2024 Global
Meetings
and Events
Forecast

Contents

PUT TRAVELPLANNING ON
AUTOPILOT.

3

Executive Summary
Optimism reigns, automation
gains appeal

2

Contributors

5

Global Activity

13

Global Trends

Plan group travel quick and easy
with United’s meetings solutions.

2024 Interview Panel and Contributors

Positive momentum continues

From relationships to robotics: A new era
for meeting professionals

20
38

Special Section

42

Special Section

46

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

Regional Trends

7 Actionable insights to elevateyour meetings program

Event marketing trends: Are you readyto impress your marketing stakeholder?

Data Tables

1

Executive Summary
This report contains confidential
and proprietary information of© 2023 GBT Travel Services
UK Limited doing businessas American Express Global
Business Travel (Amex GBT), andmay not be copied, reproduced,
modified, distributed, transferredor disclosed in whole or in partto any third parties without priorwritten consent of Amex GBTor as otherwise permitted bylaw. The information containedin this report is prepared fromsources and data which we believe
to be reliable, but we make norepresentation as to its accuracy
or completeness and we assume
neither responsibility nor liability forany damages of any type resulting
from any errors or omissions.
The report is provided solely for
informational purposes and is not
to be construed as providing advice,recommendations, endorsements,
representations or warranties ofany kind whatsoever.
The 2024 Global Meetings andEvents Forecast is the independent
collaborative work of Amex GBT
personnel and subject matter andindustry leaders. The advertising
within the 2024 Global Meetingsand Events Forecast was soldand managed independently of
the creation of the 2024 Global
Meetings and Events Forecast
and has no bearing on the content
contained within the 2024 Global
Meetings and Events Forecast.
GBT Travel Services UK Limited(GBT UK) and its authorized
sublicensees (including Ovation
Travel Group and Egencia) use
certain trademarks and service
marks of American Express
Company or its subsidiaries(American Express) in the“American Express Global BusinessTravel” and “American Express GBT
Meetings & Events” brands and inconnection with its business for
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or service marks of, and theproperty of, American Express.
GBT UK is a subsidiary of Global
Business Travel Group, Inc. (NYSE:
GBTG). American Express holds aminority interest in GBTG, which
operates as a separate company
from American Express.

2

Contributors

Optimism reigns,
automation gains
appealDear Readers,2024 Interview Panel and Contributors
Brantley Pace, RingCentral
Chad Blaise, Stova
Gerilyn Horan, Hilton
Karen Hutchings, EY
Kristen Koenig, RingCentral
Laura Trybula, Lilly
Leon Goldberg, United
Meenaz Diamond, Accor
Norma Dean, Delta
Shawn Cole, Delta
Sidney Encarnacion, Team Lewis
Sue Cavanaugh, Paul Cavanaugh, Altitude

American Express GBT Meetings & Events
Amanda Chamov
Barbara Feds
Gerardo Tejado
Linda McNairy
Milton Rivera
Patrick Rush
Taylor Aaron

Ariana Reed
Barbara Gamp
Jorge Garcia
Mark Rogers
Noelia Herranz
Simon Fishman

Welcome to the 13th annual Global Meetings and Events Forecast. I eagerly await
this report each year as it serves as a definitive signpost for the vibrant growth of ourindustry and offers a glimpse into the potential challenges we may face. It allows us towitness the dynamic evolution of trends and observe how meeting professionals are
adeptly embracing new modes of work. This year is certainly no different.
Alongside the enduring emphasis on the value of in-person meetings, we're closely
monitoring several other key trends. These include the widespread adoption oftechnology and excitement surrounding automation, artificial intelligence (AI) androbotics, a heightened commitment to sustainability, a renewed focus on small and simple
meetings, and the fortification of partnerships within our industry. According to oursurvey respondents, the categories of internal meetings and client advisory boards arecontinuously growing and expected to be the most common types of meetings in 2024,with small and simple meetings closely following in popularity.

GERARDOTEJADO
Senior vice president,
professional services,
American Express GBT

In addition to global inflation, planners are confronted with a myriad of intricate challenges, such as
ongoing staffing shortages, elevated attendee expectations, and the growing imperative to demonstratesustainability. Furthermore, venue contracting has evolved into a time-consuming and formidable task.
We strongly believe that meeting planners must harness the available tools effectively, which include
leveraging technology for task automation, revising meeting program policies to accelerate budget approvals,
integrating business and meetings travel, and working more closely with their partners and agencies.
Emerging technologies, geared towards streamlining and automating event planning, are taking center stage
as planners recognize that time saved from administrative tasks can be channeled into more strategic andcreative endeavors. We anticipate a surge in the adoption of robotics, AI, and data analysis systems among
meeting planners. Additionally, technology is poised to aid planners in tracking and managing sustainability
goals to align with corporate targets.
All signs point to 2024 being a dynamic year, characterized by substantial growth and next-generation
technology adoption. Our team looks forward to helping meeting planners achieve their objectives while
enabling businesses to maintain their momentum in terms of innovation and growth. Indeed, within thisintricacy lies not only immense reward but also a potent driver for profound transformation.
Saludos,
Gerardo Tejado

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

3

GlobalActivity

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2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

5Global Activity

Global Activity

Positive momentum
continues
The 2024 Forecast is based on a survey of more than 500 meetings and events
professionals from around the world as well as in-depth interviews with over a dozen
industry leaders. The survey launched in June 2023 and extended through to mid-July.
Survey and interview respondents represent corporations, associations, buyers, andsuppliers from five continents and 26 countries. The result is a statistically and globally
representative picture of the 2024 meetings and events industry.

Picking up the pace!
Meeting professionals see activity (and spending!)
accelerating in 2024. Attendee numbers continue torebound and companies are using external experts tomake the most of their events.

The majority of meetings
will be in-person…

with even stronger
attendee numbers

20%

70%

expect attendee
numbers to return to2019 levels by 2024

2019

2024

59%

Hybrid21%In-person

2024

VirtualMeeting activity
As in the past few years, the mood among meeting
professionals is very positive. Survey respondents
were asked how optimistic they are about the healthof the meetings and events industry: 82% chose 8
or higher on a scale of 1 to 10 (compared to 77% lastyear and 71% the year before). And in an industry
that historically has high turnover rates, only onequarter of respondents said they were likely or very
likely to look for a new job within 2024; of those,more than 65% plan to stay in the industry, butwith a different employer – further evidence thatmeeting professionals remain bullish about the
future of the industry.
Meeting professionals have been clear, andcorporate actions have demonstrated, that people
want to meet in person. As expected, our survey
shows that the number of in-person events continues
to grow. Respondents globally said that morethan three-quarters of their meetings and eventsnext year will be either entirely in-person (59%) or
hybrid (20%), with the remaining 21% virtual. North
America and Europe lead the way in face-to-facemeetings, at 63%.

6

The overall number of attendees also continues torecover, even in the face of uncertainty over inflationand extreme weather – 28% of respondents said
their programs have already met or exceeded prepandemic attendee levels and 42% of respondents
expect to reach that goal in 2024. Those whose
numbers have not fully recovered yet said cost(47%), attendee health concerns (41%), andattendee safety concerns (40%) are the top threereasons attendee levels are lagging.
Lead times in 2024 are expected to be slightly longer
than in 2023, but our interview panel believes they
are still too short and unpredictable. Almost threequarters of survey respondents said their lead times
are either the same as (45%) or shorter than (27%)
last year. One of the main causes cited for shortenedlead times is a delay in securing budget approvals– meaning clients may be losing out on favorable
rates, dates, and sometimes venues.

Internal meetings continue to grow and they require support from meeting
professionals too
Percent of respondents who expect to holdmore of these meeting types:
Internal teammeetings

42%

Client/customer
advisory boards

42%

Incentive / special
event

38%

Held in a hotel

Include social
activities/
networking

Held in adifferent city
than corporate
officeand so are costs

Budgets are up…

67%

Expected cost per attendee increases:
Predict an increasein overall meeting
spend in 2024

Of those 67%...

13%2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

52% 47% 46%

Predict anincrease of
more than 10%2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST+3.5% Customer

Client/ Advisory Board+3.8%

Conference with
Trade Show/Exhibits
Product Launch(Internal/External)
Senior Leadership/Board+3.9% Meeting
Incentive/Special Events

7

Meeting prevalence
All meeting types are expected to see growth in2024, although respondents predict certain types
will be more robust than others. Survey respondents
were also asked whether they expected to have
more, less or the same of each type of meetingin 2024: internal meetings and client/customer
advisory boards are on track to see the biggest
increase, with 42% of respondents saying there will
be more of both next year, followed by incentives(38%), small and simple meetings, productlaunches, and senior leadership meetings (37%each), conferences with tradeshows (35%), andconferences without tradeshows (30%).
Internal meetings are expected to see the strongest
growth in attendee numbers – 48% of respondents
predict more attendees for that meeting type in
2024. Only 33% of respondents say they expect
more attendees in 2024 at conferences without
tradeshows, which is the lowest predicted increaseof all meeting types.
On location choice, non-stop flights are preferred
whenever possible – respondents chose “ease of
travel and transportation to location for attendees”
as the top factor influencing meeting location
selection. While global resort destinations are once
again the most popular for incentives, smaller
events are more likely to be held within domestic
borders. As a cost-saving measure, and to makeuse of empty offices for companies with dispersed
workforces, locations for internal meetings are
increasingly dictated by a company’s available officespace – the percentage of internal meetings being
held on corporate properties is expected to behigher in 2024 than in 2023 (36% vs. 32%).

Meeting policies
Meeting policy adoption is maturing, with policies
becoming more integrated into corporate strategic
objectives. Just two years ago, in the 2022 Global
Meetings and Events Forecast, no more than a thirdof respondents globally said their organizations had
adopted basic meeting policy components suchas food and beverage suppliers. Compare that totoday, when 80% of respondents say they havewell-defined policies accepted across multiple areas.
Within that group, one-third say they are going

8

further and optimizing their policies, using holistic
strategies aligned to their business objectives andintegrated into their corporate culture. When asked
which areas of their meeting programs they arefocused on improving, the top three selections were
technology updates (38%), simplified data collection
and using preferred suppliers (18% each).
The component most likely to be explicitly included
in respondents’ meeting policies is still safety andsecurity (57%), while the use of meeting planningtechnology was close behind at 52% and approval
processes at 51%.

Meeting spend
Our interview panel believes budgets are increasing
but not necessarily enough to match inflation, andour respondents appear to agree – 67% said theirbudgets are increasing, but only 13% said they are
increasing by more than 10%. In its July 2023 World
Economic Outlook, the International Monetary
Fund advised that while global inflation is expectedto ease from its high of 8.7% in 2022, the global
forecast for 2024 is still a robust 5.2%. In a newquestion in this year’s survey, respondents wereasked whether they had seen any changes in their
meeting programs due to markers of economic
uncertainty, such as inflation and budget changes –44% said more virtual meetings, 37% said changes
in destinations or lodgings, and 31% said fewer
events in general. Notably, 13% said they had notseen any changes at all.
Incentives are the meeting type expected to costthe most per attendee per day, at a predicted $865
(USD) per person. Note that these figures do notinclude airfare. Small and simple meetings are
expected to cost the least, at $538 per attendee,
followed by internal meetings and product launches,at $646 per attendee.
When faced with reduced budgets, meeting planners
said the top most area they would cut is number ofnights (22%), then off-site optional activities (14%),and food and beverage and sustainability initiatives(10% each). If their budgets were increased by 10%
in 2024, 25% of meeting planners said they would
use the funds to improve the onsite experience and
19% would increase the use of technology.

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

Hotels and meeting space
The good news is that hotel room rate increases are
expected to moderate, in part due to an expected
reduction in leisure demand in 2024. However,supply is still an issue in many locations, due topermanent closures, ongoing staffing shortages
and labor issues. According to the Amex GBT Hotel
Monitor 2024, ongoing hotel staffing shortages
mean that rates and occupancy are no longer
always linked:"Traditionally, low occupancy acted as a trigger
for hotels to lower rates. Today, hotels are happy
with lower occupancy so long as
they can raise their rates. This isespecially the case in destinations
Traditionally, lowwhere hotels cannot deploy theiroccupancy acted asfull inventory because of staff
shortages." (Hotel Monitor 2024)
a trigger for hotels tolower rates. Today,
hotels are happy withlower occupancy solong as they can raise
their rates. This isespecially the case indestinations where
hotels cannot deploy
their full inventory
because of staff
shortages.

