Gitnux/Report 2026

Event Planning Industry Statistics

From 2025, event budgets are getting bigger and more personal, with attendees now demanding experiences that drive leads and engagement, like 72% preferring in person and 81% of B2B marketers using events for lead gen. This page pairs those shifts with the operational reality behind them, from smartphone enabled engagement and hybrid’s momentum to the staffing and cost pressures that shape what actually happens at conferences, weddings, festivals, and corporate training.
305Statistics
86Sources
12Sections
1Visuals
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November 11, 2026Updated
Event Planning Industry Statistics
Nathan CaldwellWritten by Nathan Caldwell·Edited by Jonathan Hale·Fact-checked by Astrid Bergmann
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

An editor sets the topic, the inclusion criteria, and the evaluation framework before research starts.

02Source Research

AI search agents locate sources and extract each figure together with the document it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The event planning industry at a glance

The global events industry reached approximately $1.34 trillion in 2025, while U.S. convention and trade show organizers generated $19.1 billion in 2024 and planner employment is projected to grow 6% through 2035.

$1.34T[68]
Global events market, 2025
$19.1B[32]
U.S. organizer revenue, 2024
172,100[30]
U.S. planner jobs, 2025
6%[30]
Employment growth, 2025–2035
Market size
The global events industry was valued at approximately $1.34 trillion in 2025. In the narrower U.S. convention and trade show organizer segment, revenue reached $19.14 billion in 2024, up from $17.65 billion in 2023.[68][32]
Forecast & CAGR
The global events market is forecast to reach approximately $2.16 trillion by 2030, implying a 10.1% CAGR from 2025 to 2030. The market is then projected to reach about $3.20 trillion by 2035, growing at an 8.2% CAGR from 2030.[68]
Market share & regions
Europe was the largest regional market in 2025, while Asia-Pacific was identified as the fastest-growing region. A reliable percentage share by region was not reported in the available source.[68]
Segmentation
The global market is segmented into music concerts, festivals, sports, exhibitions and conferences, corporate events and seminars, and other event types. It is also segmented by revenue source, including ticket sales, sponsorship, food and beverage, and other sources.[68]
Pricing
U.S. meeting, convention, and event planners earned a median annual wage of $61,160 in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,830, while the highest-paid 10% earned more than $101,700.[30]
Trends, drivers & challenges
In the second quarter of 2026, 47% of meetings-industry respondents described business conditions as favorable, down from 57% in the first quarter, while positive live-attendance forecasts fell from 60% to 47%. Rising production costs, budget pressure and the need to demonstrate event value are major challenges.
Consumer behavior & competition
A 2025 B2B events benchmark survey found that 54% of attendees planned to attend more in-person events and 53% planned to attend more webinars. Among organizers, 57% reported that attendance at in-person conferences, summits and conventions had grown over the prior year, while 66% planned to schedule more events in 2025.[69]
M&A
Informa and Dubai World Trade Centre launched the inD partnership in January 2026, combining B2B live-events businesses in the UAE and wider IMEA region. The new business was expected to launch with annual revenue of more than $650 million in 2026.[54]
Latest news
Informa and Dubai World Trade Centre confirmed the creation of inD on January 20, 2026. The partnership combines brands including Gulfood, Dubai Airshow, GITEX Global and WHX and coincides with an expansion of venue capacity in Dubai.[54]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Event Planning Industry

The leading companies in the event planning industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 11, 2026 · Next review December 11, 2026

Verdict

because RELX through RX operates events serving 41 industry sectors and generated £1.186 billion in 2025 revenue, it is anchored in a broad sector portfolio; whereas Informa reported £3.003 billion in 2025 B2B Live Events revenue, highlighting a tighter focus on B2B live event output and tracked financial scale.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in exhibitions & B2B events

    RELX

    GB

    Ranked #1 · 8.9 · Exhibitions & B2B events

    Why we picked it: Its RX structure ties event operations to a wide set of 41 sectors and a 2025 revenue base of £1.186 billion.

    See in ranking ↓Visit relx.com ↗

  2. Leader in full-service event production

    Freeman

    US

    Ranked #3 · 8.7 · Full-service event production

    Why we picked it: Its full-service coverage combines event management with exhibits and AV production in global delivery.

    See in ranking ↓Visit freeman.com ↗

  3. Leader in corporate meetings & incentives

    BCD Meetings & Events

    US

    Ranked #5 · 8.1 · Corporate meetings & incentives

    Why we picked it: Its corporate meetings and events footprint spans more than 60 countries, supporting cross-market program delivery.

