As we head into 2026, the meetings and events industry finds itself at an interesting crossroads. While the M&E landscape looks different from country to country, the overarching trends show that the industry is maturing, getting smarter, and finally asking the hard questions about value, purpose, and impact.
The Strategic Shift: Meetings as an investment, not expense
Perhaps the biggest transformation we’re witnessing is how organisations view their M&E spend. Gone are the days when events were purely nice-to-haves that were axed when budgets tightened. In 2026, meetings are viewed as a critical investment that aligns with strategic business objectives.
While it’s validating to see events recognised for their true potential, it also means planners need to justify its existence with clear ROI. As Bruce Morgan, Global President of BCD M&E, notes: “In a world of constant change, the power of human connection remains our greatest advantage.” But that connection now needs to drive measurable outcomes.
Doing more with less
Budgets remain tight, and rising costs for everything from airfares to food and beverage means that planners under pressure to stretch every cent. But here’s the interesting part: instead of just cutting back, smart organisations are getting strategic about what meetings they hold and why.
Some companies are consolidating multiple smaller meetings into larger, more impactful gatherings. Others are bolting ancillary meetings onto major congresses to maximise the value of having people in one place.
And there’s a growing trend toward procuring local resources to reduce costs and creating enduring assets from events, like high-quality videos and materials that extend the life and reach of the meeting long after attendees go home.
The efficiency challenge
Most businesses are doing more with fewer resources, so it’s crucial to identify outdated and inefficient processes. Always think about the final bill and make sure that the rate model is transparent about additional costs so that initial quotes don’t differ widely from final invoices. Here are some pointers:
- Consider capping costs — Advocate for committed caps on ancillary costs such as AV spend, cleaning or electricity. All-inclusive packages allow for more accurate omparisons and drive savings.
- Consider the value of an RFP — There will be an increase in businesses going out with RFPs in 2026. There will be a shift to smaller, more flexible contracts with more conservative proposals.
- Sustainability can save money — Offering plant-based options aligns with stainability goals and reduces food costs.
Pitching the right venue will be even more crucial in 2026, as ROE and personalisation come into focus. Planners will also want suppliers to be compliant when it comes to contracts, making payments, authorisation or meeting request forms.
The experience revolution
If there’s one area where organisations aren’t skimping, it’s on creating memorable experiences. Immersive, “money-can’t-buy experiences,” are becoming the gold standard for 2026.
There is a tranisition to “white glove” experiences including a focus on sport events. Think about it – attending a Wimbledon final or Formula 1 event will stick with you forever vs. that PowerPoint slide from a conference.
When you design an event that triggers the senses to elicits emotion, you bypass passive learning and create memories and behavioral change.
The technology challenge
AI isn’t the enemy – its takes over the boring, repetitive, low-impact tasks, so that your team can focus on what they do best – being creative and delivering truly memorable moments and connections that last.
Looking Ahead with Purpose
As we look toward 2026, success in the Meetings & Events (M&E) world will absolutely hinge on clarity of purpose. You need to ask yourself the big questions: Why are you holding this meeting? What specific, measurable outcomes are you truly expecting? And critically, how will you measure the impact that goes beyond a simple ROI calculation?
The bar has certainly been raised. But for those ready to be bold, strategic, and genuinely creative, the year ahead is full of exciting opportunities. It’s time to prove that when meetings are done right, they aren’t just worth the investment – they become invaluable.