Almost half of survey respondents(44%) expect room availability in
2024 to be the same as 2023, and
40% expect room availability toincrease by 2025. The majority
expect meeting space to also
hold steady in 2024 and increasein 2025. Nearly one-half of
respondents expect group rates
for hotels to increase by morethan 6% in 2024.

Hoteliers interviewed said
they are still in the process ofworking out where meetings andevents in general have landed.
Pre-pandemic, companies were fairly consistent,
and suppliers understood what to expect for themost part. As meetings and events have returned,
they are not necessarily coming back in the same
way across the board. “I think in this year and thenext, we will be trying to get a sense of what is the
new normal in the pattern of when our customers
want to have meetings and how we need to be
deployed for them, and also how they want to meet,”explained Gerilyn Horan, vice president group sales
and strategic accounts for Hilton. “What are their
expectations and how do we make sure that we're
providing in our hotels the experience that they
want?”

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

That may mean more business travelers booking
mid-tier accommodations going forward. As Simon
Fishman, vice president of global hotel, Amex GBT,
explains, “I think we're seeing a reassessment ofwhat good service looks like on a hotel-by-hotelbasis. Going back 10 or 15 years, every traveler
would expect to have their towels changed daily aswell as the other standard services and amenities
such as room service. Now, for many businesstravelers, that general expectation is replaced withsomething far more personal and nuanced. Somefret about the carbon impact of having towels
replaced during a short stay and order food ondelivery apps, while for others having all the bells
and whistles of a luxury hotel may still be important.”

Looking for more detailed analysis
about rates and trends in the hotel
and ground sectors?
Hotel Monitor 2024, from Amex GBT
Consulting, offers rate forecasts for more than
50 cities around the world and insights into how
meeting planners can strengthen their hotel
programs. Ground Monitor 2023-2024, also
from Amex GBT Consulting, looks at global
car rental forecasts, as well as the future ofcorporate rail travel and other hot topics forground transportation program owners.
And keep an eye out for the release later in 2023of the Air Monitor 2024.

9Ground transportation

Group airAs noted in the Amex GBT Consulting Ground
Monitor 2023-2024, ground transportation is themeetings program component that is the most
likely to lack strategic management, including ashortage of centralized booking and standardized
management processes. But as meetings travel
continues to ramp up, ground transportation plays
an important role. Creating a seamless travel
experience from door-to-door is within the reach of
savvy meeting planners.

Air travel has stabilized in 2023, compared to thechallenges of 2022, but that doesn’t mean all issues
brought on by the pandemic have been resolved
or are expected to be resolved anytime soon. The
worldwide pilot shortage continues – one estimate
is that there will be 11,000 fewer pilots than neededin 2025. As a result, airlines are feeling squeezed
on maintaining the ideal number of routes. “We areconstantly evaluating where the demand is and how
we can most efficiently meet it,” says Leon Goldberg,
managing director of Eastern corporate sales forUnited Airlines. “Whether that means up-gauging aroute – changing from multiple small flights per day
to fewer flights on bigger planes – or partnering withother airlines to enable us to amplify our footprint instrong, high demand destinations.”

Ground transportation rates are expected to rise in
2024, partially due to inflation, and partially due tocompetition from leisure travellers. Industry leaders
advise meeting owners to consider implementing
a more strategic approach to ground. Using acentralized booking platform where possible
and creating a network of approved and trusted
suppliers will save meeting professionals timeand money.

10

Survey respondents expect group air rates tocontinue to rise, by more than 5% in 2024. Meeting
professionals book group air most frequently
through travel management companies and online
booking tools (51% each); 39% said they bookthrough direct arrangements with airlines. The
group air provider attributes that respondents mostvalue are favorable rates, online booking tools, andcrisis management.

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

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2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

11Global Trends

From relationships
to robotics:
A new era for meeting professionals
Now that a reinvigorated view of meetings is upon us, meeting professionals are settlingin to adapt to a changing industry. The spotlight on meetings and events remains bright– whether it’s for team building, product launches, board meetings or conferences,organizations have renewed their commitment to in-person events. Companies
understand that in a world of dispersed workforces, with its many disruptions to
traditional office culture, the value of bringing people together is incontrovertible.
Our interview panel for this year’s Forecast included suppliers, program owners, planners,
and clients – all experts in their fields and all with a lot to say on what they’re seeing in
the meetings and events industry. Over the course of our interviews, through June andJuly of 2023, certain trends came up repeatedly.

Strong partnerships create
better events
There’s no question that meeting planning has
become more complex. Meeting professionals told
us they are being asked to contend with increased
competition for event and meeting space, continuing
staff shortages, more fees popping up in every
contract, attendees who have a plethora of options
to choose from, and tight lead times and budgets.
No wonder they say that sometimes it feels likethey’re being asked to be miracle workers. Building
strong partnerships with travel managementcompanies (TMC), meeting management agencies,
hotels, airlines, destination management companies(DMC), and ground transportation suppliers is
helping to reduce the burden on planners.
What makes a strong partnership? Effective
communication is the foundation. Both sides of therelationship must have confidence in one anotherand build trust. “To be successful in 2024,” says

122024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

Linda McNairy, global vice president – strategic
meetings at Amex GBT Meetings & Events (M&E),“Within the context of our environment, all parties
should reframe the typical 'buyer-supplier' or'planner-client' relationship mentality and instead
look at the relationship as ‘we're in this together
to deliver results.'” With collaborative working
strategies, a partnership grows stronger, more
resilient, and more mutually beneficial. The net
result is a better experience for all stakeholders.
Suppliers we spoke with agree that a strong
partnership is not solely focused on making atransaction – it's also about making sure that bothsides have shared goals and objectives. Why nottake advantage of each other’s expertise? McNairy
shared a recent conversation with the generalmanager of a luxury-brand property:
He said, “I recently sat down with a group thatwas doing a site inspection and it was the mostrefreshing conversation. Usually, the discussion
is only about money and the agenda and the13Global Trends
Meeting professionals are
adapting to the new normal
With inflation, travel disruptions, increased competition
for limited space, and dispersed workforces, it’s more
important than ever that meeting planners worksmarter, not harder. Especially when 27% expect leadtimes to shrink in 2024.

They leverage technology
Technologies on the rise:

Meetings professionals have a rangeof variables to navigate
Biggest challenges expected in 2024
53%

Cost
Budget cuts

44%

Location availability

43%

Hotel staffing level

29%

Flight availability

29%

Approval/buy in24%

Tracking carbon
emissions23%

They are efficient…

51%

14

Onsite check-in tools

QR codes

61%

47%

47%

AI

VR

Wearable technology

42%

41%

30%

Digital photo booths

Holograms

23%

13%

They are optimistic
about the industry
and their role

work with the same
travel managementcompany (TMC) for bothbusiness and M&E travel70%

and strategic

80%

Mobile apps

have well-defined
strategic meetings
management programs

are unlikely
to look for a
new job in
the next 12months82%
are optimistic
about the healthof the meetingsand events
industry2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

constraints, but this time they also said, ‘We haven't
had our people together in two years, so we wantto make sure it's a great experience. You have abeautiful property. Tell us what we need to do todeliver a high impact experience for our attendees.’
That had never happened before.”
Shawn Cole, vice president of global sales at Delta
Air Lines, says their technology platform is helping
them build stronger partnerships. "Our number
one goal is providing the best care possible forour customers, and having a common language
in conjunction with effective technology helps us
accomplish that. The future for our meetings andevents partners includes accountability, tracking,budgeting, and most importantly – acting uponcustomer feedback every step of the way.”

Small meetings are more
important than everWith distributed workforces now thenorm, small meetings account for a
substantial proportion of budget.
But just because they’re small
doesn’t mean they shouldn’t“The importance ofinclude the components of larger
creating inspirational
meetings: attendees still want tosee sustainability, engagement,
and engaging content
diversity, equity and inclusion
for small meetings can(DE&I), wellbeing, mobile apps,
be easily overlooked
great content, and all the otherfeatures they’re accustomed to.
by organizations”“The importance of creating
inspirational and engaging
content for small meetings
can be easily overlooked byorganizations,” says Patrick Rush, seniordirector of strategic meetings operations, Europe& Asia Pacific, at Amex GBT M&E. “Organizations
invest significantly in small meetings – to maximize
return on investment, content needs to becompelling and highly engaging for delegates.”

Technology is bridging the gap
The adoption of new technologies has accelerated
dramatically in the past few years, and meeting
professionals are making the most of it. Industry
leaders said they are regularly getting requests to2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

help implement new programs and systems to help
the end-to-end event planning cycle. From gathering
destination information to streamlining event
communications to automating the registration
process, planners are embracing technology thatenhances productivity so they can focus on the big
stuff that is more meaningful for the event.
Using AI to tailor communications with attendees,
at a large scale, is becoming more common; 42%of survey respondents say they expect to use AI
in 2024. “Registration is an opportunity to makesure communications are in the tone of voiceof the client, the hosting company, or even theattendees,” says Ariana Reed, director of global
strategic partnerships at Amex GBT M&E. “AI canhelp make those communications more personable,
incorporating preferences in registration that you
wouldn't necessarily know without asking. That
could be the way you describe a certain field, a
pronoun, or a surname, or it could automaticallypick up if you are registering an attendee from theMiddle East versus Europe, and what types of fields
of information would resonate more with them toensure you get accurate information about theattendees that are coming to your event.”
Virtual reality is also starting to go mainstream– 41% of respondents expect to use it in 2024,
particularly for site visits. Mobile apps are expected
to be used in 61% of meetings and events in 2024
(that includes all meeting types, internaland external).
Another benefit of technology lies in the vast
amount of data it collects, which can be used tomeasure return on investment in meeting programs.
The meetings and events industry has long grappledwith the most effective ways to measure ROI, andgathering data has always been a sticking point. “Itwas very difficult to attach outcomes to events fora long time,” explained Chad Blaise, chief revenue
officer at Stova. “But because everything was
online during Covid, we got a sense of exactly what
it looks like to track every data point in an event.”
Now that the majority of events are again in person,
those same virtual data points can’t necessarily be
tracked in a physical space. But as more meetingstakeholders and marketing leaders understandthe value of events, they want more data to support
their programs.

15

Technology is expected to lead to major changes
in the way meeting professionals do their jobs but
there is no agreement on what that will look likein five years. What new products will be createdthat will provide a service no one knew they evenneeded? Will there be a consolidated solution, or will
every function still be siloed?
“There are too many tools and notenough consistency [for theattendee experience] right now,”
says Kristen Koenig, head ofchannel sales & partnerships,“There are too many
events for RingCentral. “Astools and not enough
we look to the future, that's
consistency right now”
something that all event andmarketing professionals should
keep top of mind: how can
you connect and communicate
with your audience to engage andcollaborate year-round. That way, thecommunity does not need or want to delete theapplication [after the one-off event is over]. A
product that is simple, lightweight, and stays on theuser’s device throughout the year regardless of themeeting size or type, whether it’s a webinar, virtual
event, onsite event – products that can do that longterm are going to win out.”

Simplification gains traction
The meetings and events industry is in the midstof an exciting transformation: while it has taken
the industry time to embrace digital advances, thetrend to simplification and automation is gaining
momentum. In an industry that is still experiencing
shortages of experienced planners, streamlining
administration tasks helps planners focus where
they’re most needed. Automation ofregistration and other simple
logistics, while not fully inplace yet, is expected
to progress
substantially.
Small and
simplemeetings inparticular
need

16

streamlined automation to make it easier to booksmaller events with a single click. Planners needtools in place that allow them to do more with less.
Meeting planners have historically offered “white
glove service” to their clients, ensuring a high level of
personalized care for every aspect of an attendee’s
travel needs, but the reality is that people areused to being able to self-serve in their personal
lives and they are able and willing – and may evenprefer – to do that for their business travel needs
as well. Simple registration, hotel, and air booking
tools can track spend, ensure compliance withmeeting policies, and make a seamless process
for attendees. This frees up planners to focus theirattention on the creative and strategic sides of theirevents.
Another example of the simplification trend
is the growing consolidation of business andmeetings and events travel. In our survey, 55% of
respondents said they work with the same travel
management company to book both types oftravel. Working with one partner can offer myriad
benefits, including better visibility into overall
spend, increased efficiency when contracting with
suppliers, combined program reporting to simplify
spend analysis, better access to diverse and global
suppliers, and stronger duty of care support, among
other advantages.
Industry leaders we spoke to agree. “I think there
needs to be much more in-depth alignment because
a lot of the suppliers are the same, and yet in manyorganizations it's kept very separate,” says Karen
Hutchings, global head of travel, meetings & eventsat Ernst & Young. “There are synergies to be had
there, and then you can leverage resources acrossboth groups.”
Consolidation can also help planners deal withthe reality of short lead times. “Our businessmoves really quickly. We'll always have a certain
percentage of activities that come in under leadtime, because it's just the nature of what we do ina pharmaceutical,” explains Laura Trybula, seniordirector, meetings and congresses at Eli Lilly andCompany. “We actually do all of our sourcing
centrally…we made that adjustment two years ago.
It helps to have that centralized.”

