Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
97% of marketers believe that in-person events have a major impact on achieving business outcomes
80.2% of event organizers identify lead generation as their primary goal for hosting events
60% of leadership believe that events are the most critical marketing channel for achieving business goals
21% of corporate marketing budgets are allocated to event marketing, the highest channel spend
65% of companies report that their event spend is increasing year-over-year
52% of marketing leaders cite proving ROI as their biggest challenge in event marketing
72.5% of event organizers use an event management software or app to run their events
89% of businesses using event technology save approximately 200 hours per year on administrative tasks
52% of planners are looking for a single all-in-one event platform rather than disparate tools
78% of attendees say networking is the primary driver for attending in-person events
91% of attendees say they have a better impression of a brand or product after meeting them at an event
42% of attendees judge an event's quality primarily by the quality of the food and beverage
The global events industry market size was valued at $1.1 trillion in 2019 and is recovering
The events market is projected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 11.2%
73% of B2B event organizers anticipate a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels by late 2024
Attendee Experience
- 178% of attendees say networking is the primary driver for attending in-person events
- 291% of attendees say they have a better impression of a brand or product after meeting them at an event
- 342% of attendees judge an event's quality primarily by the quality of the food and beverage
- 439% of attendees say that sustainable practices at an event improve their experience
- 564% of attendees say they learn more at events with interactive workshops than lectures
- 685% of consumers are likely to purchase after participating in a brand's event or experience
- 782% of corporate attendees prioritize health and wellness protocols when deciding to attend
- 876% of attendees prefer personalized agendas over generic event schedules
- 9Keynote speakers heavily influence attendance decisions for 56% of registrants
- 1092% of attendees check their email during event sessions, highlighting the need for higher engagement
- 1149% of attendees consider the destination/location as a top factor for attending
- 1280% of attendees say free swag is a fun perk but does not influence their long-term brand loyalty
- 1347% of attendees are frustrated by poor Wi-Fi connectivity at venues
- 1466% of attendees feel more connected to a brand when the event supports a social cause
- 15Short sessions (under 45 minutes) are preferred by 70% of modern attendees
- 1661% of female attendees feel that safety and inclusivity measures improve their event experience
- 1796% of consumers say that participating in an event made them more inclined to buy the product
- 18Lounge areas for informal networking are rated as 'essential' by 55% of attendees
- 1974% of attendees want more downtime in the schedule to catch up on work or rest
- 20Mobile push notifications significantly improve the attendee journey for 58% of users
Interpretation
Treat your event like a first date: prioritize conversation and comfortable networking spaces, short interactive sessions and inspiring speakers, flawless WiFi and great food, visible sustainability, health and safety measures, personalized agendas and built-in downtime, mobile nudges that boost engagement and a clear social purpose, because those ingredients turn attendees into brand advocates and buyers far more than swag ever will.
Budget & ROI
- 121% of corporate marketing budgets are allocated to event marketing, the highest channel spend
- 265% of companies report that their event spend is increasing year-over-year
- 352% of marketing leaders cite proving ROI as their biggest challenge in event marketing
- 4Organizations that track ROI are 20% more likely to see a budget increase for the following year
- 5The average cost per attendee for a large-scale B2B conference is approximately $1,200
- 6Sponsorship revenue accounts for approximately 18% of total event income for major conferences
- 783% of exhibition organizers expect an increase in revenue over the next 12 months
- 8The cost of food and beverage has increased by 15-20% per attendee due to inflation, impacting budgets
- 933% of event budgets are dedicated to venue rental and catering costs combined
- 1075% of sponsors are constantly looking for new partners to invest in for better ROI exposure
- 11The average ROI for events is often reported as between 25-34% regarding direct revenue to cost
- 1290% of event professionals say that inflation is having a material impact on their event budgeting
- 13Companies spending $100M+ on marketing allocate nearly 50% of it to events and experiential marketing
- 1443% of event marketers struggle to secure sufficient budget for event technology
- 1527% of marketers utilize a purely attribution-based model to calculate event ROI
- 16Small businesses allocate an average of 14% of their marketing budget to events
- 1748% of brands realize an ROI of between 3:1 and 5:1 from their event marketing expenditures
- 1861% of marketers state that the cost of travel and accommodation is the primary budget constraint for attendees
- 19Virtual events can cost 75% less to produce than in-person events, affecting budget allocation strategies
- 2059% of event planners expect their budget to remain flat despite rising costs, forcing efficiency
Interpretation
Event marketing has become the largest slice of the marketing pie, with companies pouring more into live experiences and big spenders allocating nearly half their budgets, but rising attendee, travel and catering costs, flat projected budgets and the persistent challenge of proving ROI mean organizers who rigorously measure outcomes are far more likely to win future funding and reap strong returns.