    See in ranking ↓Visit bcdme.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the event planning industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

RELX

Exhibitions & B2B events · GB

8.9
2

Informa

Exhibitions & B2B events · GB

8.7
3

Freeman

Full-service event production · US

8.7
4

Hyve Group

Exhibitions & B2B events · GB

8.6
5

BCD Meetings & Events

Corporate meetings & incentives · US

8.1
6

Clarion Events

Global trade shows, conferences and consumer events · GB

8.1
7

Messe Frankfurt

Trade fairs, congresses and events worldwide · DE

7.8
8

Comexposium

Professional and consumer events worldwide · FR

7.6
9

mci group

Corporate, association and destination events · CH

7.6
10

Encore

Corporate event production and venue services · US

7.4

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 11, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Nathan Caldwell. (2026, February 13). Top 10 companies in the event planning industry. In Event Planning Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/event-planning-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Projection

U.S. convention and trade show organizers revenue

U.S. convention and trade show organizers revenue grew from $18.7B in 2019 to $19.1B in 2024.

$18.7B
Start
+0.5%
CAGR · 5y
$19.1B
Projected
20192024
source-verifiedfred.stlouisfed.org2024

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

AI adoption is measured in task-level use: 60% applied it to proposal creation and 97% expected cost and time savings from defined RFP and sourcing in 2026.

AI in the event planning industry

  • 60% of event professionals using AI applied it to proposal creation in the 2026 ConventionSouth industry survey.[1]
  • 53.3% of event professionals using AI applied it to copy or text generation in the 2026 ConventionSouth industry survey.[1]
  • 63% of meeting and event professionals identified generative-AI capability as a top skill they and their teams must develop over the next 12 months.[2]
  • 48% of meetings and events professionals reported using AI in their work in 2024, up from 30% at the end of 2023.[3]

Automation in the event planning industry

  • 97% of event planners estimated cost and time savings from implementing a defined request-for-proposal and sourcing process in 2026.[4]
  • 47% of event planners said technology reduces venue-sourcing time in the 2026 Cvent Planner Sourcing Report.[4]
  • 96% of event planners used request-for-proposal tools for at least some meetings in 2026.[4]
  • 40% of event professionals using AI applied it to marketing automation in the 2026 ConventionSouth industry survey.[1]

Digital Transformation in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 35.51% of EU professional, scientific and technical enterprises using AI applied it to business-administration or management processes in 2025.[5]
  • 55% of business-services CEOs identified keeping pace with technology and AI transformation as their greatest concern in PwC’s 2025 global CEO survey.[6]
  • 51% of U.S. technology executives reported no increase in performance or profitability from digital-transformation investments during the previous two years.[7]
  • 40.4% of EU enterprises in professional, scientific and technical activities used at least one AI technology in 2025.[5]

Technology Adoption in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 22.32% of EU professional, scientific and technical enterprises using AI applied it to research and development or innovation activities in 2025.[5]
  • 27.33% of EU professional, scientific and technical enterprises using AI applied it to production processes in 2025.[5]
  • 30.87% of EU professional, scientific and technical enterprises using AI applied it to accounting, controlling or finance management in 2025.[5]
  • 18.55% of EU professional, scientific and technical enterprises using AI applied it to ICT security in 2025.[5]

Cloud Computing in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 80.4% of Danish professional, scientific and technical enterprises used cloud computing services in 2023.[8]
  • 91.2% of Finnish professional, scientific and technical enterprises used cloud computing services in 2023.[8]
  • 90.7% of Australian professional, scientific and technical enterprises used cloud computing services in 2022.[8]
  • 77.7% of Dutch professional, scientific and technical enterprises used cloud computing services in 2023.[8]

Big Data in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 45.4% of Finnish professional, scientific and technical enterprises conducted big-data analysis in 2023.[8]
  • 57.5% of Dutch professional, scientific and technical enterprises conducted big-data analysis in 2023.[8]
  • 47.5% of German professional, scientific and technical enterprises conducted big-data analysis in 2023.[8]
  • 46.8% of Swedish professional, scientific and technical enterprises conducted big-data analysis in 2023.[8]

IoT in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 36.3% of Irish professional, scientific and technical enterprises used Internet-of-Things technologies in 2021.[8]
  • 35.6% of Swedish professional, scientific and technical enterprises used Internet-of-Things technologies in 2021.[8]
  • 52.0% of South Korean professional, scientific and technical enterprises used Internet-of-Things technologies in 2022.[8]
  • 42.6% of Austrian professional, scientific and technical enterprises used Internet-of-Things technologies in 2021.[8]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

ROI measurement and post-event analytics are common: 90% of event professionals tracking ROI used registration and attendance as ROI metrics in 2025.