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

Enhancing attendee experienceand wellbeing
Multiple industry leaders told us they are hearingthat it’s harder to attract attendees to register
for meetings and events as people are now more
selective about their time away from their home oroffice. Meetings and events owners should makesure their events are impactful and engaging,facilitating human interaction in a way that achieves
their goals while satisfying the needs of attendees.
Meaningful high-quality content is the mostimportant requirement for attendees. The “wowfactor” is nice, but people want to leave meetingsand events feeling like they got something valuable
in exchange for giving their time and attention,
whether that’s education, networking contacts,
sales leads, a stronger team, or another tangible
benefit. Personalizing contact with attendees, fromthe initial outreach to the registration process tothe event to the post-event follow-up, helps to makethem feel welcome and valued.
Attendee wellbeing continues to be a top priority.
Our interview panel told us they are seeing
programming trends such as longer breaks between
sessions, more self-care activities available atevents, thoughtful room design, food and beverage
options that offer more selection to people withrestrictions, as well as more streamlined travel
for attendees to make sure they arrive and departenergized rather than drained.

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

A wellness lounge for the future
At a recent event in Paris, the global hotel group
Accor offered a wellness lounge that would put
some spas to shame. Knowing that people who
travel for meetings want to return home feelingas energized as when they left, the company’s
Wellbeing Team created a space for attendees tohelp them to revive, rejuvenate, and focus on selfcare during the event’s downtimes.
Mimicking the look of the gardens at Versailles, thelounge had an array of stations to choose from.
There were massage, meditation, and power-nap
chairs available; CBD gummies and tinctures
for focus and sleep; assorted massage therapy
devices; hydro-facials, eye masks and makeup
application bars; and an oxygen bar that offered“forest air” breathing.
The lounge was a resounding success and inspired
some attendees to incorporate similar ideas into
their own events in the future. As Meenaz Diamond,
Accor’s senior vice president global meetings& events and trade marketing, explains, “Whilean inspiring program of education, compellingspeakers, industry updates and networking
opportunities are core to the reason why
delegates attend our business event, a place
to relax, rejuvenate and discover new ways
to recharge are just as important toensure the time you are spending
with us also nourishes you.”

17

The evolution ofsustainable meetings
According to our survey, 78% of respondents saytheir organizations are planning to have net zero
goals by the end of 2024. Respondents indicate thatwhile it’s not the main decision-driver, sustainability
plays a key role in their choice of location (with 13%
ranking it among their top two influential factors).
Meeting professionals are looking for help toimplement sustainable practices. When asked
what their biggest challenge was to incorporate
sustainability into their M&E program, 28% said
identifying locations with minimal travel, 39% said
identifying certified suppliers, 32% said measuring
event impact and post-event CO2 calculation, 23%
said lack of skills/resources/knowledge, and 35%
said budget (among other options).
Embracing sustainability in your meetings doesn'tmean breaking the bank. There are ways to makea big impact without a big budget. Planners canmitigate costs, including eliminating gift bags,
choosing off-site locations that are within walking
distance, reducing food waste by offering curated
menus and working with companies that will collectand donate leftover food.
Industry leaders point out that the sustainability
lens needs to be applied to all meetings, not just the
big ones. Large sustainable meetings are great, but
if your company also has multiple smaller meetings
every year and none of those are sustainable, that’s
going to add up. Planners are encouraged to takeadvantage of the knowledge and resources of their
meeting partners to ensure sustainable practices
are scalable and replicable throughout their entire
meeting program.

18

Advocating for the industry
As the industry progresses, the meeting planner'srole is trending towards more consultative andless administrative. In addition to event planning,planners are also responsible for incorporating
corporate objectives and facilitating initiatives.
Several interviewees on our industry panelemphasized that they see a need for more leadersin the industry to advocate to the next generation
what the role of a meeting planner entails. One event
planner remarked, “There are a lot of people, I think,that don't even understand what this industry is allabout and how complex and rewarding it is. They
don't understand that it is a professional field.”Interviewees also highlighted the need for morecollege and university programs that focus on
meetings and events to further professionalize
the role. “Joining the meeting and events industry
means more than just planning gatherings; it's about
shaping corporate success,” explains Barbara Feds,
director, strategic meetings operations, Americas
at M&E. “As this dynamic field evolves, meeting
planners are increasingly becoming strategic
consultants, integrating objectives, and fostering
innovation. The challenge? Enlightening the worldabout our profession's depth and impact.”

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means more than justplanning gatherings;
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corporate success”

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

19

Regional
TrendsRegional Trends
Sustainability comes
into focus
All regions are taking tangible actions to implement
sustainable practices into their meeting programs.
Here’s what stands out.

North America

EuropeRobust policies:

Certified suppliers:

North Americans are most likely tohave explicit language aboutsustainability in their meeting policies

Planners in Europe are least
likely to have difficulty identifying
sustainably certified suppliers

NA

58%
51%

LATAM

45%

EUR
APAC

EUR

35%

NA

36%
41%

LATAM

31%

54%

APAC

Identifying suppliers with a sustainable certification
or relevant sustainable practices

Meeting professionals around the world
are experiencing heightened activity
in 2024, accompanied by challenges
in budgets and locations. Within

Latin America

global competition for venues andAsia PacificNet zero goals:

Mindful planning:

attendees, our survey respondents are

More planners in Asia Pacific say theirorganization has a definednet zero journeywith measurable emission reduction goals

Latin American planners lead inconsidering sustainability whenplanning events

looking forward to taking advantageof technology to help them with fasterand easier sourcing and attendee
engagement. Sustainability has
transitioned from a mere buzzword to
an imperative consideration — and is

LATAM

76%

APAC

APAC

74%

NA

NA

only expected to grow in importance.

EUR

69%
62%

LATAM
EUR

63%
45%
40%
37%

Very or extremely important

20

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

21

Regional Trends

North America – Key Indicators for 2024

North
America13%

Significantly increasing (11%+)1.

Overall meeting spend
72% expect their meeting
spend to increase,
compared to 65% in 2023

Increasing (6%-10%)30%

Slightly increasing (1%-5%)29%

engaged, and excited about new technologies. They believe their profession is in good
shape: 84% said they would rank themselves as 8 or higher on a scale of 1 to 10 when
asked how optimistic they were about the health of the industry. They're also feeling
positive about their work – a new survey question asked whether they will be looking for

2.

Meetings by format
81% of meetings will
have an in-personcomponent in 2024

Virtual-only 19%

a new job in the next 12 months, and 56% said they were unlikely or very unlikely to do so(only 25% said they were likely or very likely). Respondents who said they were likely toHybrid 18%

change jobs were asked what their primary motivation was: in North America, 26% said it
was because they want to change industries, and 35% said they are not happy with theircompensation or workload, among other reasons.

In-person only 63%

7%

Slightly decreasing (1%-5%)
Decreasing (6%-10%)

Meeting professionals in North America say they are heading into 2024 feeling busy,

12%

Staying the same

Significantly decreasing (11%+)5%

1. Las Vegas

3%

Top 5 destinations
We created the Top 5 destinations list for each region
by asking 131 American Express GBT meetings
professionals to select their top meetings and events
destinations based on the following criteria:
accessibility, cost-effectiveness, safety and security,
local attractions, distinctive amenities, andcommitment to ESG (environmental, social, andgovernance) principles. Their recommendations
were aligned with our clients’ actual meeting data.
Las Vegas remains a top destination in North
America along with new additions; Los Angeles,
Chicago, and Toronto.

2. New York
3. Los Angeles
4. Chicago
5. Toronto
Source: Top North America city
destinations based on Aug. 2023
internal survey and sales of event
services by Amex GBT Meetings &Events, Aug. 2022–July 2023.

The region had the second highest percentage of respondents who said their offices were
fully remote, at 12%; it also had the second highest percentage of respondents who said
their offices were fully open, at 49%.

222024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

23

Activity

Locations

Spend

Sustainability and DE&I

North American respondents expect 63% of their
meetings and events in 2024 to be fully in person,with the remaining split fairly evenly between virtual(19%) and hybrid (18%) formats. Internal teammeetings and small and simple meetings will be
the two most common meeting types. All typesof meetings are expected to increase in 2024, inparticular for client/customer advisory boards,
where 45% of respondents predict more.

The top two factors North American planners
say influence their location selection are ease of
travel for attendees and whether a specific type oflocation, such as one near a customer’s office or a
training facility, is required. Economic uncertainty isaffecting location choices, with 34% of respondents
saying they are having to change destinations or
lodgings, and 37% saying they are seeing morevirtual meetings.

Overall meeting spend is expected to be up by
4.2% in the region, an increase from 2023 (3.8%).
Respondents in North America are also expecting
an increase of 6.4% in group hotel rates, and a 5.4%
increase in group air fares, both of which are smaller
than last year.

Seventy percent of respondents say thatsustainability has been strongly adopted in their
meeting program; 69% say sustainability is veryor extremely important for their organization.
Corporate net zero goals have already been set
according to 45% of North American respondents;
another 32% say their organizations are planning to
set them within the next 12 months.

More than three-quarters of respondents (77%) say
their attendee numbers have already returned to2019 levels or they expect them to do so in
2024. The factors they believe are most likely toimpact attendee numbers are cost and health andsafety concerns.

The majority of respondents in the region believethat room and meeting space will have the same
availability in 2024 than in 2023, and also expect
more to open up in 2025. Forty-four percent ofrespondents believe location availability will be oneof their challenges in 2024.

Lead times continue to be a pain point for manyplanners as 27% of respondents predict they
will be shorter in 2024, and 45% say they will likely
stay the same. Only 21% expect lead times to easein 2024.
As more technology becomes available for meetingsand events, planners in North America are expecting
to maximize the associated opportunities. More thanhalf say they will use mobile apps (65%) and onsite
check-in tools (53%). Next most popular are QR
codes (49%), artificial intelligence (42%), and virtual
reality (40%).

Corporations continue to value internal meetingsand expect to allocate substantial spend on travel
and accommodation to bring their teams together.
North American respondents said 56% of internal
meetings will be held at a hotel and require overnightaccommodations, and 48% will be held in a different
city from the corporate office and require domestic
air travel for attendees.

If their event budget were reduced by 10%, thefirst area they would cut is the number of nights(19%), followed by off-site optional activities (14%),and food and beverage (11%). Conversely, if theirbudget were increased by 10%, they would focus
on improvements in the onsite experience (25%),
increasing the number of attendees at meetings(18%), and increasing the use of technology (17%).
Small and simple meetings are expected to havethe lowest cost per attendee of all meeting types,
at $496 USD per day, per attendee (excluding air).
Incentives are expected to have the highest cost perattendee, at $872 USD.

Management
Meeting programs are more strategic and focused,according to our survey. Just over half (51%) of
North American respondents say their programs
are well-defined and accepted across multiple areasof their organization; an additional 35% say theirprograms are further along, not just well-defined but
also aligned to business objectives and integrated
into the corporate culture.

Offering sustainable food and beverages andminimizing disposables and waste are the mostcommonly implemented sustainable practices;minimizing air and ground transportation andmeasuring CO2 emissions at the event level are
strategies respondents either expect to implement in
the near future or have already. Almost one-quarter(24%) of respondents say one of their biggest
challenges to implementing sustainability into theirevents is a lack of knowledge, skills, and resources.
The top three ways organizations incorporate
diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) into theirevents are choosing diverse speakers, providing
the option to attend an event virtually, and ensuringcontent topics or presentations reflect DE&I
principles. In addition, almost one-third (31%) say
they strive to choose diverse or minority-owned
suppliers – catering, AV, ground transportation,
florists, etc. – whenever possible.

The number one area respondents are most focusedon improving is policies about technology updates.
Safety and security requirements and the useof meeting planning technology are the top twocomponents most likely to be explicitly mentioned in
an organization’s meeting policy. Fifty-eight percent
say their meetings and events policy has explicit
language about sustainability and 39% say the same
about using diverse suppliers. North America leads
the regions in those numbers.

24

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

25

Regional Trends

EuropeTHERE’S ONLYONE BALLROOM

European meeting professionals expect modest increases in activity next year, compared

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to respondents in North America and Latin America, and have high levels of optimism
about the health of the meetings and events industry: 79% said they would rankthemselves as 8 or higher on a scale of 1 to 10. European respondents are the least likely

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to change jobs in the next 12 months, with only 22% likely or very likely to look for a newjob. Of that 22%, one-quarter say unhappiness with workload or compensation is theirprimary motivation.

