ACC's new Meeting Room of the Future report highlights that interest in the sustainability of events is greater in Europe than in the Americas.

A third of event venues claim to have already recovered 80% of their pre-pandemic level of activity, and 70% plan to invest in upgrading or expanding their venues. These figures from the new Meeting Room of the Future barometer from IACC (the International Association of Convention Centers) show that the MICE sector continues to recover despite new economic and geopolitical challenges.

The report shows that the recovery is strongest in residential venues, particularly in Europe, where nearly 25% of the hotels surveyed have already exceeded their pre-pandemic event volume. It also highlights the new trend to incorporate hybrid elements in face-to-face events at the last minute, mainly to connect with speakers remotely, or due to attendees' travel problems, especially in the Americas.

The importance given to sustainability continues to grow, although more so in Europe than in the Americas. European meeting planners are three times more likely to choose venues for their social responsibility credentials or environmental policies. Moreover, 21% of venues in this continent have already received requests from clients to measure the carbon footprint of their events, compared to only 6% in the Americas.