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 and these signs are particularly strong in the Asia-Pacific region - 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

  • The Asia-Pacific region is forging ahead in the meetings industry with strong  growth compared to other parts of the world
  • Only two per cent of meeting planners expect to decrease the number of delegates, with nearly half (43%) actually looking to increase meeting attendees
  • The majority (87%) of people questioned say they're planning to maintain or increase the number of meetings they hold in 2012