Most planners’ budgets will remain the same or decrease, according to latest Northstar Cvent Meetings Industry PULSE Survey EMEA, but 38 per cent expect to see an increase.
This research cycle is comprised of 119 responses from planners of all types and is compared to similar data collected from North America.
The survey also found that as costs rise and meetings grow in importance, organisers are focused on delivering ROI from their meetings. Planners are seeking ways to make cost savings that do not have a negative impact on the attendee experience.
The rise of online communities and the threat of being ‘undersold’ by competitors are taken seriously. But mainly planners are concerned that the cost to produce their meetings will outweigh the value derived from them.
Optimism levels have dipped slightly, with 43 per cent of planners more optimistic today than they were six months ago, against 51 per cent last time. A quarter (24%) say they are ‘less optimistic’ than they were six months, the highest level all year.
More than a third of planners (34%) in EMEA expect to add staff to their events teams in 2025. This is significantly more than in Northern America where only 19 per cent are looking to hire new recruits.
However, planners report fewer difficulties with their hotel and venue partners, but costs remain the biggest problem by far.
Download the full report now to learn more about these trends and what they mean for your events.
