Looking Back Toward the Future: Why In-Person Events Are Booming Again
Jul 2, 2026, 11:32 AM
Meeting News Northwest
Originally published on Meeting News Northwest.
Last year, Forbes released a report that showed meetings and events industry saw a surprising amount of optimism in 2025. That continues to be good news for destinations, convention centers and hospitality businesses across the Pacific Northwest. According to the Forbes report highlighting the American Express Global Business Travel 2025 Meetings & Events Forecast, nearly three-quarters of meeting professionals felt optimistic, while 66% expected event budgets to increase.
One of the biggest takeaways: In-person meetings continue to dominate. Despite years of virtual and hybrid experimentation, planners are prioritizing face-to-face experiences, especially for internal meetings and corporate gatherings. North American planners showed the strongest preference for live events, signaling continued demand for conference venues, hotels and experiential destinations.
While it may sound paradoxical, artificial intelligence is playing a key role in fostering human connection, as event professionals expect AI to play a larger role in personalization and attendee engagement. Event professionals of 2026 are now navigating AI to learn how to effectively integrate emerging technologies into live experiences.
At the end of the day, the goal for event planners is focusing on creating memorable onsite experiences in venues, programming and human interactions. For hospitality and tourism leaders across the Northwest, that could translate into continued opportunity as business travel and live events rebound.
Read the full Forbes article at forbes.com/sites/rogerdooley/2024/11/15/meetings-and-events-industry-looking-good-in-2025/.