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Europeans have the lowest percentage (31%) of respondents who said their offices were
fully open; 54% of offices are partially open and 13% are fully remote.

The Sky’s the Limit

Locations

Respondents in Europe expect 63% of their
meetings and events in 2024 to be fully in person,with the remaining split evenly between virtual(19%) and hybrid (18%) formats. Small and simple
meetings and internal team meetings will be thetwo most common meeting types and no specificmeeting type is expected to increase more thanothers. Forty percent say that economic uncertainty
is leading to fewer events being planned in general.

The top two factors influencing location selection for
European planners are ease of travel for attendees
and the specific type of location required. Only
4%, the lowest percentage of all regions, selected“perceptions around ‘resort’ destination for
meetings” as influential.

Thirty percent of respondents say their attendee
numbers have already returned to 2019 levels; afurther 35% expect them to in 2024. Cost is by far(52%) the factor they believe is the most likely todampen attendee numbers, followed by a reduced
number of events (33%) and attendee safetyconcerns (32%).

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Lead times are not expected to increase anytime
soon: 35% of respondents predict they will be
shorter in 2024 and 36% say they will likely staythe same.

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Activity

The top three technologies European respondents
expect to use in 2024 are mobile apps (60%),
QR codes (46%), and onsite check-in tools (45%).
One-third expect to use artificial intelligence andvirtual reality.

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

The majority of respondents in Europe believe both
hotel rooms and meeting space will be less available
in both 2024 and 2025. Location availability (33%)
and hotel staffing levels (31%) are both expected to
be challenges in 2024.
Internal meetings will continue to play an importantrole in European meeting programs: respondents
said 52% will be held at a hotel, 48% will require
overnight accommodations, and 46% will beheld in a different city from the corporate office.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the region has the lowest
percentage of expected domestic air travel for
attendees, at 33%.

Spend
Overall meeting spend is expected to rise by amodest 2.8% in the region, down from 3.2% in
2023, while respondents expect an increase of 4.9%
in both group hotel and group air rates.

27

Europe – Key Indicators for 2024
1.

Overall meeting spend
57% expect their meeting spend toincrease, down from 66% in 2023
14%

Significantly increasing (11%+)19%

Increasing (6%-10%)24%

Slightly increasing (1%-5%)
18%

Staying the same
13%

Slightly decreasing (1%-5%)2.

Decreasing (6%-10%)5%Significantly decreasing (11%+)5%

We created the Top 5 destinations list for each region by asking 131
American Express GBT meetings professionals to select their top
meetings and events destinations based on the following criteria:
accessibility, cost-effectiveness, safety and security, local attractions,distinctive amenities, and commitment to ESG (environmental, social,and governance) principles. Their recommendations were aligned withour clients’ actual meeting data.
Our meeting professionals highly recommend Amsterdam as a top
destination choice in Europe along with longstanding destinations
London, Barcelona, Madrid, and Paris.

1. London
2. Barcelona

Meetings by format
81% of meetings
will have anin-person
component
in 2024

Top 5 destinations

Virtual-only 19%

Hybrid 18%

In-Person only 63%

3. Madrid
4. Amsterdam

European planners expect small and simple
meetings to have the lowest cost per attendee of all
meeting types, at $514 USD per day, per attendee(note that these figures exclude air). Incentives are
expected to have the highest cost per attendee, at$876 USD per day.

Management
Strategic meeting programs are becoming morecommon in Europe – 41% of respondents say theirprograms are well-defined and accepted acrossmultiple areas of their organization; an additional
34% say their programs are not just accepted but
also aligned to business objectives and integrated
into the corporate culture.

Meetings & Events, Aug. 2022–July 2023.

Technology updates and using preferred suppliers
are the areas respondents are most focusedon improving, while safety and security is thecomponent most likely to be explicitly mentioned
in an organization’s meeting policy (56% ofrespondents). Forty-five percent say their meetingsand events policy has explicit language aboutsustainability and 33% say the same about using
diverse suppliers.

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

5. Paris

Source: Top Europe city destinations based on Aug. 2023
internal survey and sales of event services by Amex GBT

28

If faced with a 10% budget reduction, 24% of
respondents say the first area they would cut isthe number of nights, followed by off-site optional
activities (14%), and food and beverages (13%). If
given a 10% budget increase, 29% say they would
focus on improving the onsite experience while 17%
would increase the use of technology.

Sustainability and DE&I
Sixty percent of respondents say that sustainability
has been strongly adopted in their meeting
program; 62% say sustainability is very or extremely
important for their organization. Corporate net zero
goals have already been set by 37% of European
respondents; another 33% say their organizationplans to set them within the next 12 months.
Offering sustainable food and beverages,
minimizing disposables and waste, and prioritizing
certified sustainable suppliers are the mostcommon sustainability practices. Forty percent ofrespondents said budget was one of the biggest
challenges to incorporating sustainability into theirevents, followed by minimization of waste (38%),
identifying alternative options (35%), and postevent impact measurements/calculations (34%).
One-quarter of respondents said they lack the skills,
knowledge, and resources necessary to implement
sustainable practices.
The top three ways European organizations
incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I)
into their events are providing the option to attend
an event virtually, ensuring content topics orpresentations reflect DE&I principles, and choosing
diverse speakers or entertainment.

29

Regional Trends

Latin America – Key Indicators for 2024
1.

Overall meeting spend

Top 5 destinations

73% expect their meeting spend to increase,a significant increase from 63% in 2023
12%

Significantly increasing (11%+)42%

Increasing (6%-10%)19%

Slightly increasing (1%-5%)
Staying the same

8%

Slightly decreasing (1%-5%)7%

Decreasing (6%-10%)8%Significantly decreasing (11%+)2.

3%

Meetings by format

Virtual-only 20%

80% of meetings will have anin-person component in 2024

Latin America

Hybrid 22%

We created the Top 5
destinations list for eachregion by asking 131
American Express GBT
meetings professionals to
select their top meetingsand events destinations
based on the following
criteria: accessibility,
cost-effectiveness, safety
and security, local
attractions, distinctive
amenities, and commitment
to ESG (environmental,social, and governance)
principles. Their
recommendations werealigned with our clients’actual meeting data.
Two cities in Brazil are on
Latin America’s top
destinations list this year,
reflecting the return totravel in the region.

1. Mexico City
2. Rio de Janeiro
3. São Paulo
4. Cancun
5. Buenos Aires

In-person only 58%

Source: Top Latin America city destinations based on Aug. 2023 internal survey and sales of

Meeting professionals in Latin America are looking forward toevent services by Amex GBT Meetings & Events, Aug. 2022–July 2023.

a busy year, with growth expected in almost every category
surveyed. They have the highest levels of optimism of any
region about the health of the meetings and events industry:
86% said they would rank themselves as 8 or higher on a
1–10 scale. Twenty-nine percent say they are likely or very
likely to look for a new job in the next 12 months, but ofthat percentage, they are the least likely of all regions to be
retiring (0%) or changing industries (21%). Their primary
motivations for looking to change jobs are finding a company
more in line with their values (31%) and being unhappy with
their compensation (28%).
Latin Americans are the least likely to say their offices are
fully remote, at only 4%; 43% say their offices are fully open,
and 53% say they are partially open.

30

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

31

Activity

LocationsManagement

Sustainability and DE&I

Respondents in Latin America expect 58% of their
meetings and events in 2024 to be in person, withthe remaining split between virtual (20%) and hybrid(22%) formats. Internal team meetings, small andsimple meetings and client/customer advisoryboards will be the top three meeting types, andplanners expect to see increases in all meeting typesother than senior leadership/board meetings andconferences. Fifty-six percent say that economic
uncertainty is leading to more virtual events being
planned.

Latin American planners say ease of travel for
attendees is the top factor influencing location
selection, at 28%, followed by a location’s ability tohost hybrid events, safety and health protocols, andsustainability, all at 19%. Planners in the region are
the least likely to be influenced by client directives
based on past experience or to repeat a destination.

Strategic meeting programs in Latin America areless likely to have been implemented than in otherregions – 8% of respondents say they don’t have ameetings program strategy in place, while 16% saythey are beginning the process. However, for thethree-quarters of respondents who say they do havestrategic programs, 38% say their programs are
well-defined and are accepted across multiple areasof their organization, and 35% say they are further
optimizing their programs, aligning to businessobjectives, and integrating them into the corporate
culture.

Seventy percent of respondents in Latin America
say that sustainability has been strongly adopted
in their meeting program; 76% say sustainability isvery or extremely important for their organization.
Forty percent of respondents say their organization
has set corporate net zero goals; 43% say theirorganizations plan to in the next 12 months.

Almost one-quarter (24%) of respondents in Latin
America say their attendee numbers have returned
to 2019 levels; 52% expect to reach those numbers
in 2024. Cost and fewer events overall are the two
factors most likely to reduce attendee levels.
Planners in Latin America are the most likely to saythat lead times will increase in 2024: 29% say they
are getting longer, 20% say they are shortening, and
48% say they are staying the same.
The top three technologies that Latin American
respondents expect to use in 2024 are mobile apps(62%), QR codes (50%) and virtual reality (50%).
They are the most likely of all regions expected touse both virtual reality and holograms, both at 21%.

Respondents expect hotel room availability to staythe same in 2024 and 2025, while expecting to see
more meeting space availability than 2023 levels
in both years. Location availability is a concern foralmost half (48%) of respondents.
Internal meeting characteristics are expected to be
similar to the previous year: 48% will be held at a
hotel, 45% will require overnight accommodations
and include domestic air travel for attendees, and
44% will be held on corporate property.

Spend
Latin America has the highest predicted increaseof all regions in overall meeting spend, withrespondents expecting budgets to be up by 4.3%,
much higher than the 2.6% increase predicted in
2023. Respondents expect an increase of 5.6% ingroup hotel rates and 6.4% in group air rates.

Latin American meeting planners say the area
they are most focused on improving in their
meeting program is technology updates. Safety
and security is the component most likely to be
explicitly mentioned in an organization’s meeting
policy, at 54%, followed by use of meeting planningtechnology (52%), sustainability (51%) and virtualand hybrid meetings policies (50%). Thirty-five
percent say their meetings and events policy has
explicit language about using diverse suppliers.

Planners in Latin America say minimizing
disposables and prioritizing sustainably certified
suppliers are the two sustainable practices they
most commonly use. The biggest challenges they
face are identifying suppliers with sustainable
certification and minimizing waste by avoiding paper
and plastic usage.
Respondents in this region are most likely tofocus on accessibility, provide the option toattend virtually, and build in alternative formsof communication such as sign language andtranslation in order to improve the diversity, equity,and inclusion (DE&I) of their events.

If faced with a 10% budget reduction, 26% ofrespondents say the first area they would cut isthe number of nights, followed by off-site optional
activities (17%), and sustainability initiatives (13%).
Increasing technology would be their first priority if
their budgets increased by 10%, according to 24%
of respondents, while 22% say they would focus on
improving the onsite experience.
Respondents in Latin America expect small andsimple meetings to have the lowest cost perattendee of all meeting types, at $578 USD per day,per attendee (excluding air). Conferences with tradeshows are expected to have the highest cost perattendee, at $919 USD per day.

32

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

33

Regional Trends

Asia PacificMeeting professionals in Asia Pacific expect a steady increase in activity in 2024. They
are optimistic about the health of the meetings and events industry: 75% said they would
rank themselves 8 or higher on a scale of 1 to 10. However, 46% say they are likely or very
likely to look for a new job in the next 12 months – 32% say they would like to change
industries and 6% are planning to retire or take a sabbatical.
Sixty-one percent of respondents in Asia Pacific say their offices are fully open, while
37% say they're partially open, and 1% are fully remote.

Activity

Locations

The Asia Pacific region lags the other regions
when it comes to in-person meetings and events:
respondents say 42% will be in person, 29% will
be virtual and 29% will be hybrid in 2024. Internalteam meetings and small and simple meetings willbe the most common meeting types, and planners
expect to see increases in all meeting types otherthan incentive and small and simple meetings.
Economic uncertainty is affecting the region, with
64% expecting more virtual meetings and 60%
expecting to see changes in destinations or lodging
because of it.

The top factor – at 28% – that influences location
selection in the region is safety and health protocols,
followed by ease of travel for attendees (24%).
Respondents in Asia Pacific are the most likely tocite safety concerns related to economic or politicalinstability (18%) and perceptions around “resort”
destinations (18%) as factors.

