For 2012 the focus for meetings and events will be on cost-effective solutions, according to research from American Express. The company's Meetings and Events 2012 Meetings Forecast has revealed that globally all signs are positive for a rise in the number of meetings being held - although the cost per meeting is likely to remain the same or slightly decrease. So what can you expect to be the trends for the meetings you're organising throughout 2012?

Global trends:

  • Both the number of days of a meeting and the number of delegates is likely to decrease next year
  • Fourty seven per cent of people are planning on combining meetings with incentives to get more out of the event
  • Although 37 per cent of meeting planners said they're organising events which are greener it's not yet impacting on decisions made on the venue

Local trends:

  • Seventy five per cent of people say they expect the number of meetings being held will remain static or increase
  • Just over a quarter (26%) of people are shifting meetings from large cities to secondary cities
  • Nearly half (43%) of people believe they'll see a decrease in the lead time they have to organise a meeting