Business intelligence in the event planning industry

  • 36% of meeting professionals used data and ROI-measurement tools to evaluate meetings in 2026.[9]
  • 51.9% of event teams presented data and metrics to stakeholders after each event in 2024.[10]
  • 67.4% of event teams analyzed event data and made at least some changes after each event in 2024.[10]
  • 20.8% of event teams presented event data and metrics to stakeholders quarterly in 2024.[10]
  • 28% of meeting professionals used AI for post-event evaluation in 2026.[9]
  • 25.3% of event teams included social-media engagement data in stakeholder reports in 2024.[10]

Data analytics in the event planning industry

  • 66% of event planners used survey-feedback tools for event data and analytics in 2024.[11]
  • 41% of event professionals using AI applied it to logistics and planning in 2024.[12]
  • 42% of planners said analytics that improve decision-making were the most helpful technology capability in 2026.[4]
  • 55% of event planners used CRM systems for event data and analytics in 2024.[11]
  • 30% of event professionals using AI applied it to data analysis in 2024.[12]
  • 31% of meeting professionals identified improving event-data collection as a top priority for 2026.[13]

Data Quality in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 49% of supply management organizations reported that their data quality was good or excellent in 2024, based on a survey of more than 121 respondents.[14]
  • 87% of enterprise data leaders said traditional rules-based approaches to data quality did not scale to current needs in 2024.[15]
  • 67% of supply management organizations said their data quality was better or significantly better than two years earlier in 2024.[14]
  • 50% of organizations identified data-quality issues as the biggest challenge affecting their data-integration projects in 2024.[16]
  • 23% of supply management firms spent at least 21% of their time cleaning data in 2024.[14]
  • 95% of enterprise companies with at least $1 billion in revenue had experienced a data-quality issue directly affecting business outcomes in 2024.[15]

Data Governance in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 81% of supply management organizations found their data-governance program useful in 2024.[14]
  • 61% of organizations had a dedicated data-governance function in 2024, according to a survey of more than 121 supply management professionals.[14]
  • 18.3% of organizations used a data-governance or catalog solution as part of their governance program in 2024.[17]
  • 71% of global organizations reported having a data-governance program in 2024, up from 60% in 2023.[16]
  • 33% of North American organizations had a formal data-governance organization in place in 2024.[17]
  • 32% of organizations in the 2024 governance study had a formal governance organization in place, while 68% had none.[17]

KPIs in the event planning industry

  • 31% of planners cited attendance as one of the most-used event-success KPIs in 2026.[13]
  • 31% of event teams measured revenue attribution as an event ROI metric in 2025.[18]
  • 90% of event professionals who tracked ROI used registration and attendance as ROI metrics in 2025.[13]
  • 71.7% of event professionals tracked attendance to measure event outcomes in 2024.[19]
  • 93.5% of event professionals used attendee satisfaction to measure event success in 2024.[19]
  • 34% of planners cited attendee engagement as one of the most-used event-success KPIs in 2026.[13]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

In-person demand is the stated direction, with 70% of planners predicting up to 20% growth in in-person meetings and events in 2026.

Growth in the event planning industry

  • 18 digital or hybrid events had been planned on average in the previous year by respondents to PCMA’s prior meetings-market survey.[20]
  • 12 digital or hybrid events were expected to be hosted on average over the following year by surveyed meeting organizations in PCMA’s latest survey.[20]
  • 70% of planners predicted an increase of up to 20% in in-person meetings and events in Cvent’s 2026 survey.[4]
  • 86% of planners were more likely to select venues offering online booking for simple meetings in Cvent’s 2026 survey.[4]
  • 3.8% was the average annual growth rate in direct exhibition-industry output between 2019 and 2024.[21]
  • 47% of event planners said technology reduces venue-sourcing time in Cvent’s 2026 survey.[4]

Differentiation in the event planning industry

  • 45% of planners were sourcing restaurants as event venues in Cvent’s 2026 global survey.[4]
  • 34% of planners prioritized on-site staff when selecting event venues in Cvent’s 2026 global survey.[4]
  • 36% of planners prioritized layouts that support networking when selecting event venues in Cvent’s 2026 global survey.[4]
  • 34% of planners prioritized customizable spaces when selecting event venues in Cvent’s 2026 global survey.[4]
  • 40% of planners were sourcing convention or conference centres as event venues in Cvent’s 2026 global survey.[4]
  • 33% of planners prioritized scenic settings when selecting event venues in Cvent’s 2026 global survey.[4]

Mergers and acquisitions in the event planning industry

  • 44% of event-industry transactions involved the United States in 2025, up from 29% in 2024.[22]
  • 37 different buyers participated in event-industry transactions in 2025.[22]
  • 12 event-industry transactions were completed in December 2025.[22]
  • Nineteen Group completed eight event-industry acquisitions in 2025, the highest total among listed organizers.[22]
  • Emerald, CloserStill and Easyfairs each completed five event-industry acquisitions in 2025.[22]
  • 67% of event-industry businesses acquired in 2025 were acquired from founders.[22]

Strategic partnerships in the event planning industry

  • 6 events were hosted annually in Europe by Generis before its addition to Emerald’s portfolio.[23]
  • More than 50 executive summits annually were hosted by Emerald after Generis was added to its portfolio.[23]
  • 5,000 qualified buyers attended IAAPA Expo Asia 2025 after the IAAPA–Licensing International strategic alliance was announced.[23]
  • 7,000-plus verified attendees attended IAAPA Expo Asia 2025 after a strategic alliance between IAAPA and Licensing International was announced.[23]
  • 2 strategic collaborations were identified in TSNN’s August 2025 trade-show deal tracker: the IAAPA–Licensing International alliance and the Payments Association–Nineteen Group partnership.[23]
  • 53% was the increase in verified attendance at IAAPA Expo Asia 2025 compared with 2024.[23]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Staffing constraints show up in delivery capacity: 89% of event-industry leaders reported staffing shortages affected their ability to deliver successful events during the previous year.

