IBTM Trends Report 2025 Highlights a Confident and Evolving Global Events Industry

The eagerly anticipated IBTM Trends Report 2025, unveiled during the flagship IBTM World event in Barcelona, presents a portrait of an industry that continues to expand and demonstrate resilience, even amid global challenges.

Drawing on insights from over 140 data sources, the report analyses the principal forces influencing the worldwide meetings and events sector. It identifies strong industry optimism, supported by factors such as the value of events as a counterweight to digital saturation, the increasing use of analytics and ROI measurement, and a heightened emphasis on strategic thinking and creative development.

The report also considers how the sector can secure long-term stability, spotlighting global demographic evolution as a significant opportunity. Currently, more than 1.1 billion of the planet’s eight billion inhabitants are aged 60 or above, a number projected to climb to 1.4 billion by 2030 and 2.1 billion by 2050. It suggests that the industry can capitalise on this transition and that an inclusive strategy for engaging this demographic of delegates may set a standard for the years ahead.

Additionally, the report points to the industry’s strengthening performance as a magnet for growing financial interest. With increased startup activity, investment flows, and mergers and acquisitions, capital markets are beginning to regard events as a secure and attractive prospect. Reflecting this shift, the report debuts a new section, Ignite, dedicated to exploring financial dynamics within the meetings and events landscape—an innovation that will be mirrored at IBTM Ignite on the show floor.

The annual report is authored by Alistair Turner, Managing Director of Eight PR & Marketing. Alistair noted: “This is one of the most dynamic and positive reports of the last five years, as we explore why events and experience continue to grow as an industry. However, it is also our responsibility to safeguard that growth, and the report delivers some fascinating conclusions on where the future of the industry could lie, and how event organisers can take advantage of this.”

Beyond its examination of growth pathways and demographic change, the report will also investigate wider behavioural trends unfolding worldwide. These themes include culture and brands, AI, transformationalism and personalisation, imagination poverty, sustainability, and DE&I.

Lucy Dyer, Conference Content Manager, IBTM World, said: “Our annual trends report is an invaluable barometer for measuring the state of the industry, as well as an in-depth analysis of the challenges and opportunities ahead. An essential resource for our community, this year’s report paints an encouraging picture of industry resilience, while also offering several compelling strategies for future-proofing. We trust the insights within the report will empower readers to drive progress and strengthen the industry locally, regionally, and globally.”

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