Are 2025 trends here to stay? 5 insider tips on how planners can navigate the changing MICE landscape.
As Vice President, Program Operations for Bishop-McCann since 2020, Amber Heintz has overseen thousands of meetings, events and incentives of all kinds, from small corporate board meetings to large complex international conferences to high-end incentives. Prevue recently caught up with her to ask about the biggest trends of 2025 and what she foresees for the year ahead. Here are her top 5 insights—with advice on how planners can effectively navigate through the changing MICE landscape in 2026:
1) Companies are booking events close to their HQ offices. As companies look to save time, money and resources in the current events environment, some are having internal corporate meetings near or close to their HQ offices, says Heintz. “This can help to cut down on travel and lodging expenses and also allows for the use of existing meeting space that the office can provide. While currently there is heavy interest for this, I still see a large appetite for location-based meetings and events to allow for a change of scenery, equitable travel requirements, and the like. It can sometimes be an illusion that HQ office meetings are less expensive. It really depends on the size of the group and the accommodations HQ offers.”
2) C-suite interest in meeting and event objectives is on the rise. Event professionals are increasingly asked by C-suite execs to provide bottom line, strategic objectives for their sourcing decisions, notes Heintz. “Several of our clients are bringing us into conversations with their C-Suite execs to help convey expertise, ROI, and real-time industry wide data,” she adds. “This has allowed them to sell a better attendee journey and provide post-event ROI insights.” In one example, after Bishop-McCann did a deep dive to identify a preferred incentive trip location for a planner client, the planner’s C-Suite was not impressed. “We asked to be a part of the feedback session with the C-Suite and really dive into what the ultimate objective of the incentive was and how this trip could meet that,” she says. After a joint presentation to the client, “we left the meeting with a BIG yes and acknowledgement of thinking strategically.”
3) AI is forcing human connection. One of the biggest trends of 2025 is the growing ways in which AI is helping planners to collect and organize data. But, says Heintz, this means that the human connection is more important than ever for meeting and event attendees. For example, with some hotels using AI instead of staff to help with registration and check-out, “anything onsite that is an attendee touchpoint for personal connection is a great way to keep the human touch present,” she says. “Defining the desired objective and end result is a great way to determine where AI can lean in or out.”
4) More potential for short-term meetings. With leisure travel down and business travel flat, there have been more opportunities for short term meetings in 2025 due to better availability and pricing for air and hotel, says Heintz. “Short term business travel hasn’t been as easy to come by in the years past, but now there are some good short-term options and budget savings for multiple-year bookings. However, there are still limits. Flexibility is key.”
5) Changing perceptions with vendors. While there has been a long-held resistance by some planners to bring industry partners into the early planning stages, and to involve them with C-Suite conversations, Heintz sees a potential shift from this approach in 2026. “This is not the way to work most effectively. We all work with partners. Put them in the room from the beginning, let their expertise shine, and you’ll save so much time and money. Professional respect and collaboration go a long way to making magical meetings happen.”
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