Maritz Releases Special Industry Trends Report for IMEX

October 6, 2025

Maritz has released its September 2025 Industry Trends Report, data-driven and with actionable insights for meeting and incentive professionals.

With data fueling decision-making in hospitality and events, the report’s focus areas includes hotel trends, registration analytics, corporate event benchmarks, payment tech and innovative networking.

Hotel & Rate Forecast

Should you lock in hotel rates for multiple years or gamble on future decreases? The data is telling: Securing rates now appears to be the smart play as costs continue to climb.

While U.S. hotel performance is cooling off—with RevPAR expected to flatline by 2026—there’s a clear divide in the market. Upper-tier properties are holding strong while economy chains struggle, creating a two-speed pricing environment. Looking ahead, luxury properties anticipate steady 2.5% yearly increases through 2027, according to the report, with upper midscale hotels projecting more modest 1.0% bumps.

The advantages of multi-year deals are compelling: guaranteed savings, attractive booking incentives, and the security that comes with predictable budgeting.

All in all, meetings and events prices are expected to stabilize after the high volatility of the last several years.

Registration Data + Lead Time for Large Conventions

In quantifying how geopolitical changes are affecting events, Maritz analyzed client data for events occurring between March (when disruption started) and August 2025, comparing registration volume to the same set of shows in 2024. They found that:

Overall registrations were down 3% on average, with international registrations down 13%.
Significant variability exists, with some events seeing declines of 40% or more.

Meanwhile, looking at large corporate events—defined as having 2000+ attendees and 5000+ room nights—the report noted that external events average 5500 attendees, while internal events average 3600 attendees, with percentages in many cases reflecting seasonality. In addition registration patterns show that most attendees register 30-90 days before the event.

The report also looks at a shifting payment tech landscape, as payment methods are evolving towards contactless and digital wallets, with examples including QR codes for registration and tokenized payments to protect credit card information.

Maritz will be hosting a comprehensive showcase of thought leadership in event design and innovation at the More Than Experience Theatre, Booth D3305.