According to the inaugural Global Trends Report from FCM Meetings & Events, the international meetings and events industry continues to evolve rapidly in response to tighter budgets, digital innovation and demand for meaningful connections.

Produced in partnership with Cvent and powered by Flight Centre Travel Group’s FCM Consulting, the report reveals steady year-on-year growth in business events worldwide since 2022.

“Professional services lead the charge when hosting events, at 50 per cent, with more inhouse planners than any other sector, likely because of event volume, audience and cost management considerations,” says Simone Seiler, global general manager for FCM Meetings & Events.

The report highlights engagement as the core driver of successful business meetings.

“We found 80 per cent of respondents say engagement is the heartbeat of their corporate meetings, driving connections that lead to innovation – it’s the secret ingredient that transforms gatherings into extraordinary experiences,” says Seiler.

Regionally, Asia-Pacific is scaling up, increasing event size, frequency and budgets, with 47 per cent of planners putting their budget into bigger events, and 32 per cent expecting to spend more on events in 2025.

In Europe, the Middle East and Africa, 28 per cent of respondents plan to increase spending, while in the Americas, 26 per cent are set to boost budgets.

Industries such as media, tech, travel and real estate are looking towards events to foster creativity and expand networks.

“Notably, 56 per cent of respondents say meetings are primarily for people engagement, highlighting the role of connectivity in driving success,” says Seiler.

At the same time, technology adoption is transforming event planning.

“Event planners today are embracing technology to boost efficiency and flexibility,” says Will Kataria, country head and senior director at Cvent Singapore.

“Because time and budget limitations often hinder traditional site visits, there’s a notable rise in the use of online sourcing.”

The report also notes many planners still face uncertainty around event budgets – almost 40 per cent of respondents did not have a clear view of their meetings and events budgets for 2025.

Seiler advises planners to focus on impact and experiences.

“That means thinking creatively, leaning on strong supplier relationships, and prioritising the stuff that actually moves the needle, such as experiences, impact and memories over glitz and gimmicks,” she says.

Photo at top: iStock/Kasto80.