While most organizations expect budgets (57%), event volume (56%) and event size (70%) to remain stable, more than a third (36%) now identify demonstrating return on investment as a key internal influence shaping meetings and events programs.
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BCD Meetings & Events recently published its 2026 Global Client Survey, revealing a meetings and events industry that has stabilized after years of disruption, but that is now operating under stronger cost pressures and rising expectations for visibility and measurable value.
The survey, conducted between January and March 2026, gathered insights from 240 senior meetings and events stakeholders across North America, Europe, the U.K., Latin America and the Asia-Pacific. While most organizations expect budgets (57%), event volume (56%) and event size (70%) to remain stable, more than a third (36%) now identify demonstrating return on investment (ROI) as a key internal influence shaping meetings and events programs.
“Clients are functioning in a far more disciplined environment, where cost pressure, governance and ROI expectations shape every decision,” says Bruce Morgan, global president, BCD Meetings & Events. “Organizations generally aren’t asking for more events; they want more value from the events they already run.”
Cost pressure remains the industry’s most significant external challenge, according to 85% of respondents, while organizations are also navigating increased complexity driven by cost containment measures (80%) and structural changes (48%). Together these findings point to a shift from rebuilding programs to optimizing them, making every event work harder and deliver greater strategic value.
“Budgets might be stabilizing, but expectations certainly aren’t,” Morgan emphasizes. “That’s changing the way programs are planned and measured — it’s creating greater demand for partners who can help customers navigate complexity while demonstrating clear business outcomes.”
Additionally, sustainability remains important, but is becoming more selective and practical. Organizations are prioritizing actions that are easier to implement and deliver measurable impact, such as traveling more sustainably (43%) and recycling materials throughout events (32%). Broader or more complex initiatives, including carbon offsetting and zero‑waste policies, have declined year over year, reflecting a more realistic approach aligned with governance and budget realities.
The survey findings suggest organizations are shifting their expectations from execution to strategic partnership, from activity metrics to outcome accountability, and from broad sustainability goals to targeted, realistic implementation. As programs mature, meetings and events are increasingly evaluated through the lens of business impact rather than activity alone.
Download the full Global Client Survey here.