Exhibitions, forums, and networking events may be on the
agenda for associations, but it is the conference that remains the single most
important event of the year for them.
That’s according to the results of the Associations Forum’s
Association Events Survey 2025 which revealed that 76% of associations hold an
annual conference.
Of those that do, 66% plan their major conference more than
a year in advance, further highlighting the importance of this format and underscoring
the necessity of securing key dates and venues early.
The survey of 154 associations by the provider of training,
events and advisory services for associations, found that attendance figures for
all events are strong. Over a third (36%) of respondents said attendance was 5%
higher than it was the previous year.
There is also growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in
events, with 76% of respondents now leveraging AI for tasks, including content
creation, reporting, event planning and marketing communications.
Association’s Forum’s annual event survey is designed to provide
benchmarking data across the industry, studying trends in areas such as event
type, attendance and location.
