IAPCO survey highlights global trends shaping meetings in 2025

Travel Daily News

23-05-2025

Geopolitical turmoil, policy changes, and economic uncertainty impacted 60% of IAPCO members, forcing event cancellations, destination shifts, and higher operational costs.
Geopolitical instability, global conflicts, policy shifts, and economic uncertainty are increasingly affecting the international meetings and conference industry. The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO), together with its network of national PCO associations and strategic global partners, conducted the Global Socio-Political Impact Survey 2025, offering an insightful overview of how recent developments are reshaping the sector.
A landscape of continuous challenges
According to the survey, nearly 60% of IAPCO members reported that their ability to organise or host international meetings has been affected – 45.24% moderately and 14.29% significantly. Additionally, 25% of member companies had to cancel, postpone, or relocate events due to safety concerns and regional instability.
Key impacts include:
Reduced international participation (52.38%)
Travel disruptions (41.67%)
Increased costs for clients and participants (32.14%)
Security concerns at event locations (39.29%)
Moreover, 48.81% of respondents observed a shift in preferred event destinations, while 22.62% noted a decline in willingness to travel internationally.
Economic and policy-driven implications
Uncertainty also strongly affects event budgets. 31.58% of organisers cited changes in government funding or grants, while 59.21% pointed to cuts that hinder the participation of academics and scientific experts.
Significant concern is tied to U.S. policy changes. 47.36% of professionals stated that reforms under the Trump Administration have impacted their planning and execution capabilities. Budget cuts to top U.S. universities such as Columbia, Johns Hopkins, and Princeton are diminishing research output and participation in global conferences. The consequences extend beyond logistics – they threaten entire academic and advocacy fields such as global health, climate action, gender equality, and democratic development.
IAPCO's role amid global disruption
IAPCO remains the global benchmark for excellence in professional congress organisation. Members must pass annual peer-reviewed quality assessments and demonstrate leadership in efficiency, creativity, financial responsibility, and stakeholder management. In 2024 alone, IAPCO members delivered 19,469 events globally. Within this scope, 57.14% stated that 1–10 of their clients' venues were impacted by global unrest, while 5.95% experienced even higher impact levels.
From a financial perspective, 26.83% of respondents reported losses of up to 50,000 euros, and 14.86% saw losses exceeding €150,000.
Strategic foresight and global collaboration required
The findings confirm that the global meetings and events industry is navigating a complex environment requiring flexibility, risk management, and collaborative resilience. IAPCO – with its 92 member companies and 180 global offices – continues to set the standard for quality, trust, and professionalism in an evolving marketplace.
As Arnaldo Nardone, Chairman of FIEXPO Exhibition Group, aptly states: 'The difference IAPCO members make is clear: they elevate the quality of service provided by truly professional PCOs.'
The meetings industry remains active and relevant – but to stay impactful, stakeholders must adapt to new realities, prioritize safety and sustainability, and strengthen global cooperation.