Strategy & Goals
- 197% of marketers believe that in-person events have a major impact on achieving business outcomes
- 280.2% of event organizers identify lead generation as their primary goal for hosting events
- 360% of leadership believe that events are the most critical marketing channel for achieving business goals
- 477% of marketers use events as a key method to engage with existing customers and increase retention
- 5The top KPI for event success is attendee satisfaction, cited by 91% of organizers
- 664% of event marketers say their primary reason for hosting events is brand awareness
- 752.1% of marketers say that event marketing drives more business value than other marketing channels
- 885% of marketers and leadership view in-person events as essential to their company’s success
- 974% of event marketers say that events are the most effective top-of-funnel demand generation tactic
- 10The average organization hosts between 12 and 19 events per year to maintain market presence
- 1195% of marketers agree that live events provide attendees with a valuable opportunity to form in-person connections in an increasingly digital world
- 1240% of event marketers aim to drive sales acceleration through their event strategy
- 1379% of US marketers generate sales using event marketing
- 1468% of B2B marketers use events for lead generation and deeper customer education
- 1531% of marketers believe that trade shows are the most effective events for face-to-face customer interaction
- 1663% of marketers plan to increase the number of events they host in the coming year
- 17Community building is cited as a core objective by 53% of event planners
- 1845% of event teams are structured specifically to align with sales departments for better cohesion
- 1983% of brands say that their event strategy is more focused on sales growth than it was pre-pandemic
- 2070% of marketers say that content generation is a secondary but vital goal of their events
Interpretation
Like a Swiss Army knife for marketers, in-person events now serve multiple vital roles—organizations host roughly 12 to 19 each year to prioritize attendee satisfaction, generate leads, raise brand awareness, create content, build community and align with sales because face-to-face connections still deliver the clearest business value.
Technology & Virtual
- 172.5% of event organizers use an event management software or app to run their events
- 289% of businesses using event technology save approximately 200 hours per year on administrative tasks
- 352% of planners are looking for a single all-in-one event platform rather than disparate tools
- 493% of organizers plan to invest in virtual events moving forward as part of a hybrid strategy
- 5Mobile event apps can start adoption rates as high as 85-90% for well-marketed conferences
- 662% of event planners say the biggest disadvantage of virtual events is the inability to interact naturally
- 734% of planners are currently using AI for content generation and session descriptions
- 8Augmented Reality (AR) in events is expected to grow at a CAGR of 25%
- 971% of event professionals say that data security and privacy are their top concerns when choosing event tech
- 1068% of marketers say a hybrid solution helps them reach a more diverse audience geographically
- 11Livestreaming sessions increases engagement by an average of 14% for remote audiences
- 1240% of event professionals report that technical issues are the main reason virtual events fail
- 1330% of event organizers are using facial recognition technology for faster check-ins
- 1457% of attendees believe that the quality of the virtual platform can make or break their experience
- 15The use of wearable technology at events is projected to triple in use by 2025
- 1660% of smartphone users are using their devices significantly during live events for social sharing
- 1748% of planners use gamification within their event apps to increase attendee engagement
- 1888% of event professionals say that gathering data via event tech is vital for post-event analysis
- 19Interactive live polling is used by 61% of top-tier event organizers to keep audiences awake
- 2025% of B2B events are expected to remain purely virtual due to cost-efficiency
Interpretation
Taken together, these numbers read like a manifesto for modern events: roughly three quarters of organizers already rely on event management software and mobile apps that can achieve 85 to 90 percent adoption at well-marketed conferences and save about 200 hours a year, more than half want a single all-in-one platform while 93 percent plan to keep virtual elements as part of hybrid strategies to reach broader audiences, yet 62 percent lament the lack of natural interaction and 40 percent blame tech failures for virtual flops even as 71 percent cite data security as their top concern—so the industry is racing toward AI, AR, wearables and facial recognition for speed and personalization while leaning on livestreaming, gamification and live polling to boost engagement because increasingly the quality of the virtual platform will make or break the attendee experience.
Trends & Growth
- 1The global events industry market size was valued at $1.1 trillion in 2019 and is recovering
- 2The events market is projected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 11.2%
- 373% of B2B event organizers anticipate a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels by late 2024
- 4Sustainability is a top trend with 80% of planners predicting it will be mandatory in RFPs by 2025
- 5Small, regional events are trending upward with 44% of planners shifting away from huge global summits
- 6Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is now a KPI for 60% of event organizations
- 7The "Bleisure" trend (business + leisure) is rising with 55% of travelers extending trips for leisure
- 8Corporate retreats are growing by 20% annually as remote teams seek physical connection
- 986% of event planners predict that 'festivalization' of B2B events will continue to grow
- 10The Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the highest growth rate in the events industry
- 1194% of event professionals say they are having to do more with less due to labor shortages
- 12Experiential marketing spending is growing faster than traditional media advertising
- 1367% of event organizers are focusing on 'micro-events' to create more targeted engagement
- 14The demand for unique "non-traditional" venues is up 3.8% year over year
- 1554% of planners foresee a permanent shift towards year-round community engagement models rather than one-off events
- 16Artificial Intelligence market in the events sector is expected to grow by 18% annually
- 17Health-safety certifications are still required by 35% of corporate stakeholders for venue selection
- 18By 2026, 30% of event content is predicted to be consumed asynchronously on-demand
- 19The pop-up event market is valued at over $50 billion globally
- 2072% of marketers believe the Metaverse will play a significant role in events within 5 years
Interpretation
From a $1.1 trillion base in 2019 to a projected $1.5 trillion by 2028, the events industry is mounting a brisk, pragmatic comeback where small is the new spectacular as planners do more with less, make sustainability and DEI mandatory, favor micro-events, pop-ups and festival-style experiences, lean into bleisure and retreats, invest in experiential, AI and on-demand content, and look to Asia-Pacific and the Metaverse to power year-round community engagement.
