Larger events are growing in scale and spending while demand for smaller meetings continues to decline, according to one major conference venue - which says the trend is likely to continue.
Richard Smith, chief commercial officer at Wyboston Lakes Resort, said demand for medium to large residential events remained good, although converting enquiries into firm bookings was taking longer.
“The trend for fewer small events is still there to see, but larger programmes are growing larger and are happy to spend on additions and upgrades. This is likely to continue,” he said.
Chief executive Steve Jones said organisations appeared to be choosing between premium experiences and straightforward, value-led products.
“We see organisations choosing either a higher end offering which focuses on the experience or a simple product at a great value price,” he said.
The resort’s senior leadership team attributed the slower conversion of enquiries partly to economic and government uncertainty, while operations director Simon McMahon said customers were increasingly demanding flexibility, creativity and added value from venues.
Despite the wider uncertainty, Wyboston Lakes reported a strong first half, with revenue and profitability both ahead of the same period last year.
Forward bookings for 2027, including contracted and provisional business, are currently 27 per cent ahead of where they stood at the same point in 2026.
The resort also recently opened The Box, a new event space designed for exhibitions, conferences and gala dinners for 400 or more delegates. It hosted three events in its first month, with further major bookings secured into 2027.
