The group’s event agency BCD has just published its annual trend report. The report is based on analyses by its regional executives and third-party studies. According to the Events Industry Council and Oxford Economics, business events have thus generated 1.3 trillion dollars in direct spending by 2025 and supported 24.2 million jobs worldwide.
The context weighs on decisions. According to a GBTA survey conducted in April, 76 % of the buyers stated that the geopolitical tensions They influence their choices regarding travel and events. Furthermore, 56 % have changed their strategy in the previous three months.
Four developments for 2027
BCD M&E focuses on four axes: resilience to geopolitical and climatic risks, the transition from AI to the creation of measurable value, recapturing the attention of participants, and managing events as investments. The latter involves moving from a case-by-case approach to an overall vision. According to an internal study, more than a third of the agency’s clients find it difficult to demonstrate the return on investment of their events. « Across the region, authentic human interactions will become even rarer and, consequently, even more valuable by 2027. »", believes Mikael Ek, SVP and Managing Director EMEA.
Destinations under surveillance in EMEA
In Europe, Barcelona, Madrid and Lisbon remain among the most attractive destinations. Cape Town, Marrakech and Istanbul are also among the promising markets. On the other hand, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are suffering the consequences of the’Instability in the Middle East. Finally, the guide suggests five alternative destinations: Phu Quoc, Bilbao and Saint-Sebastien, Panama, Big Sky (Montana) and Bath.
For BCD M&E, the organizations that will derive the most value from their events in 2027 will not necessarily be the ones that spend the most. Rather, they will be those that set clear priorities, align each event with a specific business objective, and rely on data to make decisions.
