Here’s our picks for some of the most interesting pieces of data from recent industry trends reports to help you stay on top of the latest industry intelligence.
[Related: More Meetings and Events Industry Trends]
Meetings Industry Trends Snapshot: October
Mentors Matter
76% of people think mentors are important, but only 37% of people currently have one. And people with mentors are happier in their jobs than people who don’t have one.
Source: Forbes/Olivet Nazarene University
Why it matters: With so many retirees exiting the industry and so many fresh Gen Z faces entering, it’s more important than ever to find a mentor or serve as one in order to pass down knowledge and lessons learned to the next generation.
AI Adoption
14% of meeting planners view artificial intelligence as a critical technology, up from just 4% in 2024.
Source: IACC & DCI 2025 Meeting Room of the Future report
Why it matters: While the share of meeting planners viewing AI as critical remains the minority, the rapid rise in the utilization of AI suggests the technology could become widely adopted in the coming years.
Canadian Car Decline
Canadian travel to the U.S. continues to decline, with car visits plunging 37% in July compared to the previous year, marking the seventh consecutive month of double-digit declines in Canadian visitation to the U.S.
Source: Forbes.
Why it matters: Canadians spent $20.5 billion in the U.S. in 2024, and these declines will only continue to hurt the U.S. travel market. The U.S. Travel Association projects that every 1% drop in international visitor spending costs the U.S. $1.8 billion in export revenue.
To RFP or Not to RFP
Of the travel managers who negotiate directly with hotels, 36% negotiate entirely outside of a formal RFP process.
Source: GBTA Hotel and Meeting Sourcing report.
Why it matters: While informal negotiations might be tempting for some buyers, it’s important to note that having a defined sourcing process can help save money, standardize the process and allow buyers to compare venues.
Meetings Industry Trends Snapshot: September
Business Travel Troubles
48% of suppliers and 34% of buyers expect a decline in business travel volume in the remainder of 2025.
Source: GBTA July global poll
Why it matters: Despite reports of business travel being on the rise in some areas, that data has not convinced suppliers or buyers to become optimistic about the future of the industry amid growing economic uncertainty and the ripple effects of U.S. government actions.
Risky Business
Around 79% of business travelers admit to taking risks on work trips they’d never consider at home, such as ignoring local safety advice or getting into cars with strangers.
Source: World Travel Protection
Why it matters: This increase in risky behavior can carry massive consequences for companies such as legal troubles and reputational damage. This makes the topic of risk management more important than ever for companies.
Out-of-Pocket Spending
A survey of 500 corporate travelers found that 63% of travelers spend their own money on meals while traveling for business and that corporate travelers spend an extra $700 beyond their designated budget per business trip.
Source: Booking.com for Business
Why it matters: With so many business travelers spending their own money while on the road, this increases the importance of incorporating all-paid dining options into business travel budgets, which may alleviate overall concerns about how inflation is “eating” into paychecks.
Continued Increasing Costs
71% of travel managers expect costs in 2025 to be higher than in 2024.
Source: 2025 Global Cvent Travel Managers Report
[Related: 2025 Meetings Today Trends Survey]
Meetings Industry Trends Snapshot: July/August
End of Hybrid Era
42% of planners said they do not plan to incorporate live streaming during their events, reflecting a trend away from hybrid events.
Source: IACC & DCI 2025 Meeting Room of the Future report
Why it matters: Planners relying less on hybrid event options, which have historically helped increase attendance rates at events, may be another symptom of rising AV costs and decreasing budgets.
Funding Freeze
42% of destination marketing organizations (DMOs) foresee funding risks within the next three years.
Source: 2025 DestinationNEXT Futures Study
Why it matters: Many destinations rely on the business garnered from meetings and events to bolster their economy, but planners might have less support and assistance from DMOs for their events if funding is cut.
Canada Crossings
Passenger bookings on Canada–U.S. airline routes are currently down by 70% compared to the same period in 2024.
Source: OAG
Why it matters: A decrease in Canadians willing to visit the U.S. could have major consequences for U.S.-based events, especially those held in destinations most visited by Canadians such as Florida, California, Nevada, New York and Texas.
Untapped ROI
A new return-on-investment study suggests that U.S. companies could gain $14.60 for every $1 invested in business travel, marking $2.4 trillion in untapped sales revenue from business travel.
Source: 2025 GBTA U.S. ROI Study
Why it matters: U.S. companies are underinvesting in business travel, which suggests the market potential for the MICE industry is much higher than previously estimated.
Inbound Travel Decline
According to a new study, international travel spending in the U.S. is expected to decline about 7%, or $12.5 billion, in 2025.
Source: World Travel and Tourism Council
Why it matters: As international markets sour on traveling or hosting their events in the U.S., many organizations that rely on international attendees might experience a corresponding attendance decrease in the months and years to come.
[Related: Biz Travel Profs Very Pessimistic, According to GBTA Poll]
Meetings Industry Trends Snapshot: June
Booking Blues
U.S. hotel bookings have fallen by nearly 8% in Q1 2025 compared to Q1 2024.
Source: HotelHub Index 2025 Q1 report.
Why it matters: Less hotel bookings could merely signal a decline in leisure travel, but meeting planners should be wary and see if these booking decreases bleed into the business travel sector.
Policy Problems
75% of survey respondents say that recent executive orders and federal government policy changes are having a negative impact on their business, and 62% say the orders have only had negative impacts.
Source: MPI Q2 2025 Meetings Outlook survey
Why it matters: Rapid federal government policy changes have become the norm, and while planners should not make rash predictions, this uncertainty needs to be kept in mind when making big decisions.
Travel Importance
90% of Millennial and Gen Z business professionals say that business travel is important to their career progression.
Source: CTM May 2025 report
Why it matters: Young people still see business travel as a vital path to grow their career, something they will hopefully remember as they move into decision-making roles in the near future.
A-Plus Airlines
JetBlue Airways ranks highest in customer satisfaction for first and business class, while Delta Air Lines ranked first for premium economy flying and Southwest first for economy and basic economy flights.
Source: J.D. Power 2025 North America Airline Satisfaction Study.
Why it matters: Booking flights is complicated enough, and a bad flight experience can make or break an attendee’s experience. Keep these rankings in mind next time you book flights for your next event.
[Related: 4 Key Takeaways From the 2025 SITE Global Conference]
Meetings Industry Trends Snapshot: May
Dreaming of Downtime
72% of surveyed attendees said it’s vital that in-person events have plenty of free time and aren’t fully booked with networking, education sessions and activities.
Source: Bizzabo’s State of Events and Industry Benchmarks
Bring Your Besties
71% of respondents say they have met someone at a work event who has helped them further their career. And 82% of attendees prefer to go to meetings or events if they are with somebody they know.
Source: Hilton 2025 Trends Report
Prioritize Personalization
90% of working professionals say they want personalized content and experiences at events. 92% say they want a variety of content and the ability to control their own experience.
Source: 2025 Freeman Trust Report
Making Money Moves
U.S. spending on meetings and events reached $126 billion in 2024—directly supporting nearly 620,000 American jobs.
Source: U.S. Travel Association
Driving Done Deals
52% of marketers attribute at least half of their company’s 2024 finalized deals to events, and 72% say prospects close deals faster after attending events.
Source: Splash’s 2025 Outlook on Events
[Related: 4 Issues Ailing the Associations Segment in 2025]
Meetings Industry Trends Snapshot: April
AI Adoption
AI use in event planning grew from 48% to 57% in Q4 2024, with chatbots remaining the most widely used AI tool, with 87% of respondents utilizing them.
Source: Global DMC Partners
Pick Up the Pace
33% of respondents said they plan incentive programs 13-24 months in advance, while 36% of meetings and conferences are organized just 4-6 months ahead, with many respondents noting the challenges of shorter lead times.
Source: Global DMC Partners
Secondary Success
90% of respondents considered moving meetings to secondary markets to help reduce costs in 2024.
Source: Cendyn/ConferenceDirect
Hotel Hassles
Over 80% of planners report that high accommodation rates remain a major challenge most or all of the time.
Source: Global DMC Partners
Money Management
With budgets becoming tighter, planners are incorporating strategies to save money wherever they can, with popular tactics including reducing attendee numbers, building in more leisure time and reusing decor and materials across multiple events.
Source: Global DMC Partners
[Related: Shifting Sands: Luxury Incentives Are Back, With a Twist]
Meetings Industry Trends Snapshot: March
Friends Forever
Being able to bring at least one friend or colleague makes 59% of attendees feel more comfortable at in-person events.
Source: 2025 Hilton Trends Report
Meetings Matter
82% of respondents say they have a better connection with their team members due to attending meetings and events; 78% say the same for their boss and 76% for executives and senior leadership.
Source: 2025 Hilton Trends Report
Safety Scares
56% of respondents say they are more concerned with safety and security than they were a year ago.
Source: MPI Meetings Outlook 2024 Q4 Report
Frightening Food
38% of event attendees say they are afraid they won’t like the food served at an event.
Source: 2025 Hilton Trends Report
28% are afraid of food getting stuck in their teeth at an event.
Source: 2025 Hilton Trends Report
