Optimism across the meetings and events industry is at a five-year
high with 85% of professionals feeling positive about the year ahead, according
to American Express Global Business Travel (AMEX GBT).
Stabilisation of the industry after a decade of unpredictability
and change, together with the emergence of supportive technology, was said to
be behind the upbeat mood, said AMEX GBT in its 2026 Global Meetings &
Events Forecast.
Rising costs and economic uncertainty could cloud optimism,
however, with 38% of event professionals citing costs and 32% stating economic
uncertainty would make meeting planning challenging in 2026.
The report, which surveyed over 600 meeting professionals in
eight countries in July, also found a growing number are embracing the use of artificial
intelligence (AI) Half of all industry professionals are now using AI tools for
event planning and execution.
AI and the future of events
Looking to the year ahead, AI is
expected to help organisations with connection and content creation and
measurement. Over a third (35%) said they would use AI for event communications
while 34% said they would use it for generating content themes and 31% for
engagement tracking.
Gerardo Tejado, senior VP professional services at Amex GBT,
said: “We’re witnessing a transformative moment where AI is not just a tool,
but a strategic partner that empowers meetings and events professionals to
deliver more engaging, impactful, and intelligent event experiences with
measurable impact.
“The
meeting and events industry's growing confidence—with 85% of professionals
feeling optimistic about the future—reflects our collective ability to embrace
change and unlock new possibilities."
Return on experience
The report also revealed that improving attendee experience
remains meeting professionals’ top priority for 2026 (33%) with the return on
investment (ROI) metric increasingly being replaced by return on experience (ROE).
AMEX GBT suggested event planners use AI to deliver ROE, enabling
event monitoring via badge scans and session check-ins to help transform behavioural
data into actionable insights.
The report also highlights a growing desire for more engaging
hands-on experiences at events with 42% of attendees preferring interactive
formats, like workshops and 40% requesting more social activities and
networking opportunities.
Download the full 2025 Meetings and Events Forecast.
