The meetings and events industry is at the crossroads of change and opportunity in 2025. New trends are shaping how events come to life, including unusual venues and AI-driven personalisation. For hotels, these changes mean new ways to win market share and make a lasting impression. Cvent reveals the five key trends hotels must know to meet the evolving needs of event planners and attract more MICE business.
Unique Venues Are in High Demand
Event planners are prioritising unique and memorable spaces to create wow moments. Almost 50% of planners in North America and 45% in Europe now prefer distinctive venues – up from just two years ago. They want spaces that tell a story and add to the attendee experience.
Hotels can embrace this trend by showcasing their flexible layouts, unique amenities and tailored experiences (both on and offsite). Going beyond the ballroom, hotels should showcase how spaces from penthouse suites, to rooftops, bars and terraces can be transformed into intimate breakout rooms or cosy networking zones. Even lobbies can be doubled as exhibition spaces during major events.
Tip: To reach planners seeking distinctive venues, list your hotel on venue sourcing platforms, and showcase unique spaces within your property with compelling visuals. Demonstrate how spaces can be transformed with interactive 3D floor plans and virtual site tours.
Drive Accessibility with Technology
Accessibility is now a key factor in creating inclusive events. The World Health Organisation says 1.3 billion people, or 16% of the world’s population, live with significant disabilities. Failing to make events inclusive means excluding a substantial portion of the audience. In 2025, accessibility means more than ramps and elevators. Modern events need technology that serves everyone.
Hotels are using tech to remove barriers. Features like virtual captioning, accessible booking tools, and assistive listening devices help create an inclusive environment. Delegates also expect quiet rooms, allergy-friendly catering, and sensory-friendly spaces.
Tip: Partner with an event tech provider and local accessibility specialists for live captioning, ASL services, and more. Use event registration forms to capture guests’ needs and create a detailed accessibility map showing routes, quiet zones, and support services.
Adopt Smarter Tools for Data Privacy
With stringent global regulations like GDPR and CCPA, data security is a critical factor in venue selection. Event professionals assess properties not only for their amenities but also for their ability to protect sensitive information throughout the event lifecycle.
Hotels are strengthening security measures, automating compliance, and training staff to handle data properly. Transparency around privacy practices is key to building trust with planners and guests.
Tip: Share your privacy practices with planners and guests. Include a data protection notice in bookings and have contact points for privacy queries.
AI Adoption
Artificial Intelligence is transforming the events industry. Venues are using AI-driven tools to personalise guest interactions, automate responses and optimise event logistics. From chatbots handling enquiries to smart pricing based on demand forecasting, the technology is improving customer service and operational efficiency.
AI is also changing how venues manage RFPs. Properties can now generate custom proposals and prioritise high-value leads to speed up negotiations and get more bookings.
Tip: Invest in AI tools that enhance the guest experience and streamline operations. Focus on solutions that automate repetitive tasks and extract insights from your data about slow periods, rate adjustments, and upselling to better manage room blocks and meeting spaces.
Personalisation at Scale
Attendees now expect customised experiences. Over half (57%) of them want event summaries tailored to their participation, just like the hyper-personalised digital experiences they get in other areas of their lives.
Hotels can help by offering bespoke setups, personalised dining recommendations, and local experiences. AI can help by analysing attendee preferences and providing real-time recommendations.
Tip: Help planners personalise events by offering unique setups and local recommendations for dining, activities, and entertainment. Partner with CVBs to build custom activity packages based on attendee interests.
The events and hospitality landscape in 2025 is set for transformation driven by AI powered technology, hyper-personalised experiences and a continued focus on inclusivity and data privacy. Hotels that embrace advancements in AI to drive efficiency, improve service levels and RFP response times and deliver personalisation will reap the benefits.
About Cvent
Cvent is a leading meetings, events, and hospitality technology provider with 4,800+ employees and ~22,000 customers worldwide as of December 31, 2023. Founded in 1999, the company delivers a comprehensive event marketing and management platform and offers a global marketplace where event professionals collaborate with venues to create engaging, impactful experiences. Cvent is headquartered in Tysons, Virginia, just outside of Washington D.C., and has additional offices around the world to support its growing global customer base. The comprehensive Cvent event marketing and management platform offers software solutions to event organisers and marketers for online event registration, venue selection, event marketing and management, virtual and onsite solutions, and attendee engagement. Cvent’s suite of products automates and simplifies the event management lifecycle and maximises the impact of in-person, virtual, and hybrid events. Hotels and venues use Cvent’s supplier and venue solutions to win more group and corporate travel business through Cvent’s sourcing platforms. Cvent solutions optimise the event management value chain and have enabled clients around the world to manage millions of meetings and events. For more information, please visit cvent.com/uk.
Nicola AllenDirector, Hospitality Cloud Marketing, Europe, CventCvent Europe Ltd
