Meeting Industry Statistics: Market Report & Data

Last Edited: April 26, 2024

Highlights: The Most Important Statistics

  • According to Cvent Survey, 65% of meeting professionals highlighted budget challenges as their top obstacle in 2020, up by 31% from the previous year due to COVID-19.
  • According to Skift, by the end of 2019, there were over 1.5 million meetings and events held in the United States.
  • A study by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) shows that over 12,000 regularly occurring association events rotate between at least three countries.
  • In 2020, the Meeting Professionals International (MPI) reported that 87% of its members had canceled events due to COVID-19.
  • According to a report on Soegjobs, meetings and events industry in the United States supports nearly 5.9 million jobs.
  • Marriott's research indicates that its total group business bookings for 2022 are only down 6.3% compared to pre-pandemic levels of 2019.
  • In the US, according to Northstar Meeting Group's "Pulse Survey," 84% of respondents expect to attend a live event in 2021.
  • Allied Market Research highlights that the global meetings and events market is expected to reach $1,439.3 billion by 2027.
  • According to EventMB, 72% of planners used a virtual event platform for online events in 2020.
  • Oxford Economics and Events Industry Council found that for every $1 spent on business travel, businesses benefit from an average of $12.50 in increased revenue.
  • Evenium reports that 82% of corporate event organizers use event tech to drive attendee engagement during their events.
  • In 2020, 73% of event professionals organized more than six virtual events.
  • According to Prevue Meetings, an estimated 30,000 associations host meetings each year.

Welcome to our latest blog post delving into the intriguing world of meeting industry statistics. In this dynamic era, understanding the nuances of this industry is more crucial than ever. With a labyrinth of forums including face-to-face meetings, web conferences, virtual meetings, and the burgeoning realm of hybrid events, the meeting industry has evolved into a multi-faceted sector. This blog post will serve as your guide, taking you behind the scenes, uncovering insightful statistics, identifying trends, and revealing the driving forces behind this dynamic industry. If you’re an event professional, business owner, or just enthusiastic about statistics, fasten your seat belts – we’re about to embark on an exciting journey through the mesmerizing world of meeting industry statistics.

The Latest Meeting Industry Statistics Unveiled

According to Cvent Survey, 65% of meeting professionals highlighted budget challenges as their top obstacle in 2020, up by 31% from the previous year due to COVID-19.

Painting a vibrant picture of the turbulence faced in the meeting industry, the Cvent Survey unravels a riveting saga. It reveals that a staggering 65% of meeting professionals earmarked budget challenges as their colossal hurdle in the year 2020. This figure remarkably surged by 31% from the preceding year, a twisted fallout from the global health situation triggered by COVID-19.

In weaving together a narrative for a blog post about Meeting Industry Statistics, this finding stands tall as a lighthouse in the storm. It not only echoes the economic and logistic hardships the industry grapples with amidst a global crisis, but also underscores the resilience in meeting professionals to highlight problems, implying a drive to create solutions.

Remember as you delve into the statistics that they are not mere numbers; they vibrate with stories of challenges and triumphs. They offer insight, provide illumination and serve as navigational beacons in the ever-evolving landscape of the Meeting Industry. This particular statistic crystallizes the fact that when the industry faces adversity, professionals don’t shy away. Despite the stone in the shoe of budget constraints, they continue their stride, with eyes wide open to the challenges that lay ahead.

According to Skift, by the end of 2019, there were over 1.5 million meetings and events held in the United States.

The luminous tapestry of over 1.5 million meetings and events, as reported by Skift at the close of 2019, paints a compelling picture of a vibrant, unstoppable industry in the United States. This monumental figure serves as a testament to the relentless pace of the meeting industry—the cogs in the corporate machinery that keep businesses across every sector running at full steam. Every huddle, seminar, conference, and convention captured in this staggering statistic is a pin on the map of the industry’s expanse and influence. It not only validates the significance of the meeting industry but also provides a barometer for gauging its continuous growth potential. A blog post about meeting industry statistics without acknowledging such an impactful figure is like exploring a city without a roadmap. It is essential in understanding the sheer volume that not only fills the business calendars but also keeps the wheels of economies across industries turning.

A study by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) shows that over 12,000 regularly occurring association events rotate between at least three countries.

