Virtual meetings may be replacing face-to-face ones for the moment, but that doesn't mean every attendees wants things to stay that way. About 72 percent of more than 1,000 respondents to a survey conducted April 9 by CensusWide for promotional products company PromoLeaf prefer to attend in-person conferences as opposed to virtual ones.
Respondents were based in the United States and have attended both face-to-face and virtual conferences.
About 73 percent of respondents 45 years old and older prefer face-to-face gatherings. Of those aged 25 to 34, 70 percent would rather attend in-person than virtual, while 67 percent of those aged 35 to 44 do.
As for fees, 45 percent of respondents indicated they would be willing to pay between $100 and $200 for a virtual conference, with 35 percent willing to pay less than $100. About 9 percent would pay between $200 and $300, while 11 percent would be willing to pay more than $300.
A majority of respondents (59 percent) said the ideal length for a virtual conference is one to two hours, compared with 41 percent who said that was ideal for face-to-face events. Twenty-one percent said in-person conferences should last three to four hours, compared with just 12 percent for virtual ones. Only 3 percent said they would attend a virtual conference that lasted more than one day, while 19 percent would be willing to do so for a live conference.
When planning the day and time for virtual conferences, mid-week and morning won out over other options, with 34 percent preferring Wednesdays, followed by 25 percent on Tuesdays. Timing was broken down by age group, with all opting for morning meetings over lunch, afternoon or evening conferences.
Nearly half of respondents (46 percent) also expected hosts to provide a two-directional virtual conference with a question-and-answer session at the end, and 38 percent want both a live session and on-demand replay. Just 15 percent preferred a one-directional conference.