Only 12% of respondents in Asia Pacific say theirattendee numbers have returned to 2019 levels, but
43% expect to reach them in 2024. Attendee safety
and health concerns are the top two reasons given,by a large margin, for reduced attendee numbers, at
70% and 67%, respectively, with cost, the third mostchosen factor, at 51%.
Lead times are expected to ease in Asia Pacificmore rapidly than in other regions. Sixty percent ofrespondents say they'll stay the same in 2024, while
27% say they're getting longer. Only 10% predictlead times will shorten.
Artificial intelligence is the top technology
respondents in the region expect to use in 2024,
at 57%, ahead of mobile apps (51%), virtual reality(49%) and onsite check-in tools (48%). At 40%,
Asia Pacific planners are more likely than planners
in other regions to say they will use wearable
technology in 2024.

34

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST©2023 Avis Rent A Car System, LLC

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

As in most other regions, Asia Pacific planners
expect the same level of room space in 2024 andmore in 2025. Conversely, they expect to see moremeeting space available in 2024, and the same in
2025. Location availability is a concern to 55%
of respondents.
Respondents said internal meetings will continue
to require travel and accommodations: 48% will beheld at a hotel, 46% will be in a different city thanthe corporate head office, 45% will require overnightaccommodations, and 44% will include domestic air
travel for attendees.

Spend
Overall meeting spend in Asia Pacific is expected
to increase by 4.3% in 2024, compared to 2.7% in
2023. Respondents expect an increase of 4.9% ingroup hotel rates and 6% in group air rates.
When asked what they would cut first if budgets
were reduced by 10%, respondents were split
between reducing the number of nights and the35(48%) and safety and security (45%). Thirty-one
percent say their meetings and events policy has
explicit language about sustainability, and 22% say
the same about using diverse suppliers.

Asia Pacific – Key indicators for 2024
1.

Overall meeting spend

2.

57% expect their meeting spend toincrease, down from 66% in 2023

71% of meetings
will have an in-personcomponent in 2024

12%

Significantly increasing (11%+)25%

Increasing (6%-10%)
Slightly increasing (1%-5%)28%

Staying the same

27%

Slightly decreasing (1%-5%)4%Decreasing (6%-10%)

3%Significantly decreasing (11%+)Top 5
destinations

Meetings by format

Virtualonly 29%

In-person
only 42%

Hybrid 29%

1. Singapore
2. Tokyo
3. Bangkok

0%

4. Sydney
5. Hong Kong

We created the Top 5
destinations list for eachregion by asking 131
American Express GBT
meetings professionals to
select their top meetingsand events destinations
based on the following
criteria: accessibility,
cost-effectiveness, safety
and security, local
attractions, distinctive
amenities, andcommitment to ESG(environmental, social,and governance)
principles. Their
recommendations werealigned with our clients’actual meeting data.
Singapore is back on topof the Asia Pacificdestinations list afterenduring several years of
Covid-related restrictions.

sales of event services by Amex GBT Meetings & Events, Aug. 2022–July 2023.

The predicted cost per attendee per day (allexcluding air) in Asia Pacific is the lowest for internalteam meetings, small and simple meetings, andproduct launches, each coming in at $647 USD.
Client/customer advisory boards are expected tohave the highest cost in the region, at $919 USD –also the highest cost per attendee per day for any
meeting type in any regions.

36

Sixty-seven percent of respondents in Asia Pacificsay that sustainability has been strongly adopted
in their meeting program; 74% say sustainability isvery or extremely important for their organization.
The region leads in organizations that have alreadyset corporate net zero goals, at 63%; 28% saytheir organizations plan to set them in the next 12months.
Planners in Asia Pacific say that minimizing
ground transportation emissions and minimizing
disposables are their two most common sustainable
practices. The biggest challenges they face areminimizing waste by avoiding paper and plastic
usage and identifying suppliers with sustainability
certification.
To improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I),
respondents in Asia Pacific say they are most likely
to provide the option to attend an event virtually,use diverse or minority-owned suppliers, and build
in alternative forms of communication such as sign
language and translations.

Source: Top Asia Pacific city destinations based on Aug. 2023 internal survey anduse of a destination management company, bothat 19%. Their priorities if budgets increased by
10% would be improving the onsite experience andincreasing the use of technology, both at 22%.

Sustainability and DE&I

Management
The importance of strategic meeting programs in
Asia Pacific appears to be well understood. Almost
half (49%) of respondents say their programs are
well-defined and accepted across multiple areasof their organization, and 34% say they are now
optimizing those programs, aligning to businessobjectives, and integrating them into the corporate
culture.
Asia Pacific meeting planners say the area they are
most focused on improving in their meeting programis technology updates, followed by simplifying thedata collection process. Virtual and hybrid meetings
policy is the component most likely to be explicitly
mentioned in an organization’s meeting policy, at
51%, followed by use of meeting planning technology

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

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37

Special Sections

SpecialSections

38

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39

Special Section 1

1. Cultivate strong partnerships
Planning meetings has evolved and become more
complex, but cultivating robust relationships withyour travel management companies, vendors andsuppliers will make life easier. The more you nurture
your relationships, the easier planning will be. Moveaway from the supplier or planner-client relationship
mentality and look at these relationships through a‘we're in this together’ lens.

7 actionableinsights toelevate yourmeetings
program

Work as a team with everyone involved to build
trust and confidence. Create safe spaces for yoursuppliers to share their creative ideas – no matter
how out of the box they might appear when you firsthear them. Listen and trust that they’re the experts
and empower them to make your meeting a success.
Manage expectations and establish acommunications cadence to make sure everyone ison the same page and following the same timelines.
The more you communicate and make yoursuppliers and vendors feel appreciated, the easier
the planning will be.

2. Keep it simple for attendees (and yourself)
People have adapted well to the self-serve and online
environment for booking personal travel and events.
As a result, they’re likely to want a similar experience
when organizing travel for meetings. Challengeyourself and your partners to incorporate consumertype experiences for your meeting stakeholders
by offering self booking and automated processes
wherever possible. Not only will they enjoy anexperience they’re used to, but it’ll also drive
efficiencies for you and your planning team.

adding any burden on them. These automatedprocesses will relieve stress and allow planners thespace to focus on the creative and strategic side of
their meetings and events.
And to really streamline the process, you could
consider partnering with a company who provides
both travel and meetings and event planning. Using
the same company will save you both time and effort
while also providing things like reporting, savings,
and a consistent travel experience.

Utilize travel booking tools that can track spend andkeep your attendees within travel policies without

Now that you’ve read the Forecast, you’reequipped with what the industry experts
predict for 2024. You also have visibility of
the key trends that will shape the ongoing
evolution of meetings and events.
It’s time to take action! So, to help you get
started, we’ve put together some helpful
takeaways that you can implement to kickstart your program’s evolution.

40

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41

3. Fully leverage technology and automation
Another key way to simplify processes andexperiences for your attendees and yourself is
to fully leverage technology. Although ideal techsolutions for registration and logistics aren’t fully inplace, there are still lots of ways you can make themost of existing solutions.
Use artificial intelligence (AI) to personalize
communications. Unlike templated, mass emails, AI
can adjust tone of voice, incorporate preferences set
during registration and connect to your attendees
on a personal level.
Tried and true mobile apps are a great way for yourattendees to interact with meetings and events,
as well as stay on top of agendas, sign up forworkshops, ask questions and much more! They also
allow attendees to stay in touch with each other postevent – making them an effective communication
channel when attendees are engaged. Lastly,

mobile apps are also a great tool for supporting yoursustainability goals, by reducing or even eliminating
the need for paper agendas and other disposable
print outs that contribute to event waste.
When meeting in person is not in the cards, virtual
meetings and events can be effective. While offeringa virtual attendance option can sometimes be aslippery slope for in-person attendance, it canincrease your attendee list if done correctly by
allowing those who normally wouldn’t be able to
make it to the site to attend remotely from the
comfort of their own home or office.
And if you really want to demonstrate a tech forward
approach, you can incorporate virtual reality (VR)and offer VR meetings that allow remote attendees
to connect in a 3D space, or you can use it to provide
life-like demos of products on site.

4. Make your meeting or event unmissable
Encouraging people to take time away from home
to attend your meetings and events can be tricky.
They need to know it’s going to be worth the tradeoff. So, make sure their time will be well spent by
understanding what they will value
such as high-quality content,
networking opportunities,
sales leads, andeducation. For
example, a sales rep
is likely to go toan event if theyknow they’regoing to meet
future clientsand build newconnections.
Equally, amarketer will
want to register
if they know
they’ll come awaywith new strategies
and creative ideas.
Understand what

42

appeals to your audience and implement it into
your meetings and events. Always remember tothoughtfully link the attendee experience to theobjectives of your meeting.
And it isn’t just the content that’s important –consider the wellbeing of your attendees with
sufficient breaks, self-care or mindfulness activities,
plenty of good food and beverage options, and evenconsider the design of the room – is it comfortable?
Will people feel at ease in the space? Always
consider your attendees’ needs for ADA compliance.

5. Prioritize sustainability
Sustainability is a top priority for most businesses
these days, and meetings and events often comeunder scrutiny. You can be a step ahead by
employing sustainable practices. And you don’t
need to worry about cost – going green can actuallysave money. For example, if you reduce food waste
by streamlining menus, you’ll be cutting costs, andif you decide against giving away free merchandise
because a lot of it is made from plastic, you’llagain, save money – win win! You can even choose
reasonably priced off-site locations that are walking
distance from the hotel.
And don’t forget the small meetings. Yes, large
sustainable events are a win for your company, butthey fall short if the rest of your smaller meetingsand events don’t quite make the sustainability grade.

6. Go big with strategy
And while we’re on the subject of small meetings– let’s talk strategy. As well as making sure they’resustainable, small and simple meetings need toinclude all the components big meetings do. Just
because they’re smaller, it doesn’t mean they
don’t need as much consideration. So, make sure
to include DE&I strategies, consider attendee

wellbeing, pack them full of worthy content andutilize helpful tech such as mobile apps or easy
registration. A smaller group doesn’t mean it can’t
inspire and engage as well as a big one can – in fact
the more intimate in size, the more likely you are toconnect with your attendees.

7. Educate and advocate for your profession
The role of the planner is extensive and complex,
so think about ways you can advocate for yourprofession. Can you provide an internal course
for colleagues? Could you offer external courses
for potential applicants? Can you write about theindustry? Blog about it or post on social media? The

more awareness there is around these roles, theeasier it is to onboard new people. And think about
ways you can shout about just how rewarding it is, toencourage a new generation of eager meetings andevents planners.

Adding a personal touch from the start withoutreach emails, through to post event, can also go
a long way to drive attendance and reiterate yourevent’s value.

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43

Special Section 2

Marketers prioritize events,budgets reflect thisEvent marketing
trends: Are you
ready to impress
your marketingstakeholder?

On average, 14% of a marketing budget goes
toward event marketing.
Event marketing is the second largest expenditure,
after online advertising (19%), with other areas suchas branding (13%), content marketing (12%), andoffline advertising (11%) following closely.

Marketers focus on threemain types of events

The primary target audience for their mostimportant event is the end consumer. This isfollowed by internal teams and business partners,
media and influencers, and channel partners.

stakeholders when you’re planning events?
Do you know what’s important to them? We
wanted to help meeting professionals, likeAre you including marketing earlyenough in your event planning cycle
to ensure they can make the most of
their event marketing budget?

Your marketing stakeholders are responsible formore than product launches – they also own someinternal team events.

The top 3 most effective types of events formarketers are product launches, internal teammeetings, and client/customer advisory boards.
Marketers say these are the events that are themost important for their organization’s brand andmarketing strategy.

How closely do you work with your marketing

The majority of marketers expect their budgets toincrease in 2024, and when there is extra money
marketers prioritize improving content delivery andincreasing the use of technology.

Do you talk to marketing about
the internal events you’re planningthat might be owned by otherstakeholders in your organization?
This could be a good way to open thelines of communication.

you, better understand event marketers
and their strategies, so we surveyed more

Marketers have strong
creative partners

than 300 marketers and conducted aninterview panel with marketing leaders. The

Almost half of marketers work with a marketing
agency for their events and more than two-thirds
use an event planning agency.

results made it clear that marketers place ahigh value on events and are invested intheir success.

The most important factor for marketers whenthey’re working with an event planning agency is theagency’s creative capabilities. Other importantconsiderations include price, the agency’s financial
and staffing strength, and their familiarity withtechnology.

Here are the key trends and insights into whatmatters to your marketing stakeholders, aswell as questions and tips to help you betteralign with them.