Comprehending the magnitude of the Meeting Industry becomes effortless with global studies such as the one conducted by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). The profound revelation that over 12,000 routine association events revolve between at least three countries undeniably underscores the internationalization of the sector. This statistic provides an illuminating perspective on the fluid, dynamic nature of the industry, marking its capacity to transcend geographical limitations effectively. Furthermore, injects a sense of the sector’s versatility, underlining its growing influence and ability to connect ideas, organizations, and nations. Spanning across borders, these events showcase the industry’s global appeal, while also reflecting on the potential economic impact generated beyond domestic confines. For the discerning reader, this serves as a testament to the power of the Meetings Industry in facilitating the exchange of knowledge at an international level.

In 2020, the Meeting Professionals International (MPI) reported that 87% of its members had canceled events due to COVID-19.

The narrative of the Meeting Industry Statistics blog post is brought strikingly into context with numbers from 2020 – when MPI revealed that a staggering 87% of its membership was compelled to cancel their events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This figure serves as a stark indicator of the sweeping effects the pandemic has had on the meetings and events industry. As a thermometer measuring the boiling impact of the crisis, this figure demonstrates that the industry facet is far from being impervious to widespread disruptions, dramatically coloring the discourse of meeting industry statistics with a vivid hue of adaptability and resilience required in the face of adversity.

According to a report on Soegjobs, meetings and events industry in the United States supports nearly 5.9 million jobs.

Illuminating the significance of this statistic, we plunge into the remarkable contribution that meetings and events industry in the United States makes to employment. Nearly 5.9 million people draw their livelihoods from this active sector. The figure underlines not just the industry’s robustness, but also its crucial role as a prominent job creator. Meticulously examining this statistic in a blog post about Meeting Industry Statistics would provide readers a profound understanding of the scale on which this industry impacts U.S. employment, and consequently, its overall economic health.

Marriott’s research indicates that its total group business bookings for 2022 are only down 6.3% compared to pre-pandemic levels of 2019.

The heart of this fact beats to a captivating rhythm for all readers interested in Meeting Industry Statistics, especially stakeholders in the hospitality sector. When we immerse ourselves in the magnetic pull of the numbers, Marriott’s research reveals an impressive resilience, with its total group business bookings for 2022 just dipping a mere 6.3% compared to the bustling pre-pandemic days of 2019.

As we find ourselves navigating the post-pandemic world, this statistic casts a beacon of hope for the recovery narrative of the meeting industry. It provides a tangible perspective on the rapid pace of rebound within this sphere, underlining how a giant of the industry, Marriott, is near-shouldering the numerical levels of yesteryears. Not just this, it drops an optimistic hint on future trends and serves as a motivating factor for smaller players, legitimizing their struggles and placing them on a hopeful mosaic of industry resilience. Thus, rolling through the blog post, this gem of a fact splits wide the curtains for a thrilling exploration of the article’s statistical landscape.

In the US, according to Northstar Meeting Group’s “Pulse Survey,” 84% of respondents expect to attend a live event in 2021.

The relevance and impact of the statistic from Northstar Meeting Group’s “Pulse Survey,” showing that 84% of respondents look forward to attending a live event in 2021, is undeniable when it comes to assessing Meeting Industry Statistics. It’s akin to a ray of light cutting through the fog, illuminating the future landscape of the meeting industry. This data point offers a promising glimpse into the recovery resilience of the events sector, insinuating the pent-up demand for face-to-face interaction. Furthermore, such a robust expectancy rate showcases the innate human desire to connect, inspire, and collaborate in real-time. This ultimately brands the Meeting Industry as an indispensable piece in the economy and society’s grand jigsaw puzzle, ready to make a much-anticipated comeback post the calamitous pandemic era.

Allied Market Research highlights that the global meetings and events market is expected to reach $1,439.3 billion by 2027.

Unfolding the narrative of the meteoric growth of the global meetings and events market, Allied Market Research boldly predicts a financial apex worth $1,439.3 billion by 2027. This colossal figure isn’t just a number – it serves as a beacon indicating the immense potential that lies ahead for this sector. In the context of a blog post dedicated to Meeting Industry Statistics, this projection serves as both a capstone and a sign post, demonstrating the financial power this sector currently wields and the trajectory it’s expected to follow. It emphatically underscores the value and influence that the meeting industry commands in the global economic landscape. Realizing the magnitude of this figure can inspire business strategies, drive innovation and reshape the perception of the meetings industry – shifting its image from mere logistics to a robust economic powerhouse. This isn’t just data, it’s a revelation of possibilities for the meetings and events industry.

According to EventMB, 72% of planners used a virtual event platform for online events in 2020.

