News & Updates

Trends report highlights ‘golden era’ for meetings and events industry

Despite head winds around the world, such as war, travel restrictions and tariffs, the overall picture of the industry is one of growth and resilience, writes author Alistair Turner, managing director of Eight PR & Marketing. 

“This is one of the most dynamic and positive reports of the last five years, as we explore why events and experience continue to grow as an industry,” he said. 

For 2026, the outlook is a positive one, underpinned by high levels of industry confidence, drawn from data from over 140 sources. 

Trends are predicted in five areas: Cultural; event technology; business; experience and regional with an emphasis on future-proofing the industry’s growth. 

Key trend highlights: 

• A greater focus on transformational events. “For companies to stay relevant and hold the competitive edge, they must move from being experience providers to transformation architects. The future of the industry lies not in events that we attend, but in experiences that become part of who we are”
• Ultra accessibility in an ageing world: Better planning in events for older delegates. “There is a need to design for longevity. We are living longer than ever before, and with that comes an evolution in our physical, sensory, and cognitive needs.”
• The rise of glocalisation: The return of smaller localised events that are influenced by global trends. “Local and regional events will make up the majority of programming across 2025 and there is no indication to suspect that this will not continue into 2026. The trend, driven by rising travel costs, CSR targets and the need to stay grounded in attendees’ communities, once again supports this assertion.”
• AI to evolve. The growth of AI technology will continue with Large Language Models (LLMs) moving to agentic which can perceive, plan and act. “AI is already being shown as capable of tackling everything from sustainability goals, ethical design and accessibility to the benefit of people and communities. Its future is certain; it needs to be handled with care and responsibility.”
• Increased reliance on automation and analytics. Automation in logistics and oerations is ‘transforming event delivery’ says the report, predicting a rise I the use of facial recognition and contactless check-ins, as well as AI-led session scheduling. “These efficiencies free up human energy to focus on experience and could underpin the industry’s continued trajectory of growth.” Meanwhile, organisers will increasingly pore over post-event analytics “Organisers are using AI to identify which sessions had the highest attendance, which speaker traits drive positive feedback and which networking formats yield long‐term business connections. Predictive modelling helps forecast what next year’s audience will expect.”

The report also highlights how the industry’s growing success is attracting increased attention from the financial sector. With a rise in startups, investment activity, and mergers and acquisitions, capital is beginning to view events as a stable and promising investment. 

There are also sections on association meetings, pharmaceuticals, corporate events and incentives as well as focuses on regions. 

Lucy Dyer, conference content manager, IBTM World, said: “We trust the insights within the report will empower readers to drive progress and strengthen the industry locally, regionally, and globally.” 

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