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EUROPE – BCD SHARES WHAT WILL BE TRENDING IN MEETINGS AND EVENTS IN 2026
BCD has published a summary of its trends for 2026. It offers a qualitative vision of what the coming year may bring and, as such, presents many changes and tendencies — some new, others less so. Instead of breaking them all down (you can read the full report), here we highlight some key insights that we believe will give you a fresh perspective on what 2026 has in store.
Events gain relevance for leadership: will this come with greater demand for efficiency, optimisation, and strategy?
Here are the main trends related to event management. In short: we are more important than ever, the market has grown significantly (and will continue to grow), but with this increased importance — and rising costs — organisations are more demanding about how events are planned and how ROI is optimised. We are in a good moment… but not an easy one.
A good moment for Europe
The M&E sector appears more positive in Europe than in the rest of the world, despite global economic uncertainty. According to the report, Europe could become a hotspot due to safety and accessibility concerns in the US and the Middle East.
Mergers and acquisitions among agencies
They foresee increased consolidation among event agencies in Europe, especially in France, Germany and the Nordic countries (and likely Spain), driven by underperformance from some agencies or strategic investments in the sector.
More economic tension across the value chain
They anticipate growing pressure from suppliers — especially hotels — to increase profitability through advance or urgent payment terms. This will be a challenge for buyers… but an opportunity for suppliers who can offer credit or longer terms.
Focus on ROI and procurement
With rising costs, prioritising meetings that generate clear results will be more important than ever. Justifying expenditure and optimising costs will be crucial. The role of global procurement is on the rise, and budget scrutiny will intensify.
The importance of a structured meeting management strategy
If organisations do not have a clear strategy, 2026 will be the year to implement one. This enables cost optimisation, risk management and ensures that meetings deliver value.
Integrated travel and meeting programmes
Logically, if the goal is to optimise spending, companies that jointly manage travel and meetings will be better positioned to achieve savings and gain greater negotiating power across their supply chain.
More effort invested in the planning stages
Investing early in meeting and event design — before operations, sourcing or supplier negotiations — allows for cost savings. Essentially, it is about becoming more strategic in management, which — interestingly — tends to be more effective for budget optimisation than “squeezing” suppliers…
A more strategic position, with its pros and cons
Events are now a more strategic investment, but this brings greater oversight from leadership. Events are increasingly discussed at executive levels, and departments such as procurement, finance and marketing will become more involved. Budgets will be under the spotlight.
Trending down…
Events focused solely on transmitting information (which can now be obtained online), global internal events, or external events that do not offer high-value unique experiences or memorable formats.
In a saturated market, will we become more demanding with experiences?
More demanding formats
Regarding formats, the report confirms the growing importance of the sector: more events, more demanding audiences, changes in communication dynamics… All of this means we will need to excel at designing unique experiences.
Generation Z and multigenerational audiences
Planners are analysing how younger audiences consume information and interact. Formats will need to adapt to attract multiple generations. Attention is scarce and hard to obtain, and knowing how to capture it will be key.
More intentional events to increase engagement
This approach means organisers will pay more attention to how meetings are managed: personalised offerings, use of AI, more intentional human touch, and greater attention to risk and safety.
Attention to different learning styles
Managing introverts and extroverts, considering neurodiversity, and understanding learning psychology will become a larger part of the event planner’s work in 2026.
The rise of exclusivity
Professionals have limited time and expect less generic experiences. This forces event designers to rethink formats and offer something truly new.
Experiential engagement
There will be a greater focus on creating memorable and immersive events, despite budget cuts. The report highlights that M&E has been slower than other creative industries — such as music or consumer marketing — in adopting immersive formats.
M&E shifts focus from the occasion to the message
Across multiple touchpoints (events and digital). More integrated storytelling is expected in pre-, during, and post-event communications, with longer-term planning.
More use of new partners
Specialised engagement consultants will help reinvent how content is delivered and absorbed, with a focus on personalised learning.
Focus on networking
Key for generating revenue and business opportunities, above content-heavy agendas. This focus is expected to grow in 2026.
AI enters forcefully
No surprise: AI will likely be the biggest shift of the moment. According to the report, generative AI is transforming event planning, generating ideas, selecting trends and analysing data to spot opportunities (without replacing the creative director).
Venue sourcing powered by generative AI and voice activation — using natural language processing — holds great potential. “Consumers already use AI to suggest vacations. Soon it will be used to find new venues and experiences,” becoming a key search tool that complements human intelligence.
This technology will be even more crucial for efficiency and productivity: from the initial inquiry to contracting, from sourcing to delegate management, to post-event communication and invoicing. There will also be a stronger focus on streamlining processes from request to payment.
AI will remain a key trend, from generative AI (which creates content) to Agentic AI (which takes actions or decisions on behalf of the user).
Low-impact, process-based activities will be automated. Generative AI will be used for matchmaking between people, customising agendas, content, and communications.
The promising idea: intelligent assistants will allow planners to be far more strategic.