Hiring in the event planning industry

  • More than 70% of incentives and meetings professionals primarily sought soft skills when recruiting recent graduates or newcomers in the industry.[24]
  • 73% of planners said they would not add to their events team in 2026, compared with 55% who expected a stagnant workforce in the previous year.[13]
  • 89% of event-industry leaders reported that staffing shortages had affected their ability to deliver successful events during the previous year.[25]
  • More than 50% of exhibition-industry companies planned to increase hiring in 2024, according to UFI’s latest barometer cited by ExpoPlatform.[26]

Employee retention in the event planning industry

  • 91% of arts and events workers surveyed worldwide believed their work had a positive influence on audiences and communities.[27]
  • 65% of arts and events workers surveyed worldwide planned to continue working in the sector in five years, while 22% were undecided.[27]
  • 29 employees had left a French museum since its reopening in 2022, amid reported worsening working conditions and organizational issues.[28]
  • 46% of arts and events workers surveyed worldwide felt their pay and benefits were fair and proportionate to their role.[27]

Remote Work in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 54% of U.S. professional-services firms reported having at least one paid work-from-home employee in November 2024–January 2025.[29]
  • 62.8% of U.S. professional and business-services employees who could work at home did so during 2024–2025, while 66.0% could work at home.[30]
  • About 45% of U.S. professional and business-services workers worked remotely during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[31]
  • 37.21% was the average share of paid workdays performed from home by U.S. professional and business-services employees in January 2025.[32]

Hybrid Work in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. professional and business services, 39% of full-time employees worked fully onsite during January–April 2025.[33]
  • 27% of U.S. full-time employees worked in a hybrid arrangement in 2025, compared with 12% fully remote and 61% fully on-site.[34]
  • 61% of U.S. employees with remote-capable jobs preferred hybrid work in November 2025, compared with 33% preferring fully remote work.[35]
  • 54% of U.S. employees with remote-capable jobs worked in a hybrid arrangement in November 2025.[35]
  • Across U.S. professional and business services, 38% of full-time employees worked hybrid schedules during January–April 2025.[33]

Upskilling in the event planning industry

  • Over half of event-industry leaders reported that fewer than 10% of their employees receive training, according to a future-ready leaders study.[36]
  • 40% of NowGen event professionals rated professional-event certifications highly for validating skills relevant to their role or career ambitions.[37]

Employee Engagement in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 32% of U.S. employees were engaged at work in 2024, while 17% were actively disengaged.[35]
  • 33% of U.S. employees were engaged at work in 2023, while 16% were actively disengaged.[35]
  • 32% of U.S. employees were engaged at work in 2025, while 17% were actively disengaged.[35]
  • 34% of U.S. employees were engaged at work in 2022, while 16% were actively disengaged.[35]

DEI in the event planning industry

  • More than 75% of respondents in the EIC Equity Benchmarking Study identified as female, and 61% of female respondents were in senior-management or board job grades.[38]
  • 16% of respondents in the EIC Equity Benchmarking Study identified as Black, and they rated their DEI experience 11% lower than White respondents across four dimensions.[38]
  • 61% of surveyed event professionals identified as White in the EIC Equity Benchmarking Study conducted globally from September 2021 to January 2022.[38]
  • 86% of event professionals had implemented DEI best practices in meetings or planned to do so in 2024.[13]
  • 35% of organizations had implemented accessibility measures in meetings and events in 2026, including accessible transportation, venues, captioning or sign language.[13]

Change Management in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 22% of transformation teams identified communication plans as their primary change-management approach in 2024.[39]
  • 17% of transformation teams identified training and development programs as their primary change-management approach in 2024.[39]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Attendee experience is repeatedly treated as a commercial input: 72% of U.S. marketers said prospects close deals faster after attending events in 2025.

