Business events and gatherings large and small, from annual summits to user conferences, tradeshows, company offsites and everything in between, have been canceled in the era of COVID-19—at the cost of billions of dollars.

But what about in the Post-COVID era, whenever that might be (optimists might think a few months; pessimists, a few years)? What is the future of business gatherings once the crisis is contained?

Even in the midst of the pandemic, some popular marketing conferences have gone entirely online. That would seem to point to a future in which virtual conferences and events occupy a significantly larger role in the business world.

And the benefits are various: no travel costs; lower admission costs; reduction in environmental impact; and no venue/food/equipment costs for the hosts, who therefore have more budget on programming and speakers, resulting in a better experience for attendees.