Nine in ten meetings professionals expect their organisations’ meetings and events spend to increase in 2027, according to new research from American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT).
The latest Global Meetings and Events Forecast finds that 91% anticipate increased spending (up from 88% in last year’s forecast), despite continued rising costs and geopolitical uncertainty, while 93% are optimistic about the health of the sector in 2027.
However, rising spend does not necessarily mean more generous budgets for individual events. The report anticipates higher costs per attendee across every meeting type, meaning some additional expenditure will be needed simply to cover price increases.
Planners are also continuing to make savings. A quarter report holding fewer events in response to economic uncertainty, while more commonly adopted approaches include greater use of virtual meetings technology (36%), changing destination or city (35%), and switching venues or reducing attendee numbers (both 33%).
The findings suggest organisations are adapting their meetings programmes to financial pressures, with reducing costs remaining among planners’ leading priorities.
At the same time, improving attendee experience is the top priority for the third consecutive year. Cost has fallen from the biggest planning challenge in the 2026 forecast to fifth place for 2027, which Amex GBT suggests may reflect planners feeling better equipped to manage rising prices.
Demand for meaningful human interaction also remains prominent. Respondents report that attendees increasingly expect personalised interactions (35%), richer social and networking opportunities (31%), and hands-on sessions and workshops (31%).
Geopolitical instability is prompting similar adjustments. Some 39% report changing destinations, 37% holding more virtual meetings and 30% reducing meeting sizes. Just 22% report holding fewer meetings as a result.
Gerardo Tejado Donde, senior vice president, professional services at Amex GBT, said: “Meetings professionals are entering 2027 with more demands on their programs, from rising costs and disruption caused by geopolitical uncertainty to higher attendee expectations.
“Yet they are responding with resilience, resourcefulness, and creativity, adapting their strategies rather than stepping back.”
For corporate planners facing continued budget scrutiny, the research offers an encouraging picture of sustained demand. Whether increased spending represents greater investment in experiences, higher delivery costs or a combination of the two remains the question.
The forecast is based on a YouGov survey of 500 meetings professionals across eleven countries, conducted in August 2026.