Customer experience in the event planning industry

  • 57% of event planners ranked providing a memorable attendee experience as a top priority for the next 12 months in 2024.[40]
  • 53% of event planners ranked building trust with attendees and the community as a top priority for the next 12 months in 2024.[40]
  • 39% of global planners said venue staffing shortages resulted in unsatisfactory attendee experiences in 2026.[4]
  • 52% of event planners ranked improving attendee engagement as a top priority for the next 12 months in 2024.[40]
  • 66% of event planners used feedback and survey data to improve customer satisfaction and personalize communications in 2024.[41]

Customer retention in the event planning industry

  • 72% of U.S. marketers said prospects close deals faster after attending events in 2025.[13]
  • 90% of U.S. marketers said events helped their company stand out from competitors in 2025.[13]
  • 94% of U.S. marketers using event-led growth reported steady event revenue in 2025, compared with 77% of marketers generally.[13]
  • 91% of global planners used attendee-engagement vendors at least sometimes in North America in 2026.[4]
  • 35% of event marketers said transparency about AI use was critically important to maintaining consumer trust in 2026.[13]

Customer acquisition in the event planning industry

  • 55% of U.S. marketers allocated at least 20% of their total marketing budget to events in 2025.[13]
  • 88% of U.S. marketers planned to invest in event technology in 2025.[13]
  • 44% of U.S. marketers planned to increase owned events in 2025.[13]
  • 67% of U.S. marketing teams used an event-led-growth approach in 2025.[13]
  • 57% of U.S. marketers planned to increase partner events in 2025.[13]

Customer loyalty in the event planning industry

  • 43% of event-related organizations were scaling their use of AI in 2026, potentially affecting trust and loyalty communications.[13]
  • 66% of event planners used feedback and survey tools to enhance satisfaction and personalize communications in 2024.[41]
  • 90% of U.S. marketers said events helped their companies stand out from competitors in 2025.[13]
  • 35% of event marketers said AI-use transparency was critically important for maintaining consumer trust in 2026.[13]
  • 37% of event-related organizations were actively experimenting with AI in 2026.[13]

Lead generation in the event planning industry

  • 50% of marketers not using event-led growth believed that the absence of this approach was why their events underperformed in 2025.[13]
  • 31% of U.S. marketers reported a 20-day reduction in closing time when prospects attended events in 2025.[13]
  • 67% of U.S. marketing teams used event-led growth to generate pipeline in 2025.[13]
  • 55% of event planners used three or more social-media channels to reach and engage audiences in 2025.[42]
  • 20.5% of event planners used pre-event interactive social campaigns in 2025.[42]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Event-led brand differentiation is emphasized by outcome reporting: 90% of U.S. marketers said events helped their company stand out from competitors in 2025.

Marketing in the event planning industry

  • 66% of marketers hosting multiple event formats said in-person events generated the most revenue in 2024.[13]
  • 55% of U.S. marketers allocated at least 20% of their total marketing budgets to events in 2025.[13]
  • 63% of business-event planners identified knowledge and information sharing as an event objective in 2026.[43]
  • 41% of U.S. marketers struggled to measure ROI and create competitive events in 2024.[13]
  • 69% of U.S. marketers expected their total marketing budgets to increase over the next 12 months in 2025.[13]

Digital marketing in the event planning industry

  • 43% of event-related organizations were scaling AI use in 2026.[13]
  • 77% of U.S. marketers said they would host more events if technology made events easier to execute and replicate in 2025.[13]
  • 60% of surveyed event professionals were event planners in Ovation Global DMC’s 2024 research.[41]
  • 49% of North American planners often or always used event-technology vendors in 2026.[4]
  • 66% of event planners used feedback and survey tools to personalize communication strategies in 2024.[41]

Branding in the event planning industry

  • 49% of event planners ranked increasing exhibitor and sponsor satisfaction as a top priority in 2024.[40]
  • 57% of event planners ranked providing a memorable attendee experience as a top priority in 2024.[40]
  • 42% of business-event planners identified brand awareness and positioning as an objective in 2026.[43]
  • 53% of event planners ranked building trust with attendees and the community as a top priority in 2024.[40]
  • 88% of U.S. marketers planned to invest in event technology in 2025, linking brand programs to event-led digital capabilities.[13]

Social media in the event planning industry

  • 26.1% of event planners used four or more social-media platforms in 2025.[42]
  • 60% of event planners used AI for content creation, including marketing copy and social-media posts, in 2025.[42]
  • 22.4% of event planners used digital engagement tools such as polls and Q&A sessions in 2025.[42]
  • 55% of event planners used three or more social-media channels in 2025.[42]
  • 26.7% of event planners used real-time social-media updates during events in 2025.[42]

Influencer Marketing in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 44% of B2B influencer-marketing practitioners say finding the right talent is their single biggest collaboration obstacle, based on Q1 2026 research.[44]
  • 86% of B2B influencer-marketing practitioners and creators prefer co-creating content with brands rather than amplifying finished brand content, based on Q1 2026 research.[44]
  • 78% of B2B influencer-marketing practitioners identify brand awareness and lead generation as their joint top challenges, based on Q1 2026 research.[44]
  • 74% of B2B influencers use artificial-intelligence tools to enhance content creation, based on Q1 2026 research.[44]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Technology is used to reduce planning friction: 89% of businesses using event technology reported saving about 200 hours annually.

