UK event planners are facing mounting pressure to demonstrate the business value of meetings and events as organisations tighten budgets and subject spending to greater scrutiny, according to BCD Meetings & Events' newly released Trends 2027 report.
The annual forecast suggests that while demand for face-to-face meetings remains resilient, weak economic growth and continued cost pressures will force organisations to become more selective about where they invest event budgets. As a result, planners will increasingly be expected to show how events contribute to commercial objectives rather than simply measuring attendance or delegate satisfaction.
According to BCD, the industry is entering an era in which "return on experience" (ROE) and broader measures of "return on value" (ROV) are becoming leadership expectations rather than optional metrics.
Helen McCabe, managing director, UK, BCD Meetings & Events, said: "The measurement of return on experience will move even higher on stakeholder agendas and procurement teams will seek more longer-term commercial commitments, including fixed-rate agreements over multiple years."
The report predicts that organisations will continue to prioritise client-facing events and experiences that can demonstrate clear commercial impact, while placing greater scrutiny on third-party spending and premium event investments.
BCD said planners should increasingly view meetings and events as part of a wider investment portfolio rather than as individual activities, with resources concentrated on programmes that deliver the greatest strategic value.
"The next evolution of strategic meetings management is understanding not whether an event succeeded, but whether the portfolio advanced a business objective," said Shauna Whitehead, senior vice president, commercial strategy, BCD Meetings & Events.
The shift comes amid wider industry pressures including geopolitical uncertainty, climate-related disruption, rising operating costs and the growing adoption of artificial intelligence.
BCD identified four key trends shaping the sector in 2027: building resilience into event planning, using AI to drive measurable business value, creating more engaging attendee experiences and managing meetings and events as strategic investments.
The report argues that organisations can no longer assess success purely through operational metrics such as attendance, satisfaction scores or staying within budget.
Instead, event teams are increasingly being asked to demonstrate how programmes influence business outcomes including relationship development, decision-making, employee engagement, customer retention and revenue generation.
More than a third of BCD clients cited demonstrating ROI and value as an ongoing challenge, according to the report.
The agency also predicts that buyers will become more selective about which events warrant premium investment. Its recommendations for event leaders include protecting flagship events, reducing lower-value activity, negotiating supplier agreements at portfolio level and reallocating spend towards programmes that support key business priorities.
For UK planners, the report suggests demand will remain steady but that early planning will become increasingly important, particularly as luxury hotel supply in London remains constrained.
Independent and character-led venues are also expected to gain popularity as organisations look for distinctive experiences that can justify expenditure and deliver stronger engagement outcomes.
The report also highlights a number of emerging destinations expected to gain attention in 2027, including Bath in the UK, Bilbao and San Sebastián in Spain, Panama City, Big Sky in Montana and Vietnam's Phu Quoc. BCD said buyers are increasingly looking beyond established meetings hubs in search of distinctive experiences that can deliver stronger attendee engagement and demonstrate greater value for investment.
Looking ahead to 2027, BCD argues that the events industry's challenge is no longer proving that face-to-face gatherings create value, but providing evidence of where that value is being delivered and how it supports wider organisational goals.
Access the full report here.
M&IT editor Paul Harvey is a journalist with more than 15 years of experience. He began his career in the local press, working for various titles across the north. Since joining M&IT in 2013, he has become a trusted and respected voice in the sector, championing event professionals and reporting on all aspects of the events industry for the brand.
