The Cvent 2022 Q1 Planner Sourcing Report: Europe Edition is the biannual pulse check of meeting and event planners’ sourcing plans and priorities; uncovering the trends that will help hotels and venues understand how best to attract, engage and support planners across the UK and western Europe as they source events in 2022 and beyond.<
Cvent, a market-leading meetings, events, and hospitality technology provider, commissioned independent research company, Censuswide, to survey over 500 event planners, managers, coordinators and directors across the UK and Europe (France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain) in January 2022.
Venue representatives and planners are invited to join Cvent’s live webinar on Tuesday 29 March, 2pm GMT, which will provide deeper insights into the report findings. Karla Pearce, Marketing Director Europe, Cvent Hospitality Cloud will lead the discussion joined by meetings, events, accommodation and travel management specialist: Anna Snoep, Director of Operations, Inntel. The webinar is free to join and industry professionals can register here.
Pearce said: “In-person experiences are making a comeback, and to make the most of attracting MICE business, it is paramount hotels and venues understand planners’ shifting priorities and continue to evolve the services they offer to better support their requirements. This webinar offers insights into current planner sourcing trends, and we’re excited to have Anna join the discussion to give hospitality professionals the opportunity to hear first-hand from an event professional.”
Key findings of the report include:
The Return of In-person Events
- Event organisers are planning for the return of in-person events. The report reveals planners across the UK and Europe are embracing a diversified range of event formats for their programmes in 2022; with more than 70% saying that events with in-person components will make up the majority of their event programmes. Of that 70%, hybrid events are the most popular format (38%).
o Sourcing is primarily focused on meetings scheduled to take place in 2022. Of those planners surveyed (currently sourcing venues for events with in-person components), two-thirds (66%) say they will hold events in the first half of this year, whilst 70% are planning events in the second half of the year. By region, sourcing for in-person events increases to 96% for planners based in Spain, 92% in the Netherlands, 87% in the UK and 73% in France.
o Overall, 71% of those surveyed are sourcing hotels for their in-person meetings compared to special event venues (includes conference centres, business centres, art galleries, academic and historic venues). Regionally the type of hotels ranking high are five-star independent/boutique hotels (63%) in the UK and (53%) in Germany. Three-star chain hotels (52%) are top in Italy, France favours both four-star independent/boutique hotels and four-star chain hotels (both 48%), In the Netherlands (41%) cite five-star chain hotels and four-star chain hotels (39%) in Spain.
Top Venue Considerations
Planner’s top considerations that are key to their choice of venue are:
- Interactive event space diagrams (43%) and virtual site tours (42%) are top of mind when planners begin sourcing for their events. Hotels should look to incorporate these digital offerings into their online presence to help streamline and enhance the online sourcing process.
- When it comes to selecting a venue for their events, the most important considerations for planners across the UK and Europe are on-site production and tech expertise and venue/meeting room rates (both 27%).
o The importance of on-site production and tech expertise is further supported by the report findings which reveal more than half of planners (62%) plan to increase their spend for event management software/technology in 2022.
- Additional venue considerations include: provision of hybrid-ready rooms or studios, health and safety protocols/certifications and brand reputation (all 26%). These were also all top considerations in the 2021 Planner Sourcing Report: Europe Edition.
Important to note, the biggest factors that would prevent planners from returning to a venue they have previously hired are lack of professionalism among venue sales teams (32%), poor health and safety precautions (30%) and a bad booking experience (27%).
Growing Event Budgets
- Planners have bigger budgets compared to 2019 (pre-pandemic). Among all respondents, 68% say they have more budget for in-person and hybrid events. Only 13% say their budget has been reduced.
o Regionally, in the UK, just over half of planners (57%) have more budget. In Germany (71%) have more spend, which is the same proportion of planners that have increased budgets in other European markets (71%).
Survey Respondents
Of the 500+ companies surveyed, the minimum turnover is £100,000 a year, and the majority have turnover from £1 million – £100 million. Respondents work in a broad range of industry sectors including architecture, engineering & building; arts & culture; education; finance; healthcare; HR; IT & telecoms; legal, retail, catering & leisure; sales, media & marketing and travel & transport.
