Transatlantic divide: Planners in North America downplay sustainability, but Europe holds firm on value and diversity. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/deagreez
When choosing a destination and venue, planners in North America are becoming less concerned by sustainability and social impact, while those in the UK and Europe see cost and value for money as most important.
This is according to the 2025 International Planner Sentiment Report, produced by the Business of Events, an independent Think Tank and Advocacy Network. It features responses from event planners and agencies across the UK, Europe and North America, based around ten topics of sentiment.
The ten topics relate to destination and venue selection, and include accessibility, transport and ease of travel, cost and value for money, cultural identity, destination and city brand, destination support, destination welcome, equity and diversity, food and hospitality, safety and security and sustainability and social impact.
In North America, the importance of sustainability & social impact and equity & diversity has declined compared to last year’s results, while safety and security, accessibility, transport and ease of travel and cost and value for money ranked top of the agenda.
Planners in the UK and Europe are feeling increased economic pressure, with cost and value for money rising to the top of their agenda, compared to last year, while equity and diversity was also top-ranked.
The report says that while sustainability and social impact is still considered an important area, there has continued to be less of a focus placed on it as a deciding factor in destination choice, perhaps reflecting the previous year’s report which shows sustainability to be now regarded as more of a given by international planners.
Other decision-making factors, such as accessibility, destination and city brand, food and hospitality, and safety and security, remained largely stable year-on-year across all regions.
Mike Fletcher, director of news and content at The Business of Events, said: "While most sentiment indicators have remained stable, the 2025 data highlights emerging regional divergences – especially in North America – which may indicate broader cultural and economic shifts. This data is invaluable in helping UK destinations and venues adapt their strategies to maintain global competitiveness."