442024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

Meeting planners who work with marketers may
have access to agencies with extensive knowledge
and proven track records in planning and executing
unique experiential events.

Are you asking your marketing
partners about the agencies theywork with and asking to be involved?

45

Marketing channels
are evolving
Social media is the #1 most effective way toreach their target audience.
Digital advertising and email are the second andthird types of channels marketers say are the mosteffective. They expect to use social media and digitaladvertising more than ever in 2024 – multiple survey
respondents said they would be investing more of
their budgets in online marketing and away fromtraditional media.
Multiple interviewees told us that while they are still
allocating some of their budgets to email marketing,

Sustainability and DE&I arevery important to marketers
Marketers say their organizations use a varietyof options to incorporate diversity, equity, andinclusion (DE&I) into their events, including
selecting diverse speakers, providing options toattend virtually, and focusing on accessibility.
More than half say sustainability is very or
extremely important to their organization – budget
and minimizing waste are two of the top challenges
they face in implementing sustainable events.

they are finding it is less effective as people’s inboxes
are oversubscribed and most emails end up unread.
One marketer told us, “Influencer marketing willcontinue to grow in importance. We will focus
on identifying and collaborating with influential
individuals who align with our brand values, enabling
us to reach niche audiences and build authentic
connections.”

What does success look like?
The most important measurement marketers look
for to determine an event’s success is revenue orsales generation, followed by lead generation,
attendee satisfaction, and social media interest.
With the explosion of data that’s available tomarketers – everything from measuring click rates
on ads, to tracking time spent on web pages, tomeasuring how many attendees visit a booth – ithas become easier than it’s ever been to understandwhat works and what doesn’t. Events can bemeasured on a case-by-case basis for their returnon investment, and in an era of tight budgets, every
dollar counts.

Do you gather data from yourevents to determine which ones
are the most successful inmeeting corporate objectives?
Are you proactively sharing
the data and analysis with yourmarketing stakeholders?

Do you consider how your event
theme will translate to social
media? Does it poseany constraints?

The more meeting planners understand what their marketing
As organizations incorporate both sustainability
and DE&I goals into their corporate messaging,
event marketing has to make sure that language is
prominent in their outreach.

stakeholders value, and event marketing trends, the more
successful their meetings and events will be. Working together toensure objectives are aligned will result in meetings and events thatsatisfy the needs of both the attendees and the organization.

Can you provide specificexamples to your marketingstakeholders of how past events
you’ve planned have aligned withoverarching corporate goals?

“You show who
you are withyour events.”
Marketing professional

Technology is opening up new
methods of communication
Marketers are leveraging technologies to help with
their event marketing programs: mobile apps, QR
codes, and onsite check-in tools are the top 3
they expect to implement. In addition, virtual reality,
digital photo booths and AI are high on their lists for2024. They expect to use artificial intelligence (AI)to help personalize communications and tailor the
event experience for attendees. Marketers are also
excited about the possibility of using AI to create
targeted messaging for their audiences.

Technology is enabling the creation of effective,
high-quality content in multiple ways. In one
example, a respondent shared that “user-generated
content will play a more prominent role in ourmarketing strategy. We will encourage customers toshare their experiences and create content, which
will be leveraged to build trust and engage with ourtarget audience.”

Have you started using AI?
What other technology canyou explore to enhance yourexpertise, which your marketingstakeholders will value?

“Meetings are a
critical part ofcommunicating
what goals we
intend to achieve.”
Marketing professional“We are in a highly
competitive industry
and our consumers
have several options.
Keeping at the forefrontof our clients' minds isimportant, we can't afford
to be forgotten.”Marketing professional

46

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47

Data Tables

Data Tables

TrendsLevel of optimism

Percent of respondents

Meeting professionals are feeling very positive about their profession – more than two-thirds in every region
rated themselves an 8 or higher on a scale of 1 to 10.

Overall, what is your level of optimism regarding the health of the meeting and events industry in 2024?
This year’s data tables consist of global
responses to 36 of the most timely and relevant
survey questions.

Methodology
To develop this 2024 Global
Meetings and Events Forecast,a number of sources wereused, including proprietary
Amex GBT Meetings &Events (M&E) data sources,
licensed third party data andindustry information, as wellas interviews with industry
leaders. Information anddata were gathered from
actual and planned meetings
activity of M&E globally.
Proprietary surveys of meeting
professionals were conducted
to gather trends across North
America, Europe, Asia Pacific,
and Latin America. Interviews
with leading hotel and airline
suppliers were also used to
inform the findings in thisForecast. All currency amounts
presented throughout theForecast and data tables werecollected and are presented in
US dollars.

49

Trends54 Meetings
Activity
62 Meetings
Management
65

Air and Hotel

69 Sustainability
and DE&I

GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

1 – Very discouraged

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

2

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

3

1%

0%

1%

1%

1%

4

1%

0%

4%

1%

0%

5 – Neither discouraged nor optimistic

3%

2%

3%

2%

7%

6

4%

6%

2%

3%

1%

7

9%

7%

11%

6%

15%

8

28%

27%

35%

21%

24%

9

16%

16%

14%

19%

15%

10 – Very optimistic

38%

41%

30%

46%

36%

Turnover levels

Percent of respondents

Meeting professionals in North America are the least likely to consider looking for a new job in the next 12 months.

How likely are you to look for a new job in the next 12 months?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Very unlikely

21%

27%

21%

18%

9%

Unlikely

25%

29%

23%

26%

19%

Neither likely nor unlikely

24%

25%

26%

21%

21%

Likely

13%

7%

13%

15%

24%

Very likely

12%

9%

9%

14%

22%

Don’t know

4%

3%

6%

5%

4%

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

48

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49

Reasons for turnover

Percent of respondents

For respondents who said they were likely to look for a new job in 2024, finding an employer that shares their values
was the #1 reason in every region.

What is the primary reason for why you are looking to change jobs in the next year?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

I would like to change industries

25%

26%

22%

21%

32%

I am retiring or taking a sabbatical

4%

3%

6%

0%

6%

I am not happy with my compensation

18%

19%

19%

28%

6%

I am not happy with my workload

13%

16%

8%

14%

16%

I would like to work for a company morein line with my values

33%

29%

33%

31%

39%

Other: please specify

5%

3%

8%

7%

0%

Don’t know

2%

3%

3%

0%

0%

Office status

Lead times

Planning lead times are predicted to stay the same or shorten in 2024 for the majority of respondents.

Thinking back to previous years, which of the below best represents the current lead times for yourmeetings and events.
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Shortening

27%

30%

35%

20%

10%

Staying the same

45%

45%

36%

48%

60%

Getting longer

23%

21%

22%

29%

27%

Don’t know

4%

4%

6%

3%

1%

Not applicable

1%

1%

1%

0%

1%

Economic impacts

Which of the following best describes your office’s current status?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Fully open – staff expected to be in theoffice full time

44%

49%

31%

43%

61%

Partially open – hybrid set up for staff

44%

34%

54%

53%

37%

Closed – fully remote staff

9%

12%

13%

4%

1%

Other: please specify

3%

5%

2%

0%

0%

Percent of respondents

Almost two-thirds of respondents in Asia Pacific say that economic uncertainty will lead to an increase invirtual meetings.

In regard to the impact of economic uncertainty (e.g. inflation, changes to travel and meetings budget),have you seen any of the following?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Fewer attendants

25%

26%

21%

26%

27%

Change in destination / lodging

37%

34%

34%

34%

60%

More virtual meetings

44%

37%

36%

56%

64%

Fewer events in general

31%

27%

40%

24%

33%

Fewer sessions during events

20%

15%

15%

21%

45%

1%

1%

2%

1%

0%

13%

19%

15%

4%

0%

Percent of respondents

Only 9% of respondents globally say their offices are fully remote.

Percent of respondents

Other: please specify
None of the above

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

50

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51

Location selection factors

Percent of respondents

Ease of travel is the number one factor influencing location selection for all regions except Asia Pacific, where safety
protocols remain the top priority.

Select the TOP TWO FACTORS influencing 2024 MEETING LOCATION selection:
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Size of meeting space to accommodatesocial distancing

13%

13%

13%

18%

7%

Food and beverage protocol

7%

8%

6%

6%

4%

Safety concerns related to economic /political instability

13%

12%

10%

14%

18%

Currency / exchange rate

6%

7%

6%

6%

3%

Technology usage
More than half of respondents in every region say they will use mobile apps in 2024.

What technologies do you expect to use in your 2024 meetings and events?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Artificial intelligence

42%

42%

34%

46%

57%

Virtual reality

41%

40%

33%

50%

49%

Mobile apps

61%

65%

60%

62%

51%

Onsite check-in tools

47%

53%

45%

37%

48%

Wearable technology

30%

30%

26%

30%

40%

QR codes

47%

49%

46%

50%

42%

Digital photo booths

23%

25%

18%

26%

27%

Holograms

13%

8%

14%

21%

16%

Other: please specify

1%

2%

1%

0%

0%

Don’t know

4%

6%

6%

0%

0%

1%

1%

1%

2%

1%

Online reviews

7%

6%

7%

8%

9%

Perceptions around “resort” destination
for meetings

8%

7%

4%

8%

18%

Participation in company ororganization’s preferred supplier
program

16%

15%

18%

12%

18%

None of the above

Ease of travel and transportation tolocation for attendees

34%

35%

41%

28%

24%

Client directive based on pastexperience

Planning challenges

16%

17%

16%

14%

15%

Repeat destination for meeting

8%

8%

9%

6%

9%

Specific location type needed – airport,
near training facility, near customer
location, etc.

24%

28%

25%

16%

16%

Ability to host hybrid meetings (e.g.,
Wi-Fi bandwidth, skilled A/V staff)

17%

Safety and health protocols (social
distancing, guest temperature andsymptom screening)

16%

16%
12%

17%
14%

19%
19%

16%
28%

Sustainability

13%

11%

13%

19%

12%

Other: please specify

3%

3%

3%

4%

1%

Don’t know

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

None of the above

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

Percent of respondents

Percent of respondents

Financial considerations and location availability are expected to be among the top challenges for planners
in 2024.

What areas do you see as challenges for meeting planning in 2024?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Hotel staffing levels

29%

26%

31%

28%

33%

Flight availability

29%

32%

21%

29%

39%

Tracking carbon emissions

23%

19%

24%

20%

37%

Cost

53%

54%

59%

51%

37%

Budget cuts

44%

39%

55%

31%

51%

Approval / buy in from higher ups

24%

25%

25%

23%

19%

Location availability

43%

44%

33%

48%

55%

Other: please specify

1%

1%

1%

0%

0%

Don’t know

1%

1%

1%

1%

1%

Not applicable

2%

6%

0%

0%

0%

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

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Meetings activity

Meeting format

Attendee levels

Percent of respondents

In-person will be the most common format for meetings in 2024 in every region.

What percentage of your 2024 meetings and events will be:

North America leads in the return of in-person attendee numbers.

When do you expect in-person meeting or event attendee numbers to revert back to pre-pandemic levels?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Our attendee numbers already matchedor exceeded pre-pandemic levels

28%

35%

30%

24%

12%

In 2024

42%

42%

35%

52%

43%

Within 2 years

18%

15%

18%

15%

30%

Within 3-5 years

6%

5%

7%

5%

10%

Not expected to return to pre-pandemic
levels for the foreseeable future

4%

3%

8%

2%

1%

Other: please specify

0%

0%

0%

1%

1%

Don’t know

1%

1%

3%

0%

1%

Attendee level factors

Percent of respondents

Respondents whose attendee numbers have not fully rebounded are split on why – cost, health and safetyconcerns, and the number of events are all factors.

Why do you think your meeting and event attendee numbers have not yet reverted back to
pre-pandemic levels?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFICWe are hosting fewer events for people
to attend

34%

29%

33%

32%

49%

Cost

47%

42%

52%

44%

51%

Attendee health concerns

41%

44%

30%

30%

67%

Attendee safety concerns

40%

41%

32%

27%

70%

Other: please specify

6%

5%

10%

5%

2%

Don’t know

3%

2%

5%

3%

0%

Percent of respondents

GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

In-Person

59%

63%

63%

58%

42%

Virtual

21%

19%

19%

20%

29%

Hybrid (virtual attendees andin-person attendees)

20%

18%

18%

22%

29%

Number of meetings

Percent of respondents

Respondents globally expect small and simple meetings to the most common type of meeting in 2024.

