FCM Meetings & Events (FCM M&E) has released its inaugural “Global Trends Report,” providing a detailed look at the key trends shaping the meetings and events industry. The report examines the current behaviors, budget priorities and strategic shifts driving the industry forward. Developed in partnership with Cvent, the report includes insights from a diverse group of M&E professionals surveyed across 28 countries and 22 industries. Supported by proprietary research and expert analysis from FCM Consulting, the findings offer a clear snapshot of the global and regional M&E landscape.
According to the report, global corporate events have grown year-on-year since 2022. Furthermore, in 2024, more than 28 percent of companies dedicated at least half of their travel and expense budgets to meetings, events and conferences, a strong signal of the sector’s recent resurgence.
Key findings from the report include:
- Human connection – Fifty-six percent of respondents shared that the primary purpose of meetings and events is to foster engagement, whether with employees, clients, or both, highlighting the role of connectivity in driving business success.
- In-house planners – With demand for events on the rise, more and more industries are assigning dedicated staff to manage their event business. The professional services sector led the way in employing in-house planners, followed by the travel, real estate and media industries.
- Bigger events – In 2024, more than 47 percent of companies globally invested in medium to large-scale events, ranging from 50 to 150-plus attendees. In the Americas, 42 percent of companies allocated budget toward larger events last year.
- Increasing spending – Among those with budget visibility, 43 percent reported plans to increase investment by 10 percent or more this year, while 39 percent expect spending to remain steady. In the Americas, 26 percent anticipate increasing spend, while 30 percent expect no change.
- Event priorities – Beyond attendee experience (28 percent), nearly a quarter of planners (24 percent) identified pre- and post-event activation as a top priority, indicating a stronger emphasis on understanding attendee expectations before the event, as well as capturing insights for future events.
- Technology innovation – Attendee apps emerged as the leading digital enhancement being planned over the next 12–18 months, while several companies are also exploring the use of AI technologies to better understand and adapt to audience behavior in real-time.
- Sustainability – Avoiding single-use plastics ranked as the top sustainability consideration among 65 percent of event professionals. Venue selection is also playing a significant role, with businesses increasingly choosing locations that align with their broader sustainability goals.
- Incentive travel – Forty-one percent of industries offered incentive travel as part of their broader meeting and events services. The top industries were the food and financial/insurance sectors, followed closely by retail trade.
The report also includes a regional breakdown of travel costs associated with meetings and events, offering valuable insights into corporate travel behaviors that may influence future budgeting. In the Americas, the average total trip ranges from $1,600 to $1,800, factoring in flights, hotels, and ground transportation. The average trip length is 4.2 days, with bookings made an average of 22 days in advance. Notably, 64 percent of these trips are domestic.
Source: FCM M&E
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