The good news: Meeting and event planners are feeling generally optimistic about 2025, with 41% expecting an increase in event bookings and 65% anticipating higher attendance. The bad news: Planners are also feeling dissatisfied with rising costs, which are straining budgets and affecting the quality of events. 

“The outlook for 2025 is optimistic, with more than 40% of meeting planners expecting bookings to increase and 65% anticipating higher attendance even as rising costs remain a significant challenge for planners,” said Michael Bennet, president of Cendyn. “Finding a balance between high costs and delivering an amazing customer experience will define winning venues in 2025.” 

These key insights and more can be found in the 2025 State of the Meetings Industry report, which explores what meeting planners and event managers expect in the year ahead and how they’re adapting to an evolving event landscape.  

“We have seen a rise in secondary markets as popular destinations, with 90% of planners considering them a cost-saving alternative,” said ConferenceDirect CMO Larry Hanson. “That being said, planners will prioritize venues capable of making a lasting impression. Respondents emphasized that there is little room for compromise regarding event quality and the pressure is on to deliver exceptional attendee experiences.” 

Released in February via a collaboration between global integrated hotel technology and services company Cendyn and full-service global meetings solution company ConferenceDirect, paired with Knowland by Cendyn data, the report offers insights to help event industry professionals understand what meeting planners and event managers expect and will prioritize in 2025.  

Context: In 2024, meetings and events evolved but in some unexpected ways. While smaller meetings dominated the landscape last year, 2025 is seeing a resurgence of medium and larger gatherings, demonstrating a robust comeback for larger events. Concurrently, planners have had to adapt quickly, with almost half of bookings made for events happening within the same year. However, a shift is happening as a growing number of organizations are lengthening their booking windows and scheduling their events several years in advance. 

Here are five key takeaways from the report: 

1. Medium- and large-sized meetings are creating a more balanced market. Medium-sized meetings with 100-250 attendees represented 35.8% of all bookings in the U.S., while large events with more than 500 attendees accounted for 32.4%. During 2024, 49.4% of bookings were made in the year for the year, however, booking windows are lengthening, with 9.5% of meetings booked 3-5 years in advance. This trend shows an equalizing shift between smaller and larger events, emphasizing the need for hoteliers to improve services and amenities tailored to a range of group sizes. 
2. Rising costs continue to be a major concern and top area of dissatisfaction. Planners are dissatisfied with rising costs, which they say has strained budgets and affected the quality of their events. Flexible and creative solutions and cost-cutting measures--such as shorter meetings, alternative destinations, and reduced activities or food and beverage options--must be managed effectively to avoid harming the attendee experience. 
3. 90% of planners are considering secondary markets as a cost-saving alternative. Secondary markets are becoming more favorable, with companies considering changing destinations and venues to manage meeting costs and maintain the quality and/or status of their events. This shift presents opportunities for secondary and tertiary markets to attract new business by offering quality products, services, and attractive pricing alternatives compared with the top 25 market destinations. However, despite cost concerns, planners say they are not willing to compromise on event quality and attendee experience. 
4. AV support and F&B are preferred RFP add-ons despite rising prices. Planners are seeking proposals that clearly define technological capabilities and catering options despite upward pricing trends. Planners expect F&B, A/V, and event technology to experience the highest price increases this year. More than half of planners (60%) report advanced AV support as a top priority, with 33% indicating that technology-enabled events are top-of-mind. More than 53% of respondents prefer that catering in RFP responses emphasize functionality and hospitality. 
5. Planners remained focused on environmentally friendly practices. Planners are prioritizing waste reduction and recycling (37%) and sustainable F&B options (34%) as the most important sustainability requirements for their events. To meet these expectations, event venues should focus on robust waste management and offering environmentally friendly catering options. Highlighting these practices during the discovery phase can help venues stand out and provide valuable guidance for groups that are new to sustainability.  

Download the 2025 State of the Meetings Industry here.  

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