Please indicate the number of meetings or events you expect your company to operate in 2024 including
in-person, virtual and hybrid formats, for each MEETING TYPE. Please use your best estimate.
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFICInternal Team Meeting or Training

25.66

23.72

28.85

26.09

23.11

Product Launch (Internal or External)

18.26

16.32

18.82

21.43

17.56

Conference with Trade Show / Exhibits

17.19

15.85

17.70

17.69

19.08

Conference without Trade Show /Exhibits

17.91

15.39

19.94

17.63

20.79

Senior Leadership Meeting / Board
Meeting

18.66

16.58

19.87

20.48

19.28

Client / Customer Advisory Board

19.95

17.71

20.89

23.44

19.25

Incentive / Special Event

17.60

16.11

17.83

18.48

19.94

Small / Simple meeting

25.73

22.62

31.06

25.65

22.48

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

54

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

55

Meeting types

Percent of respondents

Meeting types

Percent of respondents

Respondents expect to see more or the same of every type of meeting this year, compared to last year.

Respondents expect to see more or the same of every type of meeting this year, compared to last year.

Please indicate how the TYPES OF MEETINGS you are expecting to hold in 2024 (in-person, virtual andhybrid formats) are changing over 2023.

Please indicate how the TYPES OF MEETINGS you are expecting to hold in 2024 (in-person, virtual andhybrid formats) are changing over 2023.

GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFICInternal Team Meeting or Training

GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Incentive / Special Event

More

42%

44%

38%

47%

40%

More

38%

43%

33%

41%

31%

Less

11%

9%

12%

8%

19%

Less

13%

10%

10%

18%

22%

The Same

40%

42%

38%

41%

36%

The Same

38%

36%

42%

34%

39%

7%

6%

11%

4%

4%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

11%

12%

15%

7%

7%

Don't Know/Not Applicable
Product Launch(Internal or External)

Small / Simple meeting

More

37%

37%

31%

43%

42%

More

37%

42%

32%

43%

30

Less

12%

11%

11%

10%

18%

Less

16%

11%

16%

19%

25

The Same

39%

41%

39%

41%

30%

The Same

40%

41%

42%

36%

37

Don't Know/Not Applicable

12%

11%

18%

6%

10%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

7%

7%

10%

2%

7

More

35%

38%

26%

32%

51%

Less

14%

13%

13%

16%

16%

Internal meeting components

The Same

38%

39%

43%

38%

25%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

13%

10%

18%

14%

7%

Conference with Trade Show /Exhibits

Percent of respondents

More than half of internal meetings in North America and Europe will be held at a hotel.

What percentage of your internal meetings in 2024 will:

Conference without Trade Show /Exhibits

GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

More

30%

31%

25%

34%

36%

Be held on your corporate property

36%

35%

30%

44%

43%

Less

17%

12%

15%

17%

33%

46%

48%

46%

39%

46%

The Same

41%

49%

41%

37%

25%

Be held in a different city than yourcorporate officeDon't Know/Not Applicable

12%

8%

20%

12%

6%

Be held at a hotel

52%

56%

52%

48%

48%

Be held at a non-hotel venue

36%

34%

32%

39%

46%

Include overnight accommodations
for attendees

50%

56%

48%

45%

45%

Include domestic air travel for
attendees

43%

48%

33%

45%

44%

Include international air travel
for attendees

35%

35%

32%

35%

43%

Include social activities or networking

47%

50%

44%

46%

49%

Senior Leadership Meeting /Board Meeting
More

37%

44%

30%

35%

40%

Less

11%

6%

12%

15%

21%

The Same

41%

42%

43%

41%

34%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

11%

8%

15%

9%

4%

More

42%

45%

29%

54%

42%

Less

11%

9%

11%

9%

19%

The Same

37%

36%

44%

31%

31%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

10%

10%

17%

6%

7%

Client / Customer Advisory Board

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

56

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

57

Expected attendees

Percent of respondents

Expected attendees

Percent of respondents

Internal meetings are predicted to have the biggest increase in number of attendees in 2024.

Internal meetings are predicted to have the biggest increase in number of attendees in 2024.

Please indicate how you expect the average NUMBER OF EXPECTED ATTENDEES for in-person, virtual andhybrid formats, by meeting type, to change for 2024. Please use your best estimate.

Please indicate how you expect the average NUMBER OF EXPECTED ATTENDEES for in-person, virtual andhybrid formats, by meeting type, to change for 2024. Please use your best estimate.

GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFICInternal Team Meeting or Training

GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Incentive / Special Event

More

48%

54%

42%

48%

48%

More

40%

45%

34%

43%

36%

Less

7%

5%

7%

7%

13%

Less

15%

11%

17%

14%

19%

39%

37%

42%

42%

36%

The Same

36%

37%

36%

35%

33%

6%

4%

9%

3%

3%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

9%

7%

13%

8%

12%

The SameDon't Know/Not Applicable
Product Launch(Internal or External)

Small / Simple meeting

More

40%

41%

32%

52%

37%

More

40%

45%

38%

42%

27%

Less

15%

13%

17%

12%

19%

Less

14%

7%

14%

15%

31%

The Same

35%

35%

36%

32%

37%

The Same

39%

42%

35%

39%

36%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

10%

12%

15%

4%

5%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

7%

6%

12%

4%

6%

More

36%

40%

28%

39%

42%

Less

15%

13%

12%

17%

21%

The Same

38%

38%

43%

37%

30%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

11%

9%

17%

7%

7%

More

33%

33%

28%

31%

48%

Less

13%

10%

14%

15%

16%

The Same

43%

47%

42%

46%

27%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

11%

10%

16%

8%

8%

Conference with Trade Show /Exhibits

Conference without Trade Show /Exhibits

Senior Leadership Meeting /Board Meeting
More

39%

46%

29%

38%

45%

Less

10%

7%

9%

12%

19%

The Same

43%

40%

50%

45%

33%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

8%

7%

12%

5%

3%

Client / Customer
Advisory Board
More

42%

49%

30%

51%

39%

Less

11%

6%

14%

8%

21%

The Same

36%

36%

42%

32%

34%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

11%

9%

15%

9%

5%

Meeting spend

Percent of respondents

More than 70% of respondents in North America and Latin America and more than 50% of respondents in
Europe and Asia Pacific expect their spend to increase.

Please indicate whether OVERALL SPEND for MEETINGS & EVENTS within your organization is increasingor decreasing for 2024.
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Significantly Decreasing (-11%+)

3%

3%

5%

3%

0%

Decreasing (-6%-10%)

6%

5%

5%

8%

3%

Slightly Decreasing (-1%-5%)

9%

7%

13%

7%

4%

Staying the same

15%

12%

18%

8%

27%

Slightly Increasing (1%-5%)

25%

29%

24%

19%

28%

Increasing (6%-10%)

29%

30%

19%

42%

25%

Significantly Increasing (11%+)

13%

13%

14%

12%

12%

Slightly increasing / increasing /significantly increasing

67%

72%

57%

73%

65%

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

58

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

59Cost per attendee

Percent of respondents

Budget reductions

Percent of respondents

Small and simple meetings are expected to have the lowest cost per attendee per day in 2024.

Reducing the number of nights is the first area planners would cut if facing a budget reduction.

Please indicate the TOTAL COST PER ATTENDEE for each of the following in-person, virtual or hybrid
meeting types budgeted for 2024. Please use your best estimate, based on total meeting budget divided
by total planned attendees EXCLUDING air costs. Please include all non-air related costs, including virtualor hybrid events technology, food & beverage, room nights, ground transportation, activities, etc.

When you need to reduce your meeting budget, what area do you cut FIRST to still maintain theattendee experience?

GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFICInternal Team Meeting / Training$646.06$638.24$606.06$717.39$646.83

Product Launch (Internal / External)$646.06$638.24$606.06$717.39$646.83

Conference with Trade Show / Exhibits$830.19$833.33$800.42$918.60$757.94

Conference without Trade Show /Exhibits$769.05$785.03$762.82$785.29$717.21

Senior Leadership Meeting /Board Meeting$838.30$814.02$831.97$866.28$875.00

Client / Customer Advisory Board$747.67$725.00$683.33$755.75$919.35

Incentive / Special Event$864.77$871.88$875.98$870.88$814.52

Small / Simple Meetings$538.12$495.51$513.57$577.59$646.83

Budget reductions

Percent of respondents

Reducing the number of nights is the first area planners would cut if facing a budget reduction.

When you need to reduce your meeting budget, what area do you cut FIRST to still maintain theattendee experience?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFICRoom drops

5%

5%

6%

4%

1%

Food & beverage

10%

11%

13%

10%

1%

Onsite travel staff

5%

3%

8%

4%

6%

Off-site evening events

9%

10%

8%

6%

10%

Communication

3%

3%

1%

2%

4%

Use of Destination Management
Company (DMC)

9%

9%

4%

7%

19%

Ground transportation

3%

3%

3%

1%

3%

Off-site option activities

14%

14%

14%

17%

12%

Number of nights

22%

19%

24%

26%

19%

Onsite support

7%

5%

8%

8%

6%

GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Sustainability initiatives

10%

9%

7%

13%

15%

Other: please specify

1%

1%

1%

1%

0%

Don’t know

2%

2%

3%

0%

0%

None of the above

3%

5%

2%

0%

1%

Budget increases

Percent of respondents

Respondents favor improving the onsite experience and increasing technology use if budgets are increased.

If your overall meetings budget increased 10% in 2024, where would you MOST PREFER to use those
funds? Assume you are able to make any logistical changes you would like.
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Increase number of meetings

9%

8%

11%

7%

9%

Increase number of attendees
at meetings

13%

18%

6%

18%

6%

Increase number of days for meetings

8%

8%

9%

6%

7%

Improve onsite experience

25%

25%

29%

22%

22%

Improve content delivery

7%

7%

8%

8%

6%

Increase use of technology

19%

17%

17%

24%

22%

Look at more luxurious locations

7%

5%

8%

7%

7%

Increase sustainability components /CSR engagement activities

10%

9%

9%

6%

19%

Other: please specify

1%

2%

0%

0%

0%

Don’t know

2%

3%

3%

0%

0%

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

60

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

61

Meetings management

Program adoption

Program strategy

Percent of respondents

The majority of respondents say their meeting program strategy is well defined or optimized.

Respondents report strong adoption (at least 60%) of all meeting policy components.

How would you assess the level of ADOPTION of the following foundational blocks (or management
components) currently in place in your organization?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Centralized staff to support meeting
planning and execution

71%

72%

67%

74%

72%

Approval process for meetings

75%

78%

72%

73%

71%

Specific technology or software formanaging meetings

72%

77%

69%

69%

69%

Centralized contracting withpreferred vendors

71%

72%

70%

69%

69%

Inclusion of virtual and hybrid meetings

65%

63%

62%

69%

69%

Inclusion of small / simple meetings

66%

67%

64%

67%

64%

Sustainability

67%

70%

60%

70%

67%

Where do you currently see your meetings program in the strategic meetings management journey?

We don’t have a meetings program
strategy in place

GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

5%

4%

5%

8%

1%

We are beginners: we have someconsolidated strategies and basic
policies for overall meetings in place10%

We are being strategic: our policies
are well defined and accepted acrossmultiple areas

45%

7%

51%

10%

16%

41%

38%

13%

49%

We are now looking for optimization:
our holistic strategy is well defined,aligned to our business objectives andintegrated into our culture

35%

35%

34%

35%

34%

Don’t know

5%

4%

10%

3%

1%

Program improvements

Percent of respondents

Percent of respondents

Policy components

Percent of respondents

Safety and security is the component most respondents say their meeting policies have.

Which of the following components are explicitly included in your organization’s meetings andevents policy?

Respondents in every region say they most want to update their policies about technology.

GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Meetings ROI metrics

29%

34%

25%

27%

31%

Global expansion / standardization of
meetings and events program

37%

43%

36%

30%

31%

Use of third-party meeting planning
agencies

26%

31%

28%

15%

22%

48%

53%

54%

41%

27%

Which of the following areas of your meeting program, if any, are you most focused on improving?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFICTechnology updates

38%

42%

28%

49%

37%

Simplified data collection process

18%

16%

21%

14%

22%

Shortened approval process

8%

9%

9%

4%

7%

Enhanced stakeholder adoption

13%

14%

13%

7%

19%

Utilization of preferred suppliers

18%

14%

23%

20%

13%

Payment methods and processes
associated with meeting / events goods
and services

Other: please specify

1%

2%

1%

2%

0%

Use of meeting planning technology

52%

60%

45%

52%

48%

Don’t know

3%

4%

4%

3%

0%

Procurement of meetings / events
goods and services

42%

52%

38%

36%

30%

Social media acceptable use

33%

36%

32%

33%

30%

Use of preferred hotel / air /transportation suppliers

50%

53%

52%

49%

37%

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

622024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

63

Policy components

Percent of respondents

Safety and security is the component most respondents say their meeting policies have.

