that attendees simply are not engaging or retaining information presented in a hybrid format.

“I think hybrid meetings will always be an option, just as they existed pre-Covid before everyone knew what they were. But I believe we’ll return to a place where meetings are overwhelmingly in-person,” she says. “Most of our meetings are seeing record numbers for in-person attendance, which says to me that people have returned to the human characteristic — that we prefer to be together.”

There is also the cost factor, according to Julie Nack Locke, CMP, CMM, regional vice president with HelmsBriscoe. “Hybrid meetings are too expensive and missing the connections that are essential to get business accomplished,” Locke says, adding that one of her clients does hold a few fully virtual meetings each year, along with several in-person events. “They discontinued hybrid meetings due to the complexity and high costs involved. By attending the virtual meetings, however, participants save significantly on travel expenses.”

Following on Jones’ reference to stretched human capital, Locke says it often requires an entire team to work on a virtual component of an in-person meeting. “Some planners say that additional staff is required to manage the hybrid portion because they can’t do it all,” she says.

According to Locke, the bottom line is that “meeting in person builds relationships and fosters deeper connections, in addition to the formal education.”

While no one is arguing that, MPI’s States asserts that digital components have impacted in-person events in meaningful ways.

“The powerful tool of in-person events has expanded to include digital-only, streaming, hybrid, in-person-first and on-demand events, all of which can and do deliver value,” she says. “These new deliveries also have fundamentally changed the design of in-person experiences. If meeting professionals can deliver the same value digitally, they should — which means that the value proposition and design of in-person meetings has also changed.”

A Seismic Shift in the Event Landscape

While in-person meetings have never been more valuable, there is more to the story.

“What we congregate to accomplish and do — and how we do it — has seismically shifted. We meet to accomplish what cannot be done in a digital world,” States says. “And this is reflected in the trends we see regarding digital attendance, which continues to decline while in-person attendance continues to bullishly increase. So, meeting professionals are continuing to strategically use digital and hybrid events to accomplish organizational objectives, but there’s no evidence that virtual events will replace in-person experiences.”

As president of Emerald Meeting and Event Planning, Kim Becker, CMP, DES, SEPC, also sees positives in digital options.

“We learned so much during the pandemic, including how to host virtual meetings, and host them well in most cases. While everyone wants to get back to in-person events, I think hybrid still has a place in the industry and in a planner’s toolbox,” Becker says, adding that she isn’t sure high cost is an immediate disqualifier of hybrid events. “It really depends on the meeting. I have clients who create a Zoom webinar and have a camera or two videoing at their meetings, so [it’s] not tremendously expensive. For larger productions that require bandwidth and extra AV, yes, it can be expensive.”

As for ROI, Becker says that pricing and marketing are key.

“It’s important that the hybrid component is priced correctly. If it’s priced right, the ROI is there. If the marketing is good, it can be a great opportunity to get people who can’t attend in person to be able to attend. There are so many reasons why people can’t attend — budget, only so many staff members can be out of the office at once, the challenges of travel and emergencies both natural and manmade,” she says.

Although hybrid meetings may not be as important as they were, Becker says they’ve created opportunities that didn’t previously exist. “I have two clients who always plan hybrid. One of those clients has said she will never not do a hybrid meeting. I have a client who does a combination — wholly hybrid for certain events and partially hybrid for others,” she adds.

Becker believes that the increasing uncertainty in the world is one reason hybrid meetings will remain viable.

“I hope we’ve seen our one and only pandemic of my lifetime but I’m not sure that’s the case,” she says. “Keeping a hybrid element allows for the meeting to go fully virtual in the event of another mass medical issue. And it allows those who can’t travel to participate, which opens up a whole new group of attendees or potential attendees, which can also be a new revenue stream. I think hybrid is here to stay.”

Hybrid the Rule, Not the Exception

Theresa Duncan is associate director of marketing and advertising at Kubota Tractor Corporation, and she says hybrid meetings are the rule, not the exception.