Process optimization in the event planning industry

  • 82% of planners work with event-technology teams to organize their events.[13]
  • 41% of planners source meetings through supplier networks such as Cvent.[13]
  • 89% of businesses using event technology report saving about 200 hours annually.[13]
  • 43% of planners use technology to negotiate with venues.[13]
  • 49% of planners spend more time using technology to review meeting-space diagrams, specifications and floor plans.[13]

Operational efficiency in the event planning industry

  • 31% of event organizers identify implementing the right technologies to improve event operations as a major challenge over the next three to four years.[37]
  • 34% of planners often use on-site event-support vendors and 23% always use them.[4]
  • 18% of event organizers identify finding the right venues or locations as a major operational challenge.[37]
  • 49% of event organizers identify increasing attendance as a major operational challenge over the next three to four years.[37]
  • 35% of planners often use event-technology vendors and 22% always use them.[4]

Quality management in the event planning industry

  • 55% of event professionals track social-media engagement in their return-on-investment metrics.[13]
  • 19% of event teams use cost per acquisition as a return-on-investment metric.[13]
  • 31% of event teams use revenue attribution as a return-on-investment metric.[13]
  • 24% of event teams have fully integrated event technology with marketing and sales systems.[13]
  • 90% of event professionals tracking return on investment use registration and attendance as metrics.[13]

Supply chain in the event planning industry

  • 63.2% of planners identify higher food-and-beverage costs as a major current challenge.[1]
  • 60.5% of planners identify higher accommodation costs as a major current challenge.[1]
  • 54% of event-agency leaders reported venue fees among the expense areas with the largest cost increases in 2024.[45]
  • 63% of event-agency leaders reported fabrication and builds among the expense areas with the largest cost increases in 2024.[45]
  • 37.1% of CVBs report experiencing staffing shortfalls at venues and destinations.[46]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 28.8% of EU enterprises sourcing abroad sourced information and communication technology services internationally during 2021–2023.[5]
  • 47.5% of EU enterprises sourcing abroad sourced administrative and management functions internationally during 2021–2023.[5]
  • 60% of EU business-services enterprises sourcing abroad were in the business-services sector, compared with 40% in industry and construction, during 2021–2023.[5]
  • 29% of U.S. CPA firms responding to the 2025 National MAP Survey utilized offshoring, rising to 74% among firms with at least $10 million in net client fees.[47]
  • 65% of U.S. CPA firms participating in the 2025 National MAP Survey that offshored used India, followed by 33% using the Philippines.[47]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Cost pressure persists in program design, with 63.6% of planners reporting economic and political uncertainty negatively affecting their events in 2026.

Pricing strategy in the event planning industry

  • 29% of planners expected their 2026 event budgets to increase by 10% to 14%.[13]
  • 15% of planners expected their 2026 event budgets to increase by 15% to 20%.[13]
  • 49% of travel managers say hotel negotiations have become more difficult because hotels are less flexible in their pricing models.[13]
  • 58% is the average share of event hard-cost increases that agencies passed on to clients in 2024.[45]
  • 41% of travel managers say hotel negotiations have become more difficult because hotels offer fewer contract or commitment options.[13]

Cost reduction in the event planning industry

  • 51.9% of planners affected by uncertainty planned more events for local or domestic audiences.[1]
  • 19% of CVBs that implemented cost-saving measures reduced services.[46]
  • 35% of planners identified cost-savings measures as the top trend shaping their 2026 event programs.[13]
  • 29.6% of planners affected by uncertainty reported increased costs from international vendors.[1]
  • 48.8% of CVBs implemented cost-saving measures in 2026.[46]

Profitability in the event planning industry

  • 32% of catering businesses expected 2024 profit to be about the same as 2023 profit.[48]
  • 15% was the average expected increase in event-management total gross revenue for 2024 among surveyed event producers.[49]
  • 43% of catering businesses expected 2024 profit to exceed 2023 profit.[48]
  • 25% of catering businesses expected 2024 profit to be lower than 2023 profit.[48]
  • 92.4% of CVB staffs were the same size or larger in 2024 than in 2023.[1]

Financial planning in the event planning industry

  • 63.6% of planners reported that economic and political uncertainty was negatively affecting their events in 2026.[1]
  • 36.2% of event professionals reported that their overall event budget decreased in 2024.[10]
  • 41.8% of respondents whose budgets increased attributed the increase to data gathering, analytics and reporting.[10]
  • 63.8% of event professionals reported that their overall event budget increased in 2024.[10]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

AI is moving into venue sourcing and bid comparisons, with 75% of event planners using AI tools in venue sourcing in 2026.

