An analysis of millions of registrations processed through the event platform Lyyti reveals that the biggest challenge for event organizers today is not the event itself, but getting responses at all. On average, just 14 percent of invited contacts either register or decline. That means the vast majority of invitations go unanswered.
“Only one in seven people responding to an invitation shows how much event communication is being filtered out today. Organizers must clearly communicate value up front if they expect recipients to take the time to respond,” says Antonia Ridderstråle, Chief Marketing Officer at Lyyti.
A registered “yes” does not guarantee attendance. As it becomes easier to sign up for events, it also becomes easier to ignore them. No-shows are evident across all event formats on Lyyti’s platform, though the rates vary by format.
In-person events still generate the highest engagement: 16 percent of registrants fail to attend. These participants show the strongest intent to join and typically reserve their spots 29 days in advance. Virtual events are more vulnerable to this “engagement gap,” with a no-show rate of 31 percent. Interestingly, registrants for online events now sign up on average 19 days ahead—an increase from previous years—but they remain twice as likely to skip the event compared with in-person attendees. Hybrid events follow a similar trend, with a 32 percent no-show rate.
“We see many people blocking items on their calendars further in advance, but a positive RSVP has become less meaningful. Registrations increasingly act as calendar placeholders rather than commitments,” explains Antonia Ridderstråle.
Every event carries a cost in time and money, and this is most visible at physical events. For a 100-person in-person event with an average cost of 1,500 SEK per attendee, a 16 percent no-show rate represents 24,000 SEK in lost, unused resources. To improve return on investment, organizers should prioritize quality over quantity.
Event success should be measured by actual attendance and subsequent interactions, not merely the initial number of registrations. Reversing the trend requires a more data-driven approach.
“In addition to sending timely, personalized reminders that highlight the unique value of attending, organizers should follow up to learn why people didn’t show up. Those insights are essential for creating events that recipients truly prioritize in their calendars,” concludes Antonia Ridderstråle.
About the statistics:
In 2025 Lyyti handled approximately five million event registrations, of which 64 percent were for in-person events, 31 percent for online events and 5 percent for hybrid formats. The findings are based on aggregated, anonymized data from 3,847 events over the past twelve months, with attendance systematically tracked on the platform.
About Lyyti
Lyyti is an event management system that helps companies and organizations create meaningful meetings through virtual, in-person and hybrid events. The platform streamlines registration, communication, reporting and feedback collection via automated workflows, ensuring a smooth and engaging experience for both organizers and attendees. Lyyti is used by professional event teams across and beyond the Nordic region to plan, manage and measure events with clarity and impact.