Portrait of European Meetings: Perspectives from Travellers and Planning Professionals

European destinations and tourism industry stakeholders have a tremendous opportunity to lead their community recovery based on when and how the meetings industry will bounce back from COVID-19. Current studies in the market look at basic meeting planner sentiment, but it is crucial to also understand the mindsets of attendees and corporate decision-makers. Leaders need to make important decisions regarding capital investments, marketing budgets, and overall growth and development strategies. It is also essential to gain a clear and timely understanding of what meetings and conventions look like in the future to guide these decisions.

In cooperation with IMEX Group and MMGY Hills Balfour, a division of MMGY Global, MMGY Travel Intelligence Europe has fielded a tracking survey twice – in April 2022 and in July 2022 – to understand the mindsets, intentions and preferences of meeting, conference and convention attendees. In order to compare their perspectives with the ones of those responsible for industry planning efforts, MMGY Travel Intelligence has also surveyed meetings professionals to gauge their views. Meeting attendees ultimately drive the future direction of the M&C industry. Having an informed perspective on what this audience thinks and comparing it to the current perspectives of meetings professionals provides substantial insight into the landscape likely to emerge in the coming months and years. The survey has been fielded to attendees in the U.K., Germany, France and the Netherlands and to planners throughout Europe and the U.K.