Travel conferences face growing pressure to prove business value

Executives still attend industry events, but expectations are shifting from networking and visibility toward measurable insights, actionable takeaways, and clearer ROI

More than 1,000 travel executives surveyed said conferences continue to play an important role in the industry, despite widespread doubts about their actual return on investment. Only 36% of regular attendees felt their last event clearly delivered measurable value, even as most respondents still attend multiple conferences each year. The findings suggest that networking alone is no longer enough to justify the growing time and cost associated with industry events. Instead, attendees increasingly expect conferences to deliver practical insights, curated meetings, and business-relevant takeaways that remain useful after they return to work.

Key takeaways

• ROI concerns are growing: Only 36% of respondents said their most recent conference clearly delivered ROI, highlighting increasing pressure on event organizers to demonstrate tangible business value.
• Attendance remains resilient: Despite concerns about effectiveness, 71% of executives still attend at least two conferences annually, driven by a mix of networking expectations, habit, and fear of missing industry developments.
• Strategic insight is the primary motivation: Around 67% of attendees said they participate mainly to gain strategic insights, although many felt conference discussions often remain too broad or repetitive.
• Exclusive content matters more: More than half of respondents said in-person events only justify the investment if they provide information or perspectives unavailable through reports, webinars, or existing professional networks.
• Panel fatigue continues: Attendees criticized vague panel discussions, overly promotional sponsor sessions, and overly packed schedules that leave little room for meaningful conversations or reflection.
• Demand for practical outcomes is increasing: Respondents said they increasingly want actionable summaries, clearer business implications, pre-arranged meetings, and focused topic-specific discussions rather than broad agendas.
• Smaller specialized events are gaining relevance: The findings support a growing industry shift toward more focused gatherings centered on specific themes such as AI, aviation, or data, where attendees can engage more deeply with relevant topics.
• Post-event intelligence is becoming essential: Executives increasingly expect conferences to provide structured follow-up materials, concise business takeaways, and usable insights that can easily be shared internally with leadership teams.

Source: Skift

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