World
Online travel market explodes to $650bn, with smartphones winning the war
Recent years have seen the largest structural change in travel commerce in decades. The research all but confirms it – in 2025, travellers are booking online, on mobile, powered by AI. Data indicates that the global online travel booking market will reach $648bn in 2025, up from $576bn in 2024. Online booking is adding roughly $72bn in new business each year – equivalent to creating an entire Airb...
Business events singled out for significant growth by WEF
A new World Economic Forum (WEF) report points to business events as a significant growth driver for tourism and New Zealand must be part of that wave, says Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA). Travel and Tourism at a Turning Point: Principles for Transformative Growth Insight Report (July 2025) shows the business events sector – meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions – is projecte...
ICCA calls for submission of data for new governmental meetings ranking
The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) is calling on all members to submit 2025 governmental meetings data for a new ranking that claims to offer a more nuanced perspective of the global meetings landscape. The new ranking will recognise that governmental meetings also operate under different structures and processes compared with association meetings. To qualify meetings mus...
The changing model for big automotive events
CMW looks at how the automotive sector is adapting to a new era From demographic analysis to behavioural analysisAs the global automotive industry heads toward a future shaped by electrification, digitalisation, and shifting trade dynamics, the events that bring its stakeholders together are experiencing change. From major expos to leadership summits, automotive conferences are being challenged to...
A glimpse into the future of global business meetings and events
International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) CEO Senthil Gopinath reflects on the 2025 ICCA GlobeWatch Ranking Report Last month, ICCA released the latest version of its 2025 GlobeWatch Ranking Report. This resource, which has served as an industry benchmark in years past, is more than just a new edition of a longstanding ICCA publication. This year’s version represents a revitalised s...
UNESCO reveals 2025 World Heritage site additions
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has unveiled the latest additions to its prestigious World Heritage List for 2025. With more than 1,200 sites already recognised across the globe, the list celebrates places of outstanding cultural, historical, and natural significance. According to the BBC, the decision to add the latest sites to the list was made by th...
DMO funding is at risk – why?
Nearly half of destination marketing organisations worldwide report their funding is at risk over the next three years, according to new research by Destinations International. The 2025 DestinationNEXT Futures Study, published by Destinations International, found that 42% of destination organisations fear budget cuts or elimination – up from 37% in 2023. The findings come as these bodies evolve fa...
Tourism whitepaper warns cities against chasing sustainability rankings
Cities should focus on genuine transformation rather than pursuing scores in tourism sustainability indexes. So says a new report from City Destinations Alliance (CityDNA) and Simpleview. The whitepaper “The Score is Not the Story” challenges the relevance of sustainability rankings and certifications in urban tourism. It argues that destinations often prioritise what can be measured o...
Travel managers are now sourcing venues in 91% of companies, according to Cvent report
Cvent has released its 2025 Global Travel Managers Report. Among the many findings of the report, Cvent found that there has been a sharp uptick in the percentage of travel managers who are sourcing hotels and venues for their organisation’s meetings and events. Travel managers are sourcing hotels and venues for events The report found that 91% of corporate travel managers now source hotels and ve...
Corporate travel firms cutting incentive trips but not tech spend, Cvent reports
Cvent has released its 2025 Global Travel Managers Report – a survey of over 1,600 corporate travel decision-makers covered across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. Cutting incentive trips – but not tech spend Among the many findings of the report, Cvent found that one of the top concerns among travel managers is rising costs – 71% expect higher expenses in 2025. As a result...
MPI UK & Ireland wins global RISE award for education
The MPI UK & Ireland chapter has won an award for its role in education. On 20 June, the 2025 Global RISE Award for Innovation in Educational Programming was given to the UK & Ireland chapter at MPI’s World Education Congress (WEC25) in St Louis, Missouri. The award was for the chapter’s “MPI Impacts” event. The programme featured immersive learning experiences incl...
