"Optimism' is not the most fashionable term in the vocabulary of French professionals in these troubled times... And the latest one is 'optimism'. report on French MICE market at IFTM focused above all on uncertainty. The leitmotif assumed by Amex GBT in its latest report is all the more appreciable, with the TMC stating from the outset that " optimism reaches five-year high ". According to the travel agency's MICE division, " The meetings and events industry is entering a new era of confidence and digital transformation, with optimism among professionals at its highest level for five years, with 85 % of respondents saying they are optimistic or very optimistic about the year ahead ". By way of comparison, the optimism rate was 74 % in the previous edition of the report.
In addition to the "positive vibes" that are hanging over the MICE sector, what else can we learn from this 15th edition?e Amex GBT Meetings & Events Forecast? Unsurprisingly, the big trend can be summed up in two letters: AI. According to the TMC, artificial intelligence is reaching a tipping point in the meetings and events sector. The technology - still in its infancy until recently - has become essential for event organisers. And here's a key figure: according to the Amex GBT report, 50 % of industry professionals are now integrating AI throughout event planning and execution. Gerardo Tejado, Senior Vice President of Professional Services at Amex GBT, sums it up this way: " Unprecedented optimism and technological innovation converge to redefine the way we create meaningful connections ".
What does the integration of AI mean in practice for the professionals involved? According to Amex GBT, three main areas are affected: connection, content and data. More than a third of those surveyed use AI to power the connection between participants and sponsors (35 %). Artificial intelligence is also used by 34% of professionals to generate creative themes and, to a lesser extent (31 %), to create content.
As for the tariff forecasts in this Forecast, the authors of the report sum up the problems for the coming year as follows: ". Event professionals are expecting budgets to increase in 2026, but this may not be enough to offset the rise in prices. Technology could help them bridge the gap ". In fact, a very large majority of professionals (88%) expect budgets to increase, at various levels. According to Amex GBT, the cost per participant should rise by 6% overall next year.
The costs are therefore logically the main challenge cited by organisers for 2026 (38%), ahead of economic uncertainties (32%). Fortunately, the financial aspect does not overshadow the very essence of MICE: 31% of those surveyed cite designing events that meet the current needs of participants as a major challenge.
