FCM Meetings & Events research has shown attendee experience has emerged as the top priority for event planners across Australia and New Zealand, with 80 per cent ranking it above all other considerations.
The figure outpaces the global average of 76.5 per cent and signals a fundamental shift in how organisations approach MICE, as highlighted in FCM M&E’s 2026 Global Trends Report.
Rather than chasing standout moments at any cost, businesses are focusing on delivering events that run smoothly, feel well thought-out, and respect the time attendees invest.
Employee engagement sits at the heart of this shift. In ANZ, 65.5 per cent of respondents cited it as the primary reason for increased spend, with internal alignment, leadership connection and capability building now driving agendas more than spectacle.
“Time is a precious commodity in the business world. If people are travelling, stepping away from work and investing their energy, the entire event experience needs to justify that commitment,” FCM Meetings & Events business leader Australia Katie Fraser said.
Safety and security remain critical, with 74.2 per cent of ANZ respondents rating it as the second-highest priority, slightly below the global figure of 79 per cent.
“ANZ enters 2026 with steady demand for in-person meetings, but planning is defined by scrutiny and distance,” Fraser added. “Budgets remain broadly stable, with 85.7 per cent of organisations expecting spend to hold or increase. Yet scale is measured.
“Medium-sized events dominate global allocation at 36.6 per cent, and that preference for manageable formats is evident across ANZ, where organisations are looking for impact without operational strain.”
The report reveals that 35 per cent of organisations globally now expect to manage between US$1 million and US$10 million (around AU$1.4 and AU$14.03 million) in meetings spend in 2026, a 19-percentage-point increase from the previous year.
This focus on precision and efficiency is reflected in ANZ’s planning cycles, with the region having the shortest average lead time globally at just 52 days between RFP and event, demonstrating both market maturity and mounting pressure to deliver quality outcomes in compressed timeframes.
The emphasis on experience also extends to incentive travel programmes, with ANZ businesses favouring short-haul and mid-haul destinations that balance memorable experiences with cost and travel time considerations.
Meanwhile, sustainability remains embedded in planning decisions.
More than half of ANZ respondents (51.7 per cent) often or always consider destination selection through a sustainability lens. In contrast, 100 per cent of bookings in 2025 included requests to remove at least one item to support sustainable events, including plastic bottles, paper cups and notebooks.
“Across the region, confidence is intact,” Fraser concluded. “What has changed is the level of precision applied to every decision.”