Air and hotel
Group rates

Which of the following components are explicitly included in your organization’s meetings andevents policy?

Percent of respondents

Both hotel and air rates are expected to increase by 5% in 2024.

GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFICApproval process

51%

58%

51%

49%

31%

Safety and security

57%

63%

56%

54%

45%

Health and wellness

42%

48%

36%

45%

33%

Use of Sharing Economy Suppliers(e.g. Airbnb, Uber, Lyft)

21%

23%

13%

24%

28%

Virtual and hybrid meetings specificpolicies

47%

51%

38%

50%

51%

Small / simple meetings

34%

37%

35%

33%

24%

Sustainability

49%

58%

45%

51%

31%

Utilization of diverse suppliers

34%

39%

33%

35%

22%

Other: please specify

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

Don’t know

2%

2%

3%

1%

1%

None of the above

0%

1%

0%

0%

0%

Are you finding AVERAGE GROUP RATES in your region to be increasing or decreasing for 2024.
Please use your best estimate.
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Average Group Rate for Hotels

5.61%

6.41%

4.95%

5.56%

4.93%

Average Group Rate for Air

5.53%

5.41%

4.86%

6.37%

6.03%

Group air online tool

Percent of respondents

More than half of group air will be booked using an online booking tool in 2024.

What percentage of your 2024 meetings that include GROUP AIR will be booked via an Online tool vs. an
Offline booking process?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIA PACIFIC

55%

57%

54%

54%

56%

Group air online booking

Group air bookings

Percent of respondents

Only 7% of respondents globally do not expect to use group air bookings for their meetings.

What percentage of your 2024 meetings will include GROUP AIR MANAGEMENT / BOOKING?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

0%

4%

4%

5%

2%

3%

1-25%

23%

22%

30%

22%

12%

26-50%

28%

24%

30%

28%

36%

51-75%

26%

23%

21%

30%

46%

76-100%

13%

18%

9%

17%

0%

Don’t know

3%

5%

3%

1%

0%

Not applicable

3%

4%

3%

0%

3%

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

642024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

65

Group air resources

Percent of respondents

Only one-third of respondents globally have an internal group air specialist.

Percent of respondents

The majority of respondents in every region except Asia Pacific work with the same TMC for booking businessand meeting travel.

When booking group air, please indicate which RESOURCES you use most frequently.
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Direct arrangements with airline

39%

42%

31%

39%

47%

Internal group air specialist

35%

33%

31%

36%

45%

Meetings management supplier

37%

39%

29%

32%

53%

Travel management company

51%

55%

45%

52%

53%

Online booking tool

51%

57%

41%

52%

49%

Other: please specify

1%

0%

4%

1%

0%

Not applicable

3%

5%

3%

0%

2%

Value of group air provider

Consolidated travel booking

Percent of respondents

Does your organization work with the same Travel Management Company for both managed businesstravel as well as Meetings & Events?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

We work with the same Travel
Management Company for bothmanaged travel and meetings andevents

55%

61%

55%

54%

39%

We work with two separate companies
for managed travel and meetings andevents

28%

26%

23%

32%

42%

We work with three or more companies
for managed travel and meetings andevents

8%

5%

6%

9%

15%

Other: please specify

2%

1%

3%

2%

0%

Don’t know

7%

6%

13%

3%

4%

Respondents say favorable rates and an online booking tool are what they value most from group air providers.

Room availability

What do you MOST VALUE from your group air provider?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Favorable group air rates

24%

25%

18%

33%

22%

Duty of care

7%

8%

9%

1%

9%

Manifest management – (e.g., flexible
on name changes)

13%

12%

8%

17%

19%

Crisis management – (e.g., managing
delegates during flight cancellation,
closure of air space, etc.)

18%

17%

19%

21%

15%

Mitigation of cancellation / change fees

6%

3%

9%

7%

Online booking tool

20%

21%

19%

Other: please specify

1%

1%

Don’t know3%

Not applicable

8%Percent of respondents

Room and meeting space is predicted to be tight again in 2024, easing somewhat in 2025.

What is your prediction for hotel room and meeting space availability in 2024 and 2025?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

More

32%

32%

28%

39%

33%

Less

44%

40%

45%

42%

54%

6%

The Same

20%

24%

21%

17%

10%

14%

25%

Don't Know

4%

4%

6%

2%

3%

1%

1%

0%

2025 room availability

5%

5%

1%

0%

More

40%

41%

31%

45%

51%

8%

12%

4%

3%

Less

35%

35%

38%

34%

31%

The Same

17%

18%

17%

18%

10%

Don't Know

8%

7%

14%

3%

7%

2024 room availability

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

66

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

67Room availability

Percent of respondents

Room and meeting space is predicted to be tight again in 2024, easing somewhat in 2025.

Incorporating DE&I

What is your prediction for hotel room and meeting space availability in 2024 and 2025?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPE

Sustainability and DE&I

LATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

2024 meeting space availability
More

36%

34%

29%

43%

46%

Less

41%

42%

40%

41%

40%

The Same

19%

21%

25%

14%

10%

Don't Know

4%

3%

7%

2%

3%

2025 meeting space availability
More

42%

44%

35%

48%

39%

Less

35%

30%

36%

35%

43%

The Same

15%

18%

14%

14%

12%

Don't Know

8%

7%

15%

3%

6%

Percent of respondents

Providing the option to attend an event virtually and choosing diverse speakers are the top two ways
respondents say they incorporate DE&I.

How does your organization or client actively strive to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion into its
meetings and events? Please select your organizations top 3 focus areas.
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Providing an option to attend themeeting or event virtually

40%

40%

43%

38%

37%

Focusing on accessibility (wheelchairfriendly venue and activities)

33%

32%

31%

40%

28%

Building in alternative forms ofcommunication (e.g., sign language,
sub-titles, translator, etc.)

32%

29%

30%

38%

34%

Using diverse / minority-owned
suppliers (hotel, F&B, DMC, groundtransportation, audiovisual (AV) /production)

31%

31%

28%

35%

36%

Choosing diverse / minority speakers,
emcees, or entertainment

37%

44%

35%

31%

34%

Within meeting or event content (topics
and presentations)

34%

36%

39%

27%

30%

Through a charitable giving element of
the meeting or event

21%

23%

21%

13%

27%

Including gender pronoun preferencesin meeting registration sites and virtual/physical name badges (e.g., she / her,
he / him / his, they / them etc.)

26%

26%

23%

28%

28%

Support accessibility needs(e.g. close captioning)

24%

20%

24%

30%

28%

Nursing / lactation rooms

11%

9%

11%

15%

7%

Prayer / multi-faith rooms

9%

6%

14%

6%

7%

My organization does not actively strive
to incorporate diversity, equity, andinclusion into its meetings and events

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

Other: please specify

2%

3%

1%

1%

1%

Don’t know

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

682024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

69Importance of sustainability

Percent of respondents

More than two-thirds of respondents globally say that sustainability is very or extremely important.

Percent of respondents

More than 90% of organizations in Asia Pacific expect to have a corporate net zero goal set within the next 12months.

When planning meetings and events, how important is sustainability for your organization?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Direct arrangements with airline

39%

42%

31%

39%

47%

Internal group air specialist

35%

33%

31%

36%

45%

Meetings management supplier

37%

39%

29%

32%

53%

Travel management company

51%

55%

45%

52%

53%

Online booking tool

51%

57%

41%

52%

49%

Other: please specify

1%

0%

4%

1%

0%

Not applicable

3%

5%

3%

0%

2%

Sustainability challenges

Net zero goals

Percent of respondents

Has your organization set a corporate net zero journey with defined sustainability goals? (i.e.: reduce 50%
emissions by 2030).
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Yes

44%

45%

37%

40%

63%

No, but planning to in the next
12 months

34%

32%

33%

43%

28%

No, and we have no implementation
plans

6%

8%

6%

3%

3%

Don’t know

16%

15%

24%

14%

6%

Reducing emissions

Percent of respondents

More than half of respondents globally are reducing their event emissions by reducing waste and prioritizing
recyclables.

Minimizing waste and identifying certified sustainable suppliers are the top two challenges respondents
face globally.

Has your organization implemented any of the following event emission reduction best practices?

What is the biggest challenge to implementing sustainability elements into your meetings andevents program?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Identifying locations with minimal
amounts of travel for attendees

28%

27%

27%

22%

40%

Identifying suppliers with a sustainable
certification or relevant sustainable
practices

39%

36%

35%

41%

54%

Sustainable food and beverage options

31%

33%

29%

33%

31%

Minimizing waste (e.g. avoid paper andplastic usage)

40%

36%

38%

39%

55%

Measuring the impact and post event
CO2 calculation

32%

29%

34%

30%

37%

Leadership buy in

14%

14%

16%

11%

12%

Meeting owners’ sustainable practices
adoption

28%

26%

24%

32%

39%

Budget

35%

35%

40%

35%

24%

Lack of resources, skills, and knowledge

23%

24%

24%

18%

27%

Other: please specify

0%

0%

1%

0%

0%

Don’t know

3%

5%

1%

3%

0%

My organization does not implement
sustainability elements to our meetingand events program

2%

2%

2%

0%

1%

GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Already implemented

39%

37%

38%

40%

46%

Plan to implement in the near future

38%

35%

36%

38%

51%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

23%

27%

26%

22%

3%

Already implemented

40%

40%

36%

40%

54%

Plan to implement in the near future

38%

36%

43%

37%

36%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

22%

24%

20%

23%

10%

Already implemented

45%

48%

42%

48%

40%

Plan to implement in the near future

38%

33%

40%

36%

52%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

17%

19%

19%

16%

7%

Air travel minimization (e.g.
destination choice with minimal
amount of travel)

Minimizing ground transportation
emissions

Prioritizing sustainably certified
suppliers

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

70

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

71Reducing emissions

Percent of respondents

More than half of respondents globally are reducing their event emissions by reducing waste and prioritizing
recyclables.

Has your organization implemented any of the following event emission reduction best practices?
GLOBALNORTH
AMERICAEUROPELATIN
AMERICAASIAPACIFIC

Already implemented

40%

45%

33%

38%

46%

Plan to implement in the near future

41%

34%

44%

47%

46%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

19%

22%

22%

15%

7%

Already implemented

47%

54%

48%

40%

37%

Plan to implement in the near future

36%

28%

33%

42%

55%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

17%

18%

19%

18%

7%

Already implemented

53%

54%

48%

59%

52%

Plan to implement in the near future

33%

29%

34%

31%

43%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

14%

17%

18%

10%

4%

Already implemented

44%

51%

35%

45%

45%

Plan to implement in the near future

35%

27%

39%

37%

46%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

21%

22%

27%

18%

9%

Already implemented

36%

34%

35%

39%

43%

Plan to implement in the near future

42%

37%

44%

40%

52%

Don't Know/Not Applicable

22%

29%

21%

21%

4%

Choosing venues with emission
reduction practices

Offering sustainable Food &Beverage (e.g. local, seasonal, more
plant based)

Minimizing disposables and prioritize
recycled materials and production

Waste management practices (e.g.
food donation)

Measuring the CO2 emissionsof events

MAKING MEETING AND EVENTPLANNING EASY
Whether you’re planning a convention, a sporting event or a destination wedding, our Meetingsand Events program features discounted fares, the flexibility to travel up to seven days prior to andafter the event, plus more valuable benefits. Available for groups of 10 or more traveling frommultiple points of origin to the same destination, we make planning your next event easy.
Stay up to date with our Meetings and Events product and services by subscribing to our quarterly
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For more information, please contact meetings.events@aircanada.ca

Bottom is
updated version

North American, European, Latin American, and Asian Pacific Surveys from Amex GBT Meetings & Events, 2023.

72

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST

2024 GLOBAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS FORECAST73

We know
meetings
Meetings are a part of life, but great meetings can change lives.
We know how to make meetings work for your company, yourattendees, and your brand. Whether virtual, hybrid or face to face, we
design experiences that matter. And we have the team, technology,
and supplier network to deliver them. We’ll help you make the most of
your meetings based on your goals, then help you measure and talkabout the value delivered whether for a single meeting or your fullmeetings portfolio.
Responsible for more than 1.6M room nights and 68,000 experiential
events, meetings, and incentives annually, we can assist you end-toend, or at any point in the meetings and events process. 1
amexglobalbusinesstravel.com/meetings-events/

1 Meetings Insights, Meetings & Events Reporting Platform. Figures are for full year 2022.
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