Although booking more new business, meeting planners from
Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), are less optimistic than their
counterparts in North America and Asia. That’s one of the striking findings
from the first Northstar/Cvent industry Pulse survey for the EMEA region. They
are also way ahead of their peers in other parts of the world when it comes to
sustainability.
Among highlights from this research:
- The perceived value of face-to-face events has
increased since the pandemic, with six in ten planners saying they are now
‘somewhat’ or ‘significantly’ more valuable.
- But virtual events are not going away, either.
More than a half of EMEA planners were planning to produce events that were
either fully virtual or hybrid this year.
- Networking is the most important factor driving
demand for face-to-face meetings, scoring significantly higher than education,
which was ranked in second place.
- The main pain points are costs and budget
constraints. Hotel service levels are another bugbear as staffing issues
continue to challenge the hospitality industry.
This research cycle is comprised of 135 responses from
planners of all types and is compared to similar data we have collected from
North America and Asia.
About the Survey
The Northstar/Cvent Meetings Industry PULSE Survey
was first launched in the US in 2020 to track changes in planner sentiment and
expectations throughout the pandemic. There are now two more editions covering
EMEA and ASIA.
Northstar continues to survey event planners on a
regular basis to assess how current challenges and trends are shaping the
industry. The PULSE Survey is produced in partnership with meetings-technology
provider Cvent.
