Event matchmaking platform Conferli has produced this guide for associations to help them maximise the financial and in-kind support they can obtain from host destinations, with advice built on the results of a collaborative research project with #Meet4Impact and the GDS-Movement into the worldwide subvention environment.
2025 marked a major shift for the events industry, and Freeman’s End-of-Year Trends Recap examines what was most impactful. One of the significant opportunities, and challenges, coming in 2026 is how the industry must prioritise stronger retention strategies. Attendee retirement is outpacing attendee retention, creating a significant workforce challenge over the next three years.
In December 2024, Skift Meetings published its annual Skift Meetings Megatrends 2025 report, outlining the forces expected to shape business events in the year ahead. One year later, the results are mixed. Several trends materialized decisively. Others showed early promise but stalled amid operational, financial, or regulatory realities. Here’s how each prediction played out…
Skift’s latest report highlights persistent uncertainty, talent gaps, condensed timeframes and rising costs, along with the impact of AI, political polarisation and the increasing prevalence of “micro events”. Lots of strategic issues are covered in this thought-provoking report, with clear insights on how to deal with the forces defining the year ahead.
Better understand the business of travel through Skift’s wide range of daily and weekly newsletters. From daily travel news to a deep dive into the events industry, you can tailor your subscription to the information relevant to you. Weekly briefings cover topics such as how AI and tech are changing travel…
The German Convention Bureau is looking to recruit 40 “research fellows” to participate in the first study in a series of research projects exploring the future evolution of business events, and is especially interested to hear from international meeting owners and organisers. Deadline for sign up is 28 February 2026. More details here…
The latest survey results show that unanticipated government actions are the biggest threat to meetings. Planner sentiment is trending downward again: Forty-four percent of planners are less optimistic than they were six months ago. Compression has eased and RFP responses have improved, though planner concerns over costs and contract terms have increased.
No-one covers every area of event tech from AI to Zoom like Julius Solaris! Company updates & product reviews; trends & mega-trends; hard-hitting commentary & informative opinions based on hands-on experience. Join the 35,000+ event professionals who receive the free Boldpush Newsletter every Wednesday – popular with Event Marketers, Event Planners, Agencies, and Suppliers.
For an academic perspective on the events sector (as opposed to the usual industry-led approach), make sure you follow the Centre for Events and Festivals. Many of CEF’s professors are attempting to evaluate events with a much more scientific rigour than is the norm. CEF Insights are short, accessible articles written by industry experts.
ICCA and Destination Canada have unveiled The State of Sustainability in Associations Report, revealing that while global associations increasingly value sustainability, many still struggle to turn commitment into measurable action. According to the study, 66% of international associations rate sustainability as very or extremely important, up from 60% in 2023, but consistent implementation remains elusive.
Victorian Convention and Event Trust, operators of Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre, released its Annual Report and Impact Report for the 2024-25 financial year. MCEC hosted 714 events, attracting 3.2 million visitors, reflecting its direct economic impact, and the social and environmental contribution of these events.
The Trends Report examines key forces shaping the global business events industry, drawing on data from 140+ sources. It reveals a high level of industry confidence, fuelled by factors such as events’ role as a powerful counterbalance to the digital world, deeper integration of analytics and ROI, and a focus on strategic thinking and innovation.
A report from The Business of Events & ICC Wales uncovers a major disconnect between how accessible venues believe they are and the reality faced by delegates. Based on feedback from 1,000 delegates and more than 100 venues, the research identifies widespread challenges such as inaccessible layouts, untrained staff, overstimulating environments, and limited accessible facilities.
A new analytical framework and report breaks down exhibition organizer income into five segments. Former UFI CEO Kai Hattendorf has developed the “5 S Model for Organiser Sales Segmentation,” as a way to address the long‑standing challenge of standardising how the industry measures and ranks the revenue streams of trade show companies and event organisers.
This report launched at this year’s IBTM World sets out in detail the intentional planning and sophisticated business models behind Sarawak’s journey from minor regional conference destination to impact-oriented success story, with lessons for other destinations aiming to unlock the potential of their intellectual capital and to attract events that drive local economic development priorities.
GainingEdge has released the third edition of its Leveraging Intellectual Capital Global Report, analysing more than 7,500 international associations. Building upon the foundations of the 2021 report, the new edition introduces a refined methodology that broadens the analysis beyond associations hosting large congresses (over 500 participants) to also include mid-size conferences (200–499 participants).
For perspectives from around the world on destination competitiveness in the business and professional events space, check out the regular thought-pieces from the GainingEdge experts, exploring trends, developments and insights in the meetings, conventions, exhibitions and destination-marketing industries, and strategic topics for DMOs, CVBs associations, exhibition & conference venues, and their advisors.
Receive monthly updates from GDS-Movement, a pioneering, data-driven international change agency that acts to catalyse socio-economic and environmental transformation in cities and regions across the world, empowering tourism and events professionals with the mindsets, skill sets, and toolsets to co-create more regenerative and resilient destinations to visit, meet, and live in.
This excellent benchmarking project by City Nation Place offers a wealth of strategic yet practical advice on this critical issue, with perspectives from destination representatives and owners/organisers of a wide range of international events. Download the report to learn more and to understand how you can leverage events to deliver against your place brand ambitions.
The latest report includes data from 11 trade fair bodies in 16 European countries and covers 2,240 exhibitions, totalling 23.1 million m² of net space rented in 2024. The number of events covered by the ‘Euro Fair Statistics’ report has continued to grow in recent years. UFI estimates that this year’s data represents almost 55%…
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