Economic Upheaval and Uncertainty Challenges Everyone in the Meetings Industry

Rising costs, declining membership, and growing stakeholder expectations are putting unprecedented pressure on associations and non-profits. In this opinion piece, Mark Levin explores the sector’s most urgent challenges and outlines practical ways organisations can adapt, stay relevant, and build lasting resilience.

Change is always a two-edged sword for associations and not-for-profit entities. On the one hand, change always provides opportunities for the leadership of these organisations to create new values for their members, customers, and stakeholders. Change also challenges us to open our minds to new methodologies, recent technologies, and new communications tools that can move our organisations to a higher level of performance.

On the other hand, because of the unique volunteer leadership structure of associations, change almost always means resistance to reorganising and abandoning traditions. Plus, change always means spending more money.

In 2025, perhaps as never before, organisations worldwide are faced with economic and sustainability challenges that will test their ability to not only deal with changes but, indeed, their ability to survive.

Here are some of those most critical challenges, and some suggestions for dealing with them.
 

1. Membership and dues revenue are declining

This has been an ongoing trend as things such as time constraints, social media options, and competing organisations have given potential (and current) members many alternative options for participation. In some countries, people in many industries and professions are facing uncertain employment futures, so they are reluctant to make an investment of money (and time) in their trade or professional organisation. Since members and membership dues are a vital part of most organisations’ financial well-being, this is a huge problem.

How to deal with it:

a. Re-evaluate your non-dues income streams – Are some of them undervalued? Can technology provide new services which can generate income?

b. Look at your dues structure – When was the last time it was adjusted? Can you justify a dues increase (through enhanced value, not just needing more income)?

c. Reach out to your corporate and institutional stakeholders – Create opportunities for partnerships and sponsorships.
 

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2. The cost of everything is going up – fast!

There is no need to go into any detail here (it will only get me in trouble with my hospitality services partners). However, I cannot resist mentioning a few: transportation, salaries and benefits, cyber security, and other technology must-haves, meeting room and sleeping rates, meeting food prices, audio-visual charges, ‘resort fees,’ etc. I know some of these costs are passed on to attendees and service users, but we have to think about pricing ourselves out of some of the important non-dues sources of revenue.

How to deal with it:

a. Offer more engagement opportunities online – Learn how to structure these events to provide as much relationship building as possible (not just meet-up or networking);

b. Negotiate from more strength by packaging multiple activities with a/v providers, transportation companies, hotel chains, exhibition management companies, etc.;

c. Again, reach out to your sponsors, donors, etc., and try to establish long-term giving or sponsorship agreement.
 

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3. Stakeholder expectations will keep going up too

Associations and nonprofits do not always have the luxury of telling their members, sponsors, clients, and donors: “We have to raise our prices (dues, fees, etc.) because everyone else is doing it. You understand, don’t you?”

No, not all of them will understand. Not all of them will be getting pay raises. Not all of them will have increases in their travel or meeting budgets. Not all of them work for companies or institutions which have unlimited funds to support their membership in your group or to stay at your facility.

Yes, they are probably willing to pay more, but we have to be able to explain to them either what extra value they are getting for the extra fees, or what products, programmes, or services will be improved through those raised fees. “Everyone is raising prices” does not answer those questions.

How to deal with it:

a. Get to better understand your members’/clients’ expectations – When everyone lives in a world where each call or click on a smart phone allows the caller to know your name, contact information, buying preferences, income bracket, and probably the names of all your children, they expect their association or destination to have that information, too. Update your data gathering capabilities and customise each member or customer experience, just as Google or Amazon does. Of course, you do not have the resources those companies have but gather enough information (within the guidelines of privacy laws) to let members feel that you know who they are!

b. Trust is a big deal – Spend time building it with your stakeholders. Since our stakeholders have an ever-growing list of alternatives for membership and participation, you need to make your organisation stand out. One way to do that is by building trust with them. Remember, all things being equal, people want to do business with people (or organisations) they know and trust. They can get to know you from your website or a virtual education programme. They will get to trust you if you create above-expectation experiences for them. That means everything from your meetings to your communications to the way you handle their concerns.

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Managing economic challenges is not always about just being within budget or dealing with rising prices. Sometimes it is about creating a basis for long-term support for your organisation, from all of your stakeholders. Be flexible, be understanding, be trust-worthy, and those stakeholders will be your partners through it all.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mark Levin, CAE, CSP has more than 20 years of experience as an association executive and is also an internationally-known speaker and consultant to the non-profit and association community. He currently serves as Executive Vice President of the Chain Link Fence Manufacturers Institute, an international trade association, and as President of B.A.I., Inc., his speaking and consulting firm.
 

Published by Meeting Media Company, the publisher of Headquarters Magazine (HQ) – a leading international publication based in Brussels, serving the global MICE industry and association community.