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Planners said they are leaning into data and ROI-driven decision-making, trying out new pricing or revenue models, reworking events to be more localized or segmented, and reorganizing internally to meet current and potential future challenges head on.
About Our Survey and Participants
The 32nd Annual Meetings Market Survey was conducted in September 2025. A total of 80 qualified events professionals responded to our questionnaire. Here is a snapshot of the participants:
Which best describes your current role?
69% Event planner
29% Supplier
2% Event marketer
1% Meeting designer
This year’s survey respondents are experienced, primarily mid-to-senior-level female professionals, mostly white, and aged 40–59, working in roles that involve strategy, budgets, and execution.
Where are your organizations headquartered and what kind of organization do you work for?
The majority of respondents — 89 percent — work for North American–based organizations, with 4 percent in APAC; 3 percent in Europe; 3 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean and 1 percent in Middle East.
More than three out of five participants said the organization they work for is national in scope; 28 percent work for international organizations; 8 percent for regional organizations; and 4 percent for state. Most respondents work for organizations that employ between 1 and 20 people (29 percent) with a fair share (21 percent) at larger organizations that employ 101-300 employees. Eighteen percent work for organizations with more than 500 employees; 16 percent are in organizations of 21 to 50 employees; 13 percent at 51-100 employees; and 4 percent are employed at organizations with 301 to 500 staff members.
What best describes your organization?
59% Association
14% Corporation
13% Nonprofit
10% Independent meeting planner
5% Government
3% Educational
1% Association Management Company (AMC)
1% Professional Congress Organizer (PCO)
What best describes your title?
36% Director
28% Manager
14% Executive Level/VP
13% Coordinator/Specialist
6% President/CEO
3% Owner
1% Unemployed
How many meetings does your organization plan each year?
29% 1 to 5
18% 6 to 10
16% 11 to 20
14% 21 to 50
11% 51 to 100
13% More than 100
1 to 5 was the most popular range of events planned, reflecting the larger response rate from planners working at national organizations.
How many years of meeting-management experience do you have?
1% 1 to 3 years
5% 4 to 5 years
6% 6 to 8 years
6% 9 to 10 years
40% 11 to 20 years
41% More than 20 years
Average: 18 years of experience
More than four out of five respondents have 11 or more years of experience.
What is your age, gender, and race?
6% 20 to 29 years
17% 30 to 39 years
36% 40 to 49 years
33% 50 to 59 years
8% 60 years or older
79% Female
16% Male
1% Transgender male
3% Prefer not to answer
1% Other
78% Caucasian or White
11% African American or Black
4% Hispanic or Latinx
4% Asian or Pacific Islander
1% Two or more of the above
1% Middle Eastern
3% Prefer not to answer
Digital, Hybrid, and In-Person Meetings
Last year’s respondents said that they planned an average of 18 digital and hybrid events in 2025, but this year’s respondents have organized, on average, only eight digital and hybrid events since January. They anticipate hosting an average of 12 over the next year.
Do you offer a digital version of any part of your in-person event(s)?
21% Yes, asynchronous
34% Yes, streaming in real time
44% No, we are fully in-person
1% Other
A slightly lower percent of respondents said their events are fully in-person — 44 percent vs. 47 percent last year.
Attendance
Compared to your last pre-pandemic event, how did attendance at your most recent in-person event change?
49% Increased
34% Decreased
16% Stayed the same
1% Other
Almost half of respondents said attendance — still the leading indicator of success — grew at their latest event compared to a similar event pre-pandemic. Respondents who reported increased attendance pointed to in-person networking, relevant content, and successful marketing as key drivers. In contrast, those who saw their attendance decrease — 34 percent vs. 20 percent in last year’s survey — cited budget cuts, political restrictions, and shifts in work habits. A smaller group noted stability due to consistent programs and loyal attendee bases.
What do you anticipate for in-person attendance in the next year?
49% Increase
38% Stay the same
13% Decrease
1% Other
Almost half of respondents anticipate in-person attendance to increase next year, down from the three in five who last year predicted higher attendance in 2025. In last year’s survey, only 3 percent predicted lower attendance at 2025 events compared to 13 percent of respondents in the current survey who anticipate a drop in 2026, expressing concerns about budgets, federal funding cuts, controversial locations, and policy impacts.
Digital Engagement
What are your favorite digital channels to engage with the industry?
88% LinkedIn
70% Newsletters
56% Websites of trusted organizations
33% Instagram
30% Podcasts
29% Facebook
7% X (formerly Twitter)
4% Other
Thoughts and Feelings
How would you describe your current work outlook?
35% Depends on the day
34% Satisfied and optimistic about the future
20% Calm and confident
6% Anxious and overwhelmed
4% Uncertain
3% Dissatisfied in general
While more than half of respondents feel optimistic or confident about their work, more than one-third say their outlook depends on the day — reflecting a broader reality of an uncertain environment in terms of planning, staffing, and policy. Political instability and economic uncertainty continue to weigh heavily on event professionals.
