IBTM World Report Puts ‘Regeneration’ at the heart of a €5.54 trillion Brain Economy

© both photos: IBTM World

The value of the human brain is set to become one of the defining forces in business events, according to a first look at the IBTM World Trends Report 2027, which points to an emerging Brain Economy worth an estimated €5.54 trillion.

The IBTM World Trends Report 2027 argues that human cognition, meaningful relationships and the ability to rethink established narratives will become increasingly valuable as artificial intelligence reshapes the business events industry.

The business events industry must look beyond personalisation and transformation towards a new era of ‘Regeneration’, according to the first findings of the IBTM World Trends Report 2027. The report identifies an emerging Brain Economy, estimated to be worth $6.2 trillion, and examines how the growing value of human cognition could reshape the purpose and impact of professional gatherings.

Written by Alistair Turner, Managing Director of Eight PR & Marketing, with input from Megan Henshall of Google XI, the report explores how the industry can respond to technological disruption by placing greater emphasis on the qualities that make human interaction distinctive: imagination, learning, trust and connection.

The full findings will be presented at IBTM World in Barcelona on 17 November, offering delegates an opportunity to examine the implications for event design, destination strategy and the wider Experiences Economy.

Beyond networking towards meaningful connection

As artificial intelligence takes over an increasing share of tasks traditionally performed by people, the report suggests that human capacity for thought, creativity and learning will become more valuable. This raises questions about the environments the industry creates and the outcomes it seeks to deliver.

The report also challenges the way networking is traditionally used to measure an event’s success. Against a backdrop of hybrid working and rising loneliness, it argues that friendship and more meaningful relationships deserve greater consideration when assessing the value of bringing people together in person.

AI remains a central theme, but the report looks beyond the immediate applications of technology in event planning and delivery. It considers how automation may increase the value of physical gatherings, where people can exchange ideas, develop trust and establish connections that are harder to replicate digitally.

Alistair Turner said: “In essence, the Trends Report seeks to understand how we, as an industry, Meet the Moment in this age of disruption. This year’s answer is optimistic, exciting and revolutionary. The industry now has the growth, stability and confidence to move beyond evolution, rethink established ideas and reinvent and regenerate itself. Across the research, from regions and industry sectors around the world to conversations with leading voices in events, there is a clear ambition to turn that confidence into meaningful change, shaping both what business events can achieve and how they contribute to the world.”

For Megan Henshall of Google XI, this process also requires organisations to reconsider the narratives through which they understand and present themselves.

“So many of the stories organisations tell about themselves were written for a world that no longer exists. Events are one of the few places where people can come together and start writing new ones. My message to the industry is that it’s time to pick the pen back up,” she said.
 

Rethinking destinations and future demand

The report also examines how geopolitical and economic changes, alongside an evolving workforce, could influence the origins and patterns of demand for meetings in the years ahead. For destinations, it proposes a fresh approach to differentiation, looking beyond established city and national narratives to identify what makes a place distinctive.

IBTM World Show Director Claudia Hall said the findings offer grounds for optimism amid ongoing disruption, particularly as technology changes the way professionals work.

“Nobody in our industry needs telling that this is a period of disruption. What struck me about this year’s report is how much reason it gives us for optimism. As artificial intelligence changes how we work, the human qualities that events enable (creativity, learning, trust and meaningful connection) will become more valuable, not less. The report challenges us to think differently about the environments we create and how we measure their impact. I am looking forward to beginning that conversation with the global industry in Barcelona.”

IBTM World expects more than 2,500 destinations, hotels, venues, event technology suppliers and event start-ups to attend this year’s edition, alongside more than 12,000 event professionals from around the world. The three-day programme will feature scheduled appointments, product discovery, practical learning and networking.
 

The full IBTM World Trends Report 2027 will be presented in Barcelona on 17 November. Further information is available at ibtmworld.com.
 

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.