The European events sector’s post-Covid recovery is now predicted to happen by July 2023 – eight months earlier than anticipated – a new survey has found.
However, there is a notable divergence in what attendees and planners are looking for in meetings, conferences and conventions in the near future, according to the research by MMGY Travel Intelligence in partnership with IMEX Group and MMGY Hills Balfour.
Little over half (51 per cent) of attendees said that in person would be preferred post-pandemic compared to 80 per cent of planners. And just under half (44 per cent) of attendees would opt for virtual compared to just one in five (20 per cent) planners.
The study, Portrait of European Meetings & Convention Travel: Perspectives from Travellers and Planning Professionals study, reveals the mindsets, intentions and preferences of both meeting, conference and convention attendees and professional planners. The survey collected data over two phases in 2022 from more than 3,200 respondents (1,600 in phase one and 1,600 in phase two). The majority of planners surveyed are based in Germany, the UK and Belgium, while attendees are divided equally among the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and France.
Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, said: “These findings are useful in that they help identify the remaining gaps between planner and attendee expectations. At a time when the market craves more certainty, data like this can help us plan forward into 2023 with more confidence and insight. It’s also reassuring to see both sustainability and carbon measurement on the agenda.”
The findings indicated that in-person meetings are starting to make a comeback – with planners noting that the number of domestic and international meetings attended in 2022 are back to pre-pandemic levels. There remains a hesitancy around in-person events for attendees going forward, which is driven by rising costs and potential for travel disruption, with Covid-19 listed as the second most important concern for attendees.
Four out of five attendees believe that the likelihood to attend meetings in the future changed because of Covid-19, while planners no longer see Covid-19 as a major barrier, and only two-thirds of planners attribute Covid-19 as the reason for that change.
“It is interesting to see the comparative views of the professional planners and attendees when it comes to the types of events they wish to attend moving forward, with attendees clearly more satisfied with the various alternatives to in-person meetings,” said MMGY Travel Intelligence Europe MD Cees Bosselaar. “Although Covid-19 is no longer the number one factor, there are still many influences at play that make virtual meetings and events acceptable alternatives to in-person events – and therefore, virtual is certainly here to stay.”
Other key findings from the study include:
- Almost all planners and attendees foresee an increase in prices for the remainder of the year due to rising air fares, accommodation costs, and fees to hire venues and event spaces.
- Hybrid meetings are here to stay but have lost importance since spring 2022, with three quarters of meeting planners booking in-person meetings, demonstrating a sharp increase at the expense of hybrid.
- Planners and attendees want something unique in meeting venues, but attendees still tend to prefer the hotel and hotel conference room and are more likely to attend this type of venue over a unique or historic alternative.
- The need for sustainable meetings and events has significantly increased compared to pre-pandemic, more so for planners than attendees. However, two out of three attendees indicate that they would be willing to pay more for sustainable programmes.
- Planners and attendees agreed that they see measuring the carbon footprint of all travel and carbon offset programmes as a key sustainability effort.
For more information about the study visit mmgyintel.com.
Written By
James Lancaster
AMI editor James
Lancaster is a familiar face in the meetings industry and international
association community. Since joining AMI in 2010, he has gained a reputation
for asking difficult questions and getting lost in convention centres. Proofer, podcaster, and panellist - in his spare time, James likes to walk,
read, listen to music, and drink beer.
