Event planners are feeling optimistic than they were six months ago, according to the latest Northstar Cvent Meetings Industry PULSE Survey EMEA - but contract flexibility is still a major issue.
Optimism is at its highest in six months, but negative sentiment is also rising, according to the report, with more than half (51 per cent) saying they were more optimistic than they were six months ago.
Lack of flexibility on contracts is still a major gripe for planners, with 50 per cent of respondents saying contract terms are not as flexible as needed. Almost as many planners (49 per cent) highlighted food and beverage (F&B) costs as an issue, saying they are coming in higher than expected.
When it comes to suppliers, EMEA planners are most satisfied with the hotels they're using, scoring an average of 3.77 (out of 5). Destination marketing organisations and convention bureaux were the lowest scoring suppliers in the survey, ranked an average of 3.37 out of 5.
Other findings from the report include:
Hotels are recovering from staffing challenges and responding faster to RFPs.
Budgets are tight, but fears of another pandemic aren’t keeping planners awake.
Growing comfort with generative AI – EMEA planners are embracing tools like ChatGPT and Claude.
Download the full report now to learn more about these trends and what they mean for your events.