“It’s assumed that all meetings, webinars, training, etc., will have an on-demand and/or an online participation option,” she says. “With a new focus on work/life balance and renewed attention to travel costs, accessible content that’s also delivered in person will need to be made available.”

Duncan adds that in-person events are still “king,” but other options should be available for executive training and as a means to distribute information to those unable to attend live.

“To minimize expenses, we often focus on making meeting content on demand,” she says. “Live online participation is more expensive and challenging to achieve successfully. But with all of the variations of hybrid, the concept remains relevant.”

Duncan also believes hybrid components can provide ROI.

“We need better tools for online engagement. In-person is still paramount to keeping attendees focused, generating new ideas and retaining information presented,” she says. “However, ROI could increase if there were more cost-effective opportunities to engage an online audience that do not minimize the experience of the in-person attendee. When participants are engaged in an atmosphere that provides opportunity for discussion, follow-up and/or questions, they’re more likely to review and retain content. What has proven effective is assigning a point person that received the content in person to assist in the engagement of the post-review, on-demand audience. While it’s more challenging to effectively focus attention and retention with a remote audience reviewing content independently, we can create paths of positivity by grouping remote participants together to engage and discuss.”

Duncan also says reaching attendees who can’t attend in person is a positive. “We can’t be in all places at all times,” she says. “On-demand content and AI tools for summarizing are the new normal.”

Still, every Kubota meeting is focused first on in-person attendees, who remain the priority. “But the online or on-demand content generated from the meeting is also of great value and importance to companies that are tightening travel budgets,” Duncan adds. “I think we’ll reach a point where we’re either able to cost-effectively include online participants without minimizing the experience of the in-person attendee, or we’ll shift to content on demand only after the meeting.”

Meeting in the Middle

With a broad perspective across the industry, Amex GBT’s 2025 Global M&E Forecast was similar to what MPI’s projections showed: Event professionals expected hybrid meetings to account for only about 20% of all meetings in 2025, with nearly 60% being in-person only.

Even as in-person meetings make a strong comeback, Jennifer Nelson, CMP, SMMC, vice president of strategic meetings for AMEX GBT, says hybrid meetings remain viable.

“They’re particularly valuable for organizations looking to increase reach, inclusivity and engagement by offering participants the flexibility to choose how they attend,” she says. “The 20% projection suggests that while hybrid meetings are here to stay, they will likely complement rather than replace traditional formats. Some organizations may reserve hybrid setups for larger events, conferences or those targeting a global audience where maximizing accessibility is crucial.”

And, Nelson says, as the industry evolves, new technology will likely improve the hybrid experience and address challenges such as participant engagement and technical reliability.

“As such, hybrid meetings remain a growing, yet specialized, segment of the industry,” she adds. “[They] can offer multiple options for savings, including on travel, venue size, hospitality and per diem expenses. They can present a compelling balance of cost savings and expanded reach, when planned strategically. The key to maximizing savings lies in careful planning, in making the most of digital efficiencies while managing the costs of the necessary technology and support. I expect organizations will continue optimizing this format, aiming to strike the right balance between cost-effectiveness and participant experience. With a thoughtful approach, hybrid meetings provide flexibility, inclusivity and enhanced engagement opportunities.”

Sustainability is a factor, too. “You can create flexible attendance options, cost savings opportunities and improved sustainability with lower carbon footprints,” Nelson says, adding that she sees a strong future for hybrid meetings.

“The use of VR and AR is expected to become more common, creating more engaging and interactive hybrid meeting experiences. Virtual attendees may feel as if they’re physically present at the event, thanks to advancements in virtual event platforms and wearable technology,” she says. “ I believe hybrid meetings will continue to be part of the meetings industry landscape driven by advancements in technology, the demand for flexibility and a focus on sustainability. However, our 2025 global forecast finds events professionals optimistic about growth and rich, personalized experiences designed to make the most out of in-person events.”

Clearly, the future of hybrid and digital elements within in-person meetings seems assured, but how its uses will change — and how new tech innovations will impact future meetings — remains to be seen. C&IT