Respondents said:
“Some days I’m excited for the future, some days I’m very overwhelmed.”
“I have been in my position for almost two years now so I understand the annual schedule of events. Our company is experiencing a lot of growth, so I feel a lot of job security.”
“We are truly international, so things change daily.”
“All of our in-person event attendance has been down 25-35 percent since February. Our membership renewals are also dropping. We just had our first round of layoffs and anticipate will have to cut another few positions by end of year. Higher ed is being impacted in a large way by the Trump administration.”
“Attendance is strong, budgets are strong.”
“I’m ignoring the politics and putting my head down to create the best event I can for my members.”
Using AI
Adoption of AI tools has grown slightly over last year’s survey — from 62 percent among planners to 65 percent this year. Event professionals use gen AI for research (75 percent), marketing copy (73 percent), agenda/session creation (65 percent), market segmentation (23 percent), site and speaker selection (15 percent each), and other uses (12 percent). Three-quarters of respondents see AI as being a crucial tool for planners in the coming year.
Does your organization have a policy or guidelines in place for the use of generative AI?
44% Yes — formal policy or guidelines
35% No — but one is being developed
21% No — and no plans currently
How do you see staffing changing due to AI/tech development?
65% Upskilling needed but same headcount
23% No effect
9% We will need fewer staff
3% Other
Model Behavior
Business Model
More than three-quarters of respondents indicated that their organization’s business model has changed over the last year — a big jump from our 2024 survey in which around one-quarter said the same. The 50-percentage-point spread reflects organizations’ agility in navigating all the current U.S. administration’s changes. The top transformation driver for organizations is a shift toward data- and ROI-driven decision-making, cited by more than half of respondents (57 percent). A close second: revenue innovation, with nearly half (45 percent) implementing new pricing models. Nearly two in five organizations are adapting by segmenting events or going more local — possibly in response to budget sensitivity and regional instability. Team restructuring is still happening at a significant rate (27 percent), potentially driven by budget cuts or role consolidations. Sustainability and DEI are seeing mixed outcomes: One-fourth of planners are investing more in these initiatives, while 8 percent say these efforts are now a lower priority, reflecting political sentiment.
Has your organization’s business model changed in the past year?
57% Increased focus on data and ROI-driven decision-making
45% Implemented new pricing or revenue models
38% Prioritized smaller, localized, or segmented events
27% Downsized or restructured teams
26% Invested in sustainability and DEI programs
20% Merged, acquired, or reorganized internally
16% Changed event ownership model (e.g., fewer third-party shows, more owned events)
8% Made sustainability and DEI programs less of a priority
8% Shifted to hybrid or virtual-first delivery
7% Introduced new digital/consulting services
22% No significant change
2% Other
Audiences
The majority — 71 percent — expect their event program will change in response to the fact that there are now five generations in the workforce, a notable increase from the 58 percent of respondents who said the same in last year’s survey. Three out of 10 respondents said their event has attracted significantly more Gen Z attendees this past year.
Joining Forces
Two out of five planners — the same as in last year’s survey — foresee that they will collaborate with other organizations on their events, either by co-locating or in other ways.
Budgets
Two in five respondents expect their overall events budget will stay the same in the next year — a continuing trend from last year, where planners expected budgets to remain stable rather than grow. A hopeful 36 percent are looking for their budgets to increase, while nearly one-quarter anticipate working with a smaller budget.
Which event budget items have you been able to trim?
48% Entertainment
41% Food and beverage
30% Audiovisual
29% Event Technology
26% None
25% Transportation
23% Speakers
21% Accommodation
16% Venue
4% Other
Planners tightened their belts more this year than in last year’s survey, with only around one-quarter saying they hadn’t cut back on any expenses compared to 41 percent saying the same last year.
What will be the biggest expense item in your budget next year?
65% Food and beverage
58% Audiovisual
25% Event Technology
28% Venue
25% Accommodation
10% Transportation
9% Speakers
6% Entertainment
5% Other
F&B and AV will continue to take the biggest share of the budget.
Sustainability and DEI
DEI
Almost half of respondents report no changes or impact by DEI policy changes, followed by 21 percent who had to make some adjustments in language and optics. Thirteen percent have experienced tangible setbacks in funding, audience numbers, or sponsorship. One in 10 is actively reaffirming their DEI stance and five percent are either cautious or doing some soft navigation of the current DEI landscape.
Have your meetings been affected by DEI policy changes? How are you navigating them?
46% No impact/No changes
21% Yes — adjustments made (language, labels, optics)
13% Yes — significant impact (funding, structure, audience)
10% Still committed to DEI values
5% Cautious / Soft navigation
5% Not sure / N/A
Respondents said:
“We had to rename sessions but the content is the same.”
“Trump … we just continue [to do] what we have always done — we don’t care about him anymore.”