Recognizing that a whopping 72% of planners opted for a virtual event platform in 2020, as reported by EventMB, serves as a mirror, reflecting the seismic shift in the approach of the meeting industry in the face of global adversities. It underlines the industry’s resilience and adaptability to quickly pivot to online avenues, ensuring continuity and growth against the odds. This eye-opening statistic, therefore, paints a vivid picture of the current digital landscape of the meeting industry, orchid it a cornerstone in understanding the emergent trends and projecting the future course. It also subtly nudges potential stakeholders, reminding them of the increasing significance of online capabilities in this sector.

Oxford Economics and Events Industry Council found that for every $1 spent on business travel, businesses benefit from an average of $12.50 in increased revenue.

In the sphere of meeting industry statistics, this fascinating nugget of insight from Oxford Economics and Events Industry Council displays a glittering potential return on investment. It compellingly illustrates how each dollar poured into business travel can yield an average revenue increase of $12.50. Essentially, this statistic transforms business travel from a dreaded expense into a strategic investment, studded with financial benefits. Imagine the implications. A mere $1,000 invested into business travel has the potential to swell into a staggering $12,500 revenue increase. This revelation not only underscores the undeniably powerful impact of face-to-face meetings on business performance, but also serves as a clarion call for organizations to re-examine their spending on business travel, recognizing it as not just a necessary cost, but a catalyst for economic growth.

Evenium reports that 82% of corporate event organizers use event tech to drive attendee engagement during their events.

Painting the landscape of the Meeting Industry with numbers, this statistic breathes life into the surge of tech-driven changes catering to attendee engagement. Unveiling an impressive 82% reliance on event tech by corporate event organizers, as revealed by Evenium, this measure amplifies the tech-centric pivot within this industry. A testament to the shifting sands, it presents a quantified perspective of the digital transformation sweeping over the meeting and events industry – a key insight that would enrich any blog post on Meeting Industry Statistics. It provides bloggers, readers and industry professionals with a hard-hitting reality check – to stay relevant, harnessing event technology is no longer optional, it’s virtually indispensable.

In 2020, 73% of event professionals organized more than six virtual events.

Undeniably, the global pandemic of 2020 served as a catalyst, amplifying the digital transformation within the meeting industry. In fact, an impressive 73% of event professionals coordinated over six virtual events during this year. This figure acts as a testament to the industry’s resilience, adaptability and innovation amidst unprecedented challenges. Their prowess at swiftly pivoting events to online platforms illustrates an efficient harnessing of technology, offering potentially huge cost savings and higher accessibility. This statistic emerges as a milestone, potentially signaling a paradigm shift in the meeting industry dynamics and underscoring the growing importance and feasibility of virtual platforms in the age of social distancing.

According to Prevue Meetings, an estimated 30,000 associations host meetings each year.

In the vibrant landscape of the Meeting Industry, the statistic that an estimated 30,000 associations host meetings annually, as revealed by Prevue Meetings, adds a stirring note of significance. This figure highlights the vast scale on which associations are relying on meetings ─ be it for strategic alignments, brainstorming sessions, decision making, or training. In the sprawling dynamic of meeting industry statistics, this stirs up a concrete image of bustling boardrooms and conference halls across the country. In essence, it sends out a strong statement about the indispensable role meetings play in promoting collaboration, fostering dialogue and steering growth in a multitude of associations.

Conclusion

In essence, the Meeting Industry constitutes a crucial aspect of the global economy, influencing numerous sectors and providing millions of jobs. Its continuously evolving landscape also sheds light on broader business and societal trends. The gathered statistics emphasize the industry’s significant economic impact and its importance in facilitating business interaction, education, and professional development. However, as digital platforms become increasingly ubiquitous, the industry needs to adapt and innovate to maintain its relevance. Future success in this industry will likely hinge on integrating technology and cultivating more personalized, engaging, and sustainable meeting experiences.

References

0. – https://www.insights.eventscouncil.org

1. – https://www.www.prevuemeetings.com

2. – https://www.www.northstarmeetingsgroup.com

3. – https://www.www.cvent.com

4. – https://www.www.iccaworld.org

5. – https://www.www.alliedmarketresearch.com

6. – https://www.specialevents.com

7. – https://www.evenium.com

8. – https://www.www.eventmanagerblog.com

9. – https://www.www.aventri.com

10. – https://www.research.skift.com

11. – https://www.www.soegjobs.com

12. – https://www.skift.com

About The Author

Jannik is the Co-Founder of WifiTalents and has been working in the digital space since 2016.

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