Life’s memorable experiences are the ones that stimulate the senses and a new event set to take place in Edinburgh next month will showcase the new and exciting ways in which those working in hospitality, travel, retail and entertainment can have a profound impact on audiences and clients.

EXPERIENCEit, which will open at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on 8 February, is a date not to be missed for Scotland’s experiential marketing industries and tickets are still available for a day of workshops, interactive displays and hands-on sessions that will demonstrate the positive impact of exciting all the senses.

Organisers, EVENTIT, believe that it’s no longer enough to show potential customers what’s on offer but instead it’s vital for those working in these sectors to give their audiences a taste of what they can deliver.

Innovation is the key and for events planners, creatives, designers and producers from across the experiential marketing industries, EXPERIENCEit will provide inspiration and fresh insights into new technologies and emerging trends.

There will be a focus on embracing technology, helping delegates to explore the many options on offer, providing the opportunity to try them out first hand and discovering how they can be integrated into events. 

Judith Wilson, EVENTIT Director, says the events business has switched rapidly from passive to active engagement and that this is having a profound impact on how events, festivals and conferences are now being delivered.

“The days of standing behind a display stand and waiting for delegates to make an approach are over,” she says.

“You’ve got to entice delegates with something, whether that’s food, an activity or something to take away with them that gives them a sense of what you are offering.”

To illustrate what that means, EXPERIENCEit will have its own signature scent and there will be more ideas on offer about how to capture the attention of customers and delegates. Meanwhile, ahead of the event, EXPERIENCEit has launched a Linkedin forum so that those heading there on the day have the opportunity in advance to influence the discussions.

This is all part of a bid by the organisers to build a lasting community that shares ideas and fosters industry cooperation so that the events sector as a whole has a chance to grow in new and impactful ways.

On the day there will be a focus too on sustainability and the importance of taking steps towards making events and activities have as low a carbon footprint as is possible, even when that is challenging, and there will also be insights in how to better design events so that they also appeal to remote delegates by using technology in creative ways.

It may just last for one day, but EXPERIENCEit aims to start an important discussion on how this sector of the industry is evolving. There is still time to register to attend, tickets cost £75 +VAT. Visit https://eventit.org.uk/why-attend/ to secure your place.