“Students can’t attend or apply for scholarships.”
“We used to have a member ‘DEI Working Group’ that we had to strategically (quietly) eliminate. This was partially from leadership with an optics concern and also a decrease in interest and momentum from our members.”
“No, our organization is still going strong with seeing the value of being inclusive.”
“To navigate [recent DEI policy] shifts, we have focused on aligning our DEI initiatives with organizational goals at our events, ensuring compliance with evolving legal standards, and maintaining transparent communication with stakeholders.”
“Loss of federal grant funding has impacted the organization tremendously.”
“We had to cancel one meeting and then discuss how to restructure teams and titles to continue the work under a new guise.”
“The pendulum swung dramatically one way and now it has gone the opposite so I suspect that there will be a happy medium of using commonsense DEI policies.”
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Sustainability
While DEI is significantly affected by the political climate, respondents’ commitment to sustainability is mostly unchanged, with only 5 percent noting a decrease due to budget-related backtracking or shifting priorities. Almost four out of five respondents say they are maintaining baseline practices and nearly one out of five report an increase in specific actions, such as reducing food waste, using greener venues, or transitioning from print to digital materials.
What sustainability practices have you adopted in the last year?
54% Developed social or environmental projects, initiatives, or activities to drive sustainable impact
37% Included sustainability in RFPs
36% Increased sustainability reporting
33% Developed a clear sustainability strategy and plan
27% Created an internal sustainability policy
23% Added a sustainability budget line
17% An international set of standards
13% Hired/trained staff
In which event phase do you start to actively design with sustainability in mind?
18% Sales/Concept generation (sustainability in contracts)
14% Goal-setting (~8 months out)
22% Internal team planning (~6-7 months out)
16% Supplier negotiations (~5 months out)
11% Data measurement planning (~3-4 months out)
8% Communications to delegates (~1-2 months out)
12% Other
Only 18 percent design their events with sustainability in mind from the concept generation, and the majority start thinking about it when the internal team starts planning about six to seven months out. That is in line with the sustainability practices adopted by respondents in the last year, with one-third having developed a clear sustainability strategy and plans, and more than half having developed initiatives or activities to drive sustainable impact.
Respondents said:
“Being sustainable often costs a bit more. We no longer can afford it.”
“Meaningless to attendees — not my responsibility, plus our basic practices are already sustainable.”
“Starting small. Strategic F&B planning to avoid food waste. Annual gift bag full of swag is now a gifting suite so they can pick what they want. Adding more tactics year to year.”
“Over the last year, we’ve made sustainability a higher priority in our events by reducing single-use materials, moving more resources online, and choosing vendors who align with eco-friendly practices. We’ve also emphasized waste reduction, encouraged recycling and composting, and looked for venues with strong sustainability policies. These changes have helped us lower our environmental footprint while setting a positive example for attendees.”
No. 1 Work Challenge
When it comes to planners’ biggest challenge, what stood out most among their open-ended responses is a sense of frustration or fatigue stemming from shrinking resources and rising costs — especially for AV, F&B, and travel — and high stakeholder expectations. On top of those stressors, political and economic uncertainty was often mentioned, particularly in terms of the impact of federal funding cuts on attendance. A small group shared that they are exploring ways to counter challenges, including using AI, refreshing programs, and brainstorming new engagement tactics. But most are clearly operating under strain. Out of 10 survey participants, more than seven were negative in their responses about their top challenge, two were neutral, and only one person was positive. When asked about their biggest challenges in the context of the current economic climate, planners’ responses skewed even more toward the negative side — 83 percent — with only 13 percent of responses registering as neutral, and 4 percent expressing thoughts of a positive nature.
Respondents said:
“AI and event technology without a budget.”
“Costs of everything.”
“Government cuts have clearly impacted who is showing up at meetings (i.e., loss of government attendees because of layoffs, loss of other attendees due to their grant funding going away, etc.). Tariffs and inflation are impacting budgets. When you’re looking at $180/gallon for coffee, there’s an issue! And then, just general hostility and unpredictability — tensions are high. How does that impact what happens at events or how people show up to events? How does it silence groups that are otherwise vocal (i.e., how is free speech impacted)?”
“Government cuts to research funding and hospital budget cuts for continuing education, both could lead to lower attendance.”
“Weather extremes.”
“Trying to anticipate what other changes are to come. What will funding for members look like? How do we produce a quality event with less revenue?”
“The biggest challenges facing event planners in the current economic climate include rising costs, budget constraints, unpredictable attendee behavior, and supply-chain disruptions. Planners also must navigate increased competition for audience attention and adapt to evolving safety and regulatory requirements.”
Survey and analysis conducted by Convene Digital Media Editor Magdalina Atanassova, who used several generative AI tools for assistance. Overviews by Convene Editor in Chief Michelle Russell.
What’s Next?
This article and those listed below are part of Convene’s December 2025 issue cover and CMP Series story package.