How are hotels catering to pick-and-mix consumers? Why do fans want sports to be more ‘authentic’? And what do people expect from out-of-home leisure? In this part of the 2018 Expert Outlook series, we speak to three experts about what’s changing in the way people spend their free time.

What would you do if your favourite band missed your hometown on their next tour? Buy a ticket in another city and book a hotel room? Wait for videos to appear online? TheWaveVR is bringing the concert-going experience directly into people's homes through virtual reality.

The allure of a virtual world – in which anyone could have magical powers and take risks without consequences – is evidenced by the fact that nearly 19 million people play video games in the UK alone. Canvas8 sat down with Dr. Andrew Kuo to understand why we actively escape into virtual worlds.

Branded events have long been inescapable at Austin’s SXSW conference, but in 2017, numerous brands were present via a more experiential format. HBO, Fox and Disney all used escape rooms to create immersive challenges based on shows like Game of Thrones and Prison Break.