Forecasting trends is an exciting end-of-year ritual, but how about we decide what the future of the meetings and events industry could be? Here’s a combination of what’s in the ether — and what should be, in our humble opinion. Presenting 2025’s biggest event industry trends (or trends-to-be).
Influencer speakers
Social shopping is such a fundamental part of e-commerce now that it has finally entered the travel sphere, state the experts at Expedia in their Unpack ’25, an annual crop of data-driven predictions compiled from Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo. Influencers wield incredible commercial influence — 50% of consumers say they have wanted to book a trip they saw on their social feeds — and it’s no different for events. Big-ticket names on your roster of guests are key, but not only that: speakers who have social influence are the linchpins of a successful event. The future rests in employing spokespeople who can directly monetize their influence by integrating clickable ticket purchasing on their social accounts.
Offsites held ONSITE
Based on hotel review data collated by Forbes from the Smith Travel Research and on Hotels.com, travellers are centralizing their travel on their hotels. They’re not just booking rooms anymore — they’re booking tables. Positive reviews about hotel restaurants, chefs and bars increased by 40% YoY on Hotels.com, which simplifies the event professional’s life to no end: rather than search for alternate locations for offsites and VIP events during conventions or conferences, simply book them within your partner hotel of choice.
Authentic VIP gifts only
“It’s time to leave the keychains and fridge magnets at the gift shop,” state the experts at Expedia, and our VP of Sales and Convention Services Mylène Gagnon agrees: she recently did a whole interview in Skift’s Megatrends 2025 report about the power of authenticity. From the TikTok-famous Dubai chocolate bar to Korean skincare and French butter, travellers expect their souvenirs to be of viral appeal now — not to mention extremely local and only-here unique. Ignite recently quoted a global survey showing that 39% of travellers usually visit a local grocery store when travelling while 44% shop for local goods they can’t get at home. That’s why at Business Events Montréal, we provide event VIPs with only-in-Montréal, locally made souvenirs like Montréal steak spice, bagel chips, even locally made cocktail kits, perfect as an in-room gift.
Next-level creativity
Events in 2025 will be expected to offer creative program formats even in areas that traditionally haven’t been seen as creative — what Julius Solaris would call “moment planning.” According to GoGather, the focus will be on designing agendas that amp up efficiency and provide attendees with unforgettable experiences in lieu of marathon sessions wedged into a packed schedule. It’s all about digestible bites of information, small group interactions and lively roundtable discussions — and, if possible, the most eye-popping of spaces. Also consider customizable agendas, live polling, online discussion chats and audience-driven sessions.
Gamified engagement
While large-scale conferences will remain a staple for 2025, there’s a clear opportunity for companies to expand into more personalized, smaller-scale events that prioritize employee engagement and client appreciation through interaction, according to a recent IMEX America report. When asked about engagement preferences, 37.2% of IMEX America attendees chose “hands-on, creative activities”, followed closely at 22.9% by “competitive, game-based experiences”, showcasing the value of interactivity in driving attendee engagement. Pack your events with tactile, immersive activities that allow for physical and mental engagement. They’ll result in deeper connections, better collaboration and stellar morale.
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