Optimism remains high despite growing pressure on meetings and events
Meeting professionals remain positive about the future, according to the latest American Express Global Meetings & Events Forecast, presented in the Ideas Theater at the Inspiration Hub at IMEX America yesterday by Paul McDonnough and Tammy Morgan, American Express Global Business Travel.
The research found that 93% are optimistic about the years ahead, although that confidence is now tempered by greater realism. Just 45% described themselves as strongly optimistic, down from 62% in the previous forecast.
The report highlighted three major challenges shaping the industry: geopolitical uncertainty, increasing climate and travel disruption, and rising costs across every aspect of meetings and events. Despite these pressures, respondents identified opportunities in technology adoption, AI and Strategic Meetings Management (SMM) to help teams work more efficiently and make better decisions.
Attendee experience becomes more intentional
Creating meaningful attendee experiences emerged as the industry's top priority. The research suggests success now depends on finding the right balance between human creativity, attendee insights and technology. The focus is shifting beyond visually impressive events to experiences that feel personal, relevant and authentic.
However, a significant gap remains between ambition and action. While attendee experience ranked highest among priorities, only 23% of respondents said they plan to use employee data effectively to improve meeting design, suggesting many organizations have yet to fully capitalize on available insights.
AI works best alongside human expertise
The report showed the industry's approach to AI is maturing. Rather than using AI as a reactive tool, organizations are increasingly exploring how intelligence can be embedded throughout the meeting experience to improve efficiency and support decision-making.
A consistent message throughout the session was that AI should enhance, not replace, human capabilities. Judgment, experience and empathy continue to play a critical role in delivering successful meetings, while AI helps automate processes and uncover insights that would otherwise take significantly longer to identify.
Resilience becomes a core planning strategy
Business continuity is becoming an essential part of meeting planning. The forecast found that 78% of respondents intend to continue holding meetings despite ongoing challenges, while just 22% expect to reduce meeting frequency.
As a result, planners are building greater flexibility into their programs. Alternative destinations, backup venues and multiple delivery formats are increasingly becoming standard practice. Speakers described this approach as developing a "Plan B mentality" to help organizations respond quickly when disruption occurs.
The connection between travel and meetings programs is also becoming more important. More than half of respondents use the same travel management company for meetings and transient travel, while 51% require group air to be included in their programs. This integration is particularly valuable as disruption alerts have increased by 300% and the number of affected travelers has risen by 600% since the previous year, making real-time visibility into attendee movements increasingly important.
Value takes priority over cost cutting
While costs continue to rise, the conversation is moving away from reducing spend and toward maximizing value. The report found that 91% of meeting professionals expect budgets to increase in line with cost pressures.
Rather than canceling meetings, organizations are making targeted adjustments to protect business outcomes. Common strategies include revising food and beverage offerings, adjusting attendee numbers, considering alternative destinations and venues, and incorporating virtual elements where appropriate.
Strategic Meetings Management underpins future success
A key theme throughout the session was the growing importance of Strategic Meetings Management. SMM provides the structure needed to consolidate data, standardize processes and measure performance across meeting programs.
However, the research also revealed significant policy gaps. While 77% of organizations practice centralized contracting, only 25% have formal policies requiring the use of preferred vendors. Similarly, 82% use approval processes, but only 25% have written approval policies in place.
The report concluded that successful organizations will standardize their foundations while maintaining flexibility at a local level. Rather than standardizing the attendee experience itself, the recommendation is to create consistent frameworks that can adapt to regional business conditions, cultural expectations and cost realities.
Key takeaway: Confidence in the meetings and events sector remains strong, but the industry is entering a more pragmatic phase. Organizations that combine technology, resilience planning and Strategic Meetings Management with a strong focus on human experience will be best positioned to navigate increasing complexity and deliver measurable value.
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This report was produced with the help of Snapsight.
