Continue Learning and Growing With Skift Meetings 

If you’re looking to deepen your meeting planning expertise on your own time, Skift Meetings offers a variety of free online reports available on demand.

Take a look:

Skift Meetings 2025 Megatrends 

From AI-driven personalization to a laser focus on authenticity, sustainability and mental well-being, the 2025 Megatrends report reveals how the industry is transforming.

Topics include:

• AI-Powered Event Tech: The future of personalized experiences is here.
• Authenticity Over Aesthetics: Creating meaningful, not just beautiful, events.
• Private Equity’s Industry Takeover: What it means for planners.
• Sustainability in Action: How EU legislation is fast-tracking green events.
• Mental Health as a Priority: Building well-being into every stage of planning.
• Five Generations, One Event: Strategies for engaging a diverse audience.
• Local Inspiration: How to seamlessly integrate cultural authenticity.

Inspiring Change: 5 Strategies for Purpose-Centered Events

This report, brought to you by Skift Meetings, Business Events Sydney (BESydney), and International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney), examines what the increasing shift to a purpose-driven mindset means for designing and executing conventions, meetings, trade shows, and events. 

You’ll find insights on:

• What it means to use the power of purpose as a North Star for your meeting design.
• Why today’s era of authenticity requires a commitment to help attendees feel like they’re working toward a brighter future.
• What to consider when redesigning the RFP process to include caring for people and the planet.
• How to integrate the local Indigenous community into the fabric of the attendee experience.
• Why the entire events industry must start a new conversation about what it means to be “accessible.”
• How to develop a long-term game plan to monitor the future impacts of your meeting.
• Why hands-on volunteering opportunities are an integral part of your program.

Beyond Eco-Friendly: Putting Sustainability at the Center of Meetings and Events

In this report, Skift Meetings and Destination DC partnered to examine the importance of building a sustainable ecosystem for events from the perspectives of planners, attendees and the host destination.

The report explores sustainable practices including:

• The importance of innovation and sustainability.
• Setting sustainability goals from the inception of your event.
• Having access to top-tier thought leaders.
• Offsetting attendee travel.
• Improving accessibility and inclusion as an element of sustainability.
• Seeking out revitalized buildings and venues to showcase the future.

Meetings With Meaning: An Introductory Guide to Harnessing the Positive Impacts of Meetings and Events

With insights from industry experts, strategies, and relevant case studies, this report – a collaboration between Skift Meetings and IMEX Group, Banff Lake Louise Tourism, Destination Toronto, Hilton, Meeting Destination Vienna, Snoball, Tourisme Montreal and Visit Lauderdale – presents a starting point for more impactful, purposeful meetings and events. It is the ideal entry point for meeting professionals who want to play a crucial role in shaping the industry's and broader society's future. 

This report looks at areas including:

• Defining impactful meetings.
• Exploring why impact matters.
• Guidance on where to start and how to take the next steps.
• Understanding the connection between impact and purpose.
• Demonstrating impact in action through case studies.

Intentional Serendipity: Event Tech and the Future of In-Person Networking

In this report, Skift Meetings and Stova explore the pivotal role technology can play in cultivating connection, with point-by-point guidance on 5 key topics:

• Gathering data to facilitate more intentional networking.
• Leveraging AI for personalized networking recommendations and curated attendee lists.
• Maximizing convenience and engagement with digital connectivity.
• Providing tools that empower attendees to customize their networking experience.
• Building a multi-event strategy informed by data-backed insights.

Reimagining Luxury Venues for Meetings and Events: New Strategies and Insights

This report, sponsored by the Grand America Hotel, helps event organizers keep up with evolving attendee expectations and industry trends, and explores the shifting concept of luxury..

Topics Include:

• The importance of partnering with a property committed to helping attendees immerse themselves in the moment and in the destination.
• The personal touches that can customize and humanize the hospitality experience.
• The difference that a tenured staff member can make in every piece of experience.
• Shifting attendee attitudes about culinary sustainability and a need to focus on a fine dining culture that rewards and respects the people who make it possible.
• The role that art, history, and culture play in luxury experiences and how art can inspire the exchange of ideas at meetings and events.

Networking by Design: Crafting Events for Meaningful Connection

In this report, sponsored by Cvent, Skift Meetings delves into the essence of networking, guiding planners on transforming conventional, transactional gatherings into dynamic environments that foster genuine connections.

Key topics covered in the report include:

• Designing events to facilitate connections.
• Innovative networking tactics, including activities, spaces, settings, session formats, fostering belonging, and the strategic use of name badges.
• The pivotal role of destinations and venues.
• Leveraging technology to support networking.

A Guide to Arizona Meetings: Exceed Expectations With the Unexpected

This guide, sponsored by the Arizona Office of Tourism, offers a look at how to surprise and delight small groups with culturally immersive experiences and adventures so extraordinary that attendees will put away their smartphones and soak in the surroundings.

 Topics covered:

• Showing attendees how to experience, honor, and respect Indigenous cultures.
• Identifying ways to inspire attendees to step outside their comfort zones and challenge themselves.
• Reimagining the concept of team building to deliver truly transformative activities that create a powerful sense of unity among participants.
• Unlocking a new sense of in-the-moment magic by helping attendees reconsider how they manage their digital devices.

Event Tech Almanac 

Beyond comparing event tech platforms, the Event Tech Almanac 2024 – supported by Bizzabo, RingCentral and Stova – offers a comprehensive insight into the event tech landscape. It explores how top event tech companies are adapting to the demand for more customized solutions and gives readers a glimpse into the future of event tech and its potential impacts on the industry.

You’ll find:

• Detailed profiles of 85 leading event tech platforms.
• Side-by-side comparison of 60 features across four key categories (marketing and sales; experience; data, privacy, and security; and support).
• Data-driven overview of the event tech market today.
• Analysis of deal-breakers that planners should know.

5 Trends for Life Sciences Conventions, Meetings & Events 

In this report, brought to you by Skift Meetings and PHL Life Sciences, a division of the Philadelphia CVB, we combine today’s important life sciences sector trends and insights with advice on how to host a successful event in this decidedly new age of the industry.

Topics include:

• The ways that deep expertise and robust support make meetings meaningful.
• The ways in which today’s meetings power tomorrow’s breakthroughs.
• New technologies powering life sciences innovation and events.
• Why venues must meet the needs of life sciences professionals.
• The importance of host cities checking all the boxes as travel destinations.

What’s New in Meetings and Incentive Travel?

This guide gives planners an overview of what’s new across destinations all around the globe, with more than 800 product and service updates at more than 200 destinations worldwide, including:

• Recently opened hotels and venues.
• Future openings of hotels and venues.
• Destination funding schemes.
• Sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
• New direct flights.
• New destination marketing and branding campaigns.