A Research Project with a Global Perspective

Now in its ninth year, the IACC Meeting Room of the Future report brings together insights from 124 venues across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, alongside meeting planners and industry experts.

What makes the report particularly valuable is its breadth. Rather than reflecting the views of a single organisation, it provides a global perspective on the trends shaping the future of business events and meetings. The study has been tracking industry developments since 2016, creating a valuable benchmark for understanding not only where the industry is today, but where it is heading.

Key Themes Shaping the Future of Events

This year’s report explores several important shifts that are influencing venue and event planning decisions.

Understanding What Attendees Now Expect

Many features that were once considered a value-add have now become baseline expectations. The report provides insight into what attendees expect when it comes to meeting environments, technology, catering and overall event experiences, helping planners and venues prioritise investments where they matter most.

Smarter, More Flexible Spaces

Meeting room design continues to evolve in response to changing learning styles and shorter attention spans. Flexible layouts, adaptable furniture and collaborative environments are becoming increasingly important as organisations look to create more engaging and productive experiences.

Food, Wellbeing and Sustainability

The report also highlights ongoing shifts in catering and sustainability expectations. Clients are increasingly seeking thoughtful food offerings, healthier options and sustainable practices, with many of these elements transitioning from desirable extras to standard requirements.

Making Better Decisions with Better Data

For anyone responsible for planning, hosting or investing in business events, reliable industry research is invaluable. The IACC Meeting Room of the Future report provides practical insights that can help venues and event professionals make more informed decisions, identify emerging trends and better align their offerings with client and attendee expectations.

At Cliftons, we’re proud to contribute to this research each year and to learn from the insights it provides. We’re also proud that Stephen Cox, a long-standing member of our senior leadership team, serves on the IACC Global Board and is Chair of the IACC Asia Pacific Board.

As our industry continues to evolve, research like this helps ensure we’re all making smarter decisions about the future of meetings.

If you haven’t explored this year’s report yet, we encourage you to take a look and join the conversation about what’s next for business events.🔗IACC Meeting Room of the Future report