Following a year of uncertainty, the "2021 Global Meetings and Events Forecast" from American Express Meetings & Events, a division of American Express Global Business Travel (GBT), found that businesses have quickly adapted meetings and events programs to keep customers, prospects and employees engaged.

Global DMC Partners (GDP) has shared the results of it

American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) has announced the addition of a new green hotel badge to its proprietary travel and expense software, Neo. The new display is the latest in a series of developments to support GBT’s commitment to helping companies attain their carbon ambitions by enabling travelers to choose sustainable transport and hotel options.

The majority of Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) companies expect their employees to return to in-person events in 2021. Almost half (45 percent) expect attendance to resume in the first half of the year, according to the latest poll conducted between September 15-19, 2020, by GBTA, with an additional 25 percent expecting a return to in-person events in the second half of 2021.

MMGY Global is developing a series of market research studies to be informed by diverse travel advocacy organizations to better identify the needs, behaviors and sentiment of underrepresented travel communities—for both leisure and business travel. The first installment of these studies, powered by MMGY Travel Intelligence, is titled “The Black Traveler: Insights, Opportunities & Priorities” and focuses on Black leisure travelers and meetings professionals. The Black Traveler study is set to be published in late October. 

To showcase the innovative measures being taken to support the safe return of in-person meetings and events, the Meetings Mean Business Coalition (MMBC) is enlisting corporate executives, policymakers and meetings industry leadership to engage in critical conversations in a virtual discussion series.  The conversations—which premiered in July and will continue through the fall—thus far highlighted five key considerations, predictions and actions underway. They are:

A recent survey of how North American venue operators are currently serving customers in wheelchairs indicates opportunities for improved access. The June 2020 venue accessibility survey was completed as part of a joint study on behalf of IAVM (International Association of Venue Managers) and Lexia.Solutions. 

Some good news. Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) member companies worldwide are reporting an emerging willingness to permit employees to engage in domestic business travel, according to the latest poll conducted August 5-9, 2020.

Ninety-five percent of event planners may run a hybrid event in 2020, according to a survey by etc.venues. This figure reflects the growing commitment to hybrid events as, at the beginning of July, 73 percent said they expected to hold a hybrid event this year. Many are already putting this into action, with 34 percent of respondents in the process of organizing a hybrid or multi-hub event, while 61 percent are in the decision-making phase for their event.

As signs of recovery continue in the business travel sector, travel procurement professionals are prioritizing the health and safety of employees, according to a new poll released by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA).