During MPI’s early-June World Education Congress, where more than 700 corporate, association, independent and agency planners gathered for education and networking, the U.S. Travel Association announced a new campaign designed to help planners shape their executives’ perceptions of in-person meetings.
The campaign, titled “Meetings Meet the Moment,” was crafted based on the results of interviews and a quantitative survey of hundreds of corporate and association executives. The research found that the executives overwhelmingly believe in the importance of in-person meetings, with more than 50% holding more live events this year than they have held in either of the past two years.
Furthermore, 73% of responding executives who are aged 30 to 45 intend to hold more in-person meetings than in the past—a strong indicator of future health for the business-events industry.
Also from the research:
• Nine out of ten executives say in-person meetings advanced their careers, from developing stronger networks to forging deeper professional relationships.
• Meeting together in the same room accelerates decision-making and strategic alignment by removing day-to-day distractions and creating space for leaders to capitalize on strategic opportunities.
• Overall, the conversations that occur in person feel richer and more productive.
“We know there is vulnerability or risk for meetings because the value of meeting in-person can be subjective, hard to quantify and perceived as not essential,” said Kevin Hinton, managing director, group travel for USTA. “This is why this campaign is so vital and is seen as critically important to our members.”
[Related: In-Person Engagement Exceeds Virtual; Research Reveals Why]
USTA’s Group Travel Network comprises 150 of the association’s largest members: hotel companies, airlines, destinations, meeting industry associations and other companies working directly in the meetings sector. These members want an ongoing, proactive industry campaign to shape how business leaders across all industries perceive in-person meetings.
The “Meetings Meet the Moment” campaign’s tools and messaging are directly informed by what executives shared in the research. The materials incorporate language connected to aligning teams, accelerating decisions and deepening trust. The top-line message of the campaign: “Business runs on relationships – and the strongest ones are built in person.”
“In a world increasingly dependent on virtual interaction and AI, coming together in the same physical location has never carried more importance for executives and their teams,” USTA said in a press release.
“This is an opportunity for us to reinforce to customers and business leaders across all industries that in-person meetings are more than just gatherings,” said Gerilyn Horan, vice president, worldwide sales, America for Hilton Hotels. “They are catalysts for building trusted relationships, accelerating collaboration, and creating a true competitive edge.”
Here are the details within the campaign’s guiding document, which planners and other proponents of live events can use to reinforce among executives the benefits of gathering in person.
More on the Power of Meetings
Also released in early June was a study from Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) showing that business travel within and to the United States—and especially group business travel—continues to be a major engine for the nation’s economy.
Specifically, business-travel spending reached $538.5 billion in 2024, the latest year for which GBTA has complete data.
What’s more, meetings and events represent more than 40% of that figure—a total of $217.8 billion, highlighting the expanding role of in-person meetings in the business-travel sector’s total economic impact.
These expenditures, ranging from venue rental to food and beverage to production to event management, reflect the critical role of in-person collaboration in driving commerce and innovation. Total spending for meetings includes:
• $59.9 billion in food and beverage
• $47.9 billion in audiovisual, production and speakers
• $34.3 billion in meeting administration
“Business travel delivers value that reaches well beyond companies and travelers; it also delivers direct economic impact in communities across the country,” said Suzanne Neufang, CEO of GBTA. “From supporting millions of jobs to funding public services, it’s clear how deeply business travel is connected to U.S. economic resilience, growth and competitiveness.”
