When hosting online or hybrid events, managing time zones can become a challenge, especially when your attendees come from different parts of the world. The Events Calendar provides tools to help you clearly display event times and support global participation. This guide offers actionable tips for managing time zones and international audiences smoothly.

Enable Time Zone Support in Settings

The Events Calendar offers a built-in feature for time zone management. To enable it:

  1. Go to Events → Settings → General.
  2. Under Time Zone Settings, select either:
    • Use manual time zones for each event – Event times are shown in the time zone set for each event, with the WordPress site’s default time zone used unless manually changed per event. This means you can set different time zones for individual events without needing to configure it every time.
    • Use site-wide time zone everywhere – All event times are displayed based on the time zone set in your WordPress general settings. Even if you set a different time zone in the event editor, the calendar will adjust the time to match the site-wide time zone.
  3. Showing Events in the Visitor Time Zone
    This is one of the most important tips when managing global events. Instead of showing event times only in the event’s set time zone, you can display them in the visitor’s local time zone, making it much easier for international attendees to know exactly when to join.

    To enable this functionality, you’ll need to perform a template override. We’ve outlined the full steps in this guide:
    Showing Events in the Visitor’s Time Zone

    This customization enhances clarity for your audience and is especially useful for virtual and hybrid events.
  4. Communicate in Multiple Time Zones
    Consider including multiple time zones in your event description or confirmation emails. Example:
    • “This event starts at 9:00 AM EST / 6:00 AM PST / 2:00 PM GMT+1.”
  5. Add Time Zone Info to Registration or Tickets
    If you’re using Event Tickets or Event Tickets Plus:
    • Add a note in the ticket description that includes the event’s time zone.
    • Use custom registration fields to ask for the attendee’s time zone if relevant for follow-up communication or breakout session planning.
  6. Test Across Time Zones
    Before launching:
    • Temporarily change your system clock or use a VPN to preview how events appear in different time zones.
    • Ask team members in other locations to verify the display.
  7. Clarify Time Zones in Email Reminders
    When sending event reminders or confirmation emails, always include:
    • Event time with time zone
    • A link to convert the time for their region. You can also use free tools like timeanddate.com to generate time zone conversions for attendees.
    • A calendar link that automatically adjusts for time zones (Google Calendar or .ics file)

Conclusion

Effectively managing time zones is key to delivering a seamless experience for your global audience. With The Events Calendar’s built-in tools, optional add-ons, and thoughtful communication, you can minimize confusion and maximize attendance.

TAGS:
Notify us of out of date information