If you’ve felt the tension lately, you’re not alone.
The world of work is changing—fast. And for those of us in the meetings and events industry, the ripple effects are beginning to feel more like tidal waves.
In just the first half of 2025, over 172,000 people in the U.S. have been laid off across more than 1,200 companies—with 141,000+ of those cuts happening in the tech sector alone, according to DemandSage. That matters because tech powers much of our industry—from registration platforms and analytics tools to AV, streaming, and support staff. When tech companies shrink, so do the tools we rely on.
But it’s not just software firms. Layoffs at Dayforce, LinkedIn, and even major public institutions like the Kennedy Center, which recently cut much of its social impact team, are signs that no corner of the events world is immune (Washington Post). Government event budgets are also drying up due to public sector downsizing, impacting long-standing contracts, offsite meetings, and annual programs (InEvent).
We See You, Planners
At Virsitour, we talk to planners every day. Some are in-house at companies going through reorgs. Others are solopreneurs trying to fill in the gaps left by vendors who have disappeared. And nearly everyone we talk to is navigating smaller teams, leaner budgets, and sky-high expectations.
In a recent survey by Heroic Productions, over 34% of event planners said they’re concerned about job security this year. And nearly 60% are struggling to find reliable partners or qualified support to pull off the work they’ve been tasked with.
Even more alarming? A report from ELEV8 found that over 60% of event organizers now face real staffing shortages—from AV teams to producers to day-of talent.
This is the reality: layoffs and labor pressure are no longer “background noise.” They’re impacting everything from sourcing timelines to activation quality.
The System Wasn’t Working—So We Built a New One
Virsitour wasn’t created to capitalize on chaos. It was born out of it.
We launched during a time when planners were left with canceled contracts, paused budgets, and zero playbook for what came next. We didn’t build a platform because it was trendy—we built it because the old way simply didn’t work anymore.
And today, as our industry faces yet another shift—this time shaped by AI, consolidation, and workforce cuts—we know that planners need systems that support them in real time, not platforms that create more friction.
Virsitour is about simplifying what’s hard, automating what’s repetitive, and making space for planners to do what they do best: build powerful, human-centered experiences.
Tech Should Support People—Not Replace Them
Let’s be honest: the events industry is no stranger to burnout. And when headcounts drop and responsibilities multiply, it gets worse. But we can’t tech our way out of that by replacing people with dashboards.
At Virsitour, we’re building tools that do the heavy lifting—like streamlining proposal comparisons, follow-up emails, or sourcing details—so that the humans behind the work have space to think, create, and connect.
AI has a place in this industry. But not at the expense of the people who keep it running.
When Microsoft laid off over 9,000 employees earlier this year to shift resources toward AI—and then publicly celebrated $500 million in savings from automation—we paid attention (Reuters). We saw how easily efficiency can come at the cost of empathy.
That’s not our way.
This Industry Is Built on Grit—and Grace
You’ve shown up through pandemics, pivots, budget freezes, and venue closures. Now, you’re showing up through restructures, ghosting, and understaffed teams. That resilience is the heartbeat of this industry.
We want to make your job easier—not just by offering tools, but by honoring the emotional labor behind every event. Because when you’re asked to do the job of three people, you deserve a platform that helps you feel like you’re not doing it alone.
We’re not here to sell you software.
We’re here to help you reclaim your time and refocus on what matters—your clients, your audience, your creativity, and your peace of mind.
Moving Forward, Together
If you’ve lost a team member, a contract, or even just your spark—we see you.
If you’re exhausted from chasing proposals, sorting through endless vendor emails, or wondering if your job is next—we hear you.
And if you’re ready to work smarter, not harder—with tech that empowers and a team that gets it—we’re right here.
Virsitour was built by event pros, for event pros.
And we’re not going anywhere.
Let’s rebuild smarter. Let’s plan with purpose. Let’s protect what makes this industry extraordinary: you.
Explore what we’re building at virsitour.com