Product development in the event planning industry

  • 40% of meeting professionals planned to deliver AI-powered event apps in 2026.[9]
  • 75% of event planners globally used AI tools in venue sourcing in 2026, including tools for search, attendee-data analysis and bid comparison.[4]
  • 43% of event planners used AI for venue search and selection in 2026.[13]
  • 40% of event planners used AI to compare venue bids and proposals in 2026.[13]
  • 37% of event planners used AI to automate communication with venues in 2026.[13]

Product lifecycle in the event planning industry

  • 39% of surveyed event organizations had event budgets of at least $1 million in 2024.[50]
  • 48% of planners sourced non-hotel venues such as restaurants, galleries, bars and wineries in 2026.[13]
  • 66% of B2B event organizers planned to schedule more events in 2025 than in 2024, extending the event product lifecycle through increased program volume.[50]
  • 70% of planners expected the number of in-person events to increase in 2026.[13]
  • 52% of event organizers reported that their event teams grew during 2024.[50]

After-sales in the event planning industry

  • 40% of event planners used social-media engagement to collect post-event feedback in 2026.[13]
  • 38% of event planners used attendee engagement metrics to collect feedback or evaluate event performance in 2026.[13]
  • 77% of event teams planned to build year-round attendee engagement into their strategies in 2024.[13]
  • 92% of event teams planned to improve post-event attendee follow-up in 2024.[13]
  • 38% of event planners used attendee interviews and focus groups to collect feedback in 2026.[13]

Value proposition in the event planning industry

  • 15% of organizers ranked registration revenue as the highest priority for in-person B2B conferences, summits and conventions in 2025.[50]
  • 78% of planners said venue sustainability efforts were an important sourcing factor in 2026.[13]
  • 80% of organizers said in-person conferences, summits and conventions were critical to their organization’s success in 2024.[50]
  • 63% of planners cited attendee engagement as their primary event-success metric in 2026.[13]
  • 19% of organizers ranked increasing attendance as the highest priority for in-person B2B conferences, summits and conventions in 2025.[50]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Sustainability reporting is quantified in delivery, including 72% of events capturing and measuring waste data in 2024 and 85% of Informa events using renewable electricity in 2025.

Sustainability in the event planning industry

  • 68% of surveyed U.S. event organizers considered emissions when planning events in 2024.[51]
  • 36% of surveyed event professionals reported a moderate increase in participants requesting more sustainable event options.[52]
  • 67% of 230 surveyed U.S. event organizers considered event sustainability when planning events in 2024.[51]
  • 42% of business-event planners increased internal or attendee-facing sustainability reporting in 2024.[20]
  • 63% of surveyed event organizations said they ensure organizers reduce waste and encourage recycling.[52]

ESG in the event planning industry

  • 56% was the average share of environmental ESG factors actioned by assessed events between April and October 2024.[53]
  • 249 Informa events achieved the highest Sustainability Inside level in 2025.[54]
  • 37% was the average share of social ESG factors actioned by assessed events between April and October 2024.[53]
  • 257,706 connections were facilitated by Informa events through programs removing physical, mental, cultural or economic barriers in 2025.[54]
  • 329 Informa events delivered a Connecting the Disconnected program in 2025.[54]

Ethics in the event planning industry

  • 88% of surveyed events professionals supported a standard code of conduct in a 2025 industry survey.[55]
  • 76% of surveyed events professionals supported a shared code of ethics in a 2025 industry survey.[55]
  • 60 event-management professional associations in the study sample had stated ethics codes or professional standards.[56]
  • 39.5% of 152 event-management professional associations had a stated ethics code or professional code of conduct in the study sample.[56]

CSR in the event planning industry

  • 235 Informa events delivered a Connecting the Disconnected program in 2024.[54]
  • 257,706 people were connected through Informa programs removing barriers for underrepresented groups by 2025.[54]
  • 8.4 billion dollars of economic impact was created by Informa events for host cities in 2025.[54]
  • $26.5 million in value had been generated by Informa events for charity partners since 2019, reported in 2025.[54]
  • 110 Informa events delivered a Connecting the Disconnected program in 2023.[54]

Circular economy in the event planning industry

  • 72% of events captured and measured waste data in 2024, up from less than two-thirds in 2022.[57]
  • 87% of waste-related event emissions were attributed to materials sent to landfill in the 2024 analysis.[57]
  • 33,000 square metres of vinyl flooring for Paris 2024 venues contained 35% recycled material and was designed for reuse.[28]
  • 108,000 stands had been assessed against Informa’s Better Stands reusability framework by 2025.[54]
  • More than 50% of event production and graphic materials were used only once in the 2024 analysis.[57]

Carbon footprint in the event planning industry

  • 85% of Informa events used renewable electricity in 2025.[54]
  • 176.6 kilograms of CO2 emissions were attributed to the typical conference attendee per day in Mosaic’s event-industry estimate.[45]
  • 2.9 flights per flight taken was the average number of flights Informa attendees said its events saved in 2025.[54]
  • 38% was the reported reduction in the carbon-footprint trajectory of Bring Me the Horizon’s post-pandemic tour after transport, power, food and waste changes.[58]
  • 12% was Informa’s reduction in event carbon emissions per square metre by 2025.[54]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Organizer reach shows up in sourcing behavior, with 24% of planners globally sourcing venues only within their country in Cvent’s 2026 survey.

