The Events Industry Council (EIC) has released a new report examining the issues likely to shape the global business events industry in the years to come.

Futures Landscape Report 2025 draws from a series of “think tank” workshops where leaders from EIC’s 60+ members, strategic partners and volunteer leaders shared insights and perspectives from their unique vantage points, as well as a global survey of business event stakeholders. It was developed with the support of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) Foundation; GainingEdge, a consultancy specializing in the business events industry; and Ipsos, a global market research firm.

“As a foresight tool, the Futures Landscape Report is intended to assist business event professionals and organizations better understand a wide swath of macro forces and correlating trends facing our global society and economies and to better understand the benefit of reflection in preparing and adapting,” said Amy Calvert, president and CEO, EIC.

The report looks at 12 key themes identified by the workshop participants. They are (in alphabetical order):

• Accessibility
• Advocacy
• Business Models
• Climate Risk
• DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion)
• ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance)
• Infrastructure
• Mobility
• Risk & Security
• Talent and Workforce Development
• Technology
• Wellbeing

The Futures Landscape Report also looks at how seven macro forces are influencing these 12 topics. These forces have been forming over a longer time and have far-reaching impacts that will change human behavior over the next decade. They are:

• Economic Redistribution
• Population Fluctuations
• Health is Wealth (wellbeing versus stress, pollution, toxins, etc.)
• Tech-Tonic Shifts (impact of data collection, AI, etc.)
• Polarized Politics
• Resilience & Resistance
• Employer-Employee Power Shifts

Borne out of discussions by the EIC Board of Directors and the APEX Critical Issues Working Group, the report comes against a backdrop of data reflecting the relevance and resilience of the business events sector. According to EIC’s most recent Quarterly Events Barometer, created in partnership with Oxford Economics, the business events industry has returned to 2019 pre-pandemic levels for both group room nights booked and RFP activity, both indicators of sustained industry.

“The pandemic reshaped the way we come together,” said Senthil Gopnath, EIC Board Chair and CEO of ICCA. “It also spurred a new spirit of innovation that will be essential as we move forward and drive our industry into the future.”

“The insights in the Futures Landscape Report reveal an opportunity through thoughtful consideration of what lies ahead for continued innovation and collaboration for our industry to lead with confidence and purpose,” said Calvert.