The Business of Events, a London, England-based global think tank and advocacy network for the business events sector, released its 2024 International Planner Sentiment Report created in partnership with Meet in Ireland and IBTM World to share the key factors planners are weighing when selecting host destinations for their meetings. The report includes surveyed responses and analysis from corporate, association, agency, and incentive event planners across the United Kingdom, North America, and Europe. It was conducted over the span of three weeks between April and May of this year.
According to a press release provided by The Business of Events, key findings of the annual report include the following:
- Costs have all increased in every region surveyed, reflecting an increase in event costs and pressure on overall budgets through higher inflation.
- There is an increase in the importance of destination branding, reflecting the need for a more personalized experience for brands and attendees.
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) ranked higher in importance this year, particularly across the U.K. and Europe, reflecting an increase in the wider conversation around the topic.
Another key finding from this report is that sustainability decreased in importance this year as a factor when selecting destinations for planners in the U.K. and Europe.
“Our International Planner Sentiment Report continues to be used by marketers and sales teams across the world to fine-tune strategies and messaging and to increase competitive advantage,” says Martin Fullard, director of news and content at The Business of Events, in a prepared statement. “Once again, the report has shone a strong light on those factors that are influencing destination choice. While cost, brand, and diversity have all increased in importance, it is becoming clear that sustainability, while still an extremely important topic, is becoming much more of an expected requirement rather than something which is seen as value-added.”
The full report can be downloaded and reviewed here.