Globalization in the event planning industry

  • 4.3 million full-time-equivalent jobs were supported globally by exhibitions in 2024.[21]
  • 32,000 exhibitions were held worldwide in 2024, according to UFI’s global exhibition-industry estimate.[21]
  • 24% of planners globally said they source venues only within their country in Cvent’s 2026 survey.[4]
  • €368 billion was the total global economic output generated by exhibitions in 2024.[21]
  • 40% of planners globally said they source venues only within their region in Cvent’s 2026 survey.[4]

Cultural adaptation in the event planning industry

  • 48% of planners globally were sourcing art galleries as non-hotel event spaces in Cvent’s 2026 survey.[4]
  • 43% of planners globally were sourcing bars or nightclubs as non-hotel event spaces in Cvent’s 2026 survey.[4]
  • 33% of planners globally considered scenic settings when selecting event venues in Cvent’s 2026 survey.[4]
  • 57% of planners globally were sourcing colleges and universities as non-hotel event spaces in Cvent’s 2026 survey.[4]
  • 77% of meeting and event planners had incorporated arts or cultural elements into their conferences or events, according to a Barbican Business Events survey.[67]

Supplier management in the event planning industry

  • 31% of planners often worked with destination-management companies in Cvent’s 2026 global survey.[4]
  • 49% of North American planners often or always used event-technology vendors in Cvent’s 2026 survey.[4]
  • 33% of planners always worked with food-and-beverage or catering vendors in Cvent’s 2026 global survey.[4]
  • 94% of planners worked with event-technology vendors to plan meetings and events in Cvent’s 2026 global survey.[4]
  • 91% of North American planners used vendors who provide food and beverage or catering services in Cvent’s 2026 survey.[4]

Stakeholder management in the event planning industry

  • 44% of surveyed meeting organizations reported being fully in-person, with no digital event component, in PCMA’s latest survey.[20]
  • 65% of meeting professionals reported using artificial-intelligence tools in PCMA’s latest meetings-market survey.[20]
  • 65% of meeting professionals using generative AI applied it to agenda or session creation in PCMA’s latest survey.[20]
  • 34% of event planners used attendee engagement as a key event-success KPI in Cvent’s 2026 survey.[13]
  • 31% of event planners used attendance as a key event-success KPI in Cvent’s 2026 survey.[13]

Distribution channels in the event planning industry

  • 40% of planners frequently organized seminars in Cvent’s 2026 global planner survey.[4]
  • 31% of planners frequently organized trade shows in Cvent’s 2026 global planner survey.[4]
  • 27% of planners frequently organized webinars in Cvent’s 2026 global planner survey.[4]
  • 47% of planners frequently organized conferences in Cvent’s 2026 global planner survey.[4]
  • 39% of planners frequently organized training or workshops in Cvent’s 2026 global planner survey.[4]

Key questions about the Event Planning Industry

How large is the events industry in 2025?
The global events industry reached approximately $1.34 trillion in 2025.
What growth rate is forecast for the global events market through 2030 and 2035?
The market is forecast to reach approximately $2.16 trillion by 2030, implying a 10.1% CAGR from 2025 to 2030. It is then projected to reach about $3.20 trillion by 2035, growing at an 8.2% CAGR from 2030.
Which companies lead the event planning industry?
because RELX through RX operates events serving 41 industry sectors and generated £1.186 billion in 2025 revenue, it is anchored in a broad sector portfolio; whereas Informa reported £3.003 billion in 2025 B2B Live Events revenue, highlighting a tighter focus on B2B live event output and tracked financial scale.
How are technology and AI shifting event workflows in 2026?
Sixty percent of event professionals using AI applied it to proposal creation in the 2026 ConventionSouth industry survey, and 97% of event planners estimated cost and time savings from implementing a defined request-for-proposal and sourcing process in 2026.
How is the market structured across organizers and revenue sources?
The global market is segmented into music concerts, festivals, sports, exhibitions and conferences, corporate events and seminars, and other event types, and also segmented by revenue source including ticket sales, sponsorship, food and beverage, and other sources.
What operational pressures are most visible in 2026 planning decisions?
Rising production costs and budget pressure, plus the need to demonstrate event value, are major challenges, while 39% of global planners said venue staffing shortages resulted in unsatisfactory attendee experiences in 2026.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Nathan Caldwell. (2026, February 13). Event Planning Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/event-planning-industry-statistics
MLA
Nathan Caldwell. "Event Planning Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/event-planning-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Nathan Caldwell. 2026. "Event Planning Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/event-planning-industry-statistics.

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