Business events are emerging as “trust infrastructure” in an era of AI-generated content and declining digital credibility, according to new research from Saxton and ThinkerTank.
The report, The Future of Business Events: 2030 and Beyond, found connection and networking is now the number one attendee behaviour shift, with more than half of event professionals reporting increased demand for genuine human interaction.
Launched on 19 March, the research draws on more than 360 survey responses, 15 in-depth interviews and over 20 industry sources. It argues that as digital channels become saturated and remote work continues to reshape behaviour, face-to-face events are increasingly relied on to build trust, relationships and culture.
“People want to be in the room. In an age where you can access almost anything from a screen, the hunger for genuine human connection is stronger than ever. Events aren’t competing with the internet. They’re the antidote to it,” said Dr Ben Hamer of ThinkerTank.
The report identifies six trends set to shape business events through to 2030: experience, connection, relevance, personalisation, quality and proof.
Relevance to the audience has emerged as the most important factor when selecting speakers, rated three times more important than profile or name recognition.
Nearly six in 10 respondents expect smaller, more targeted events to drive future growth, while one in three attendees said they expect a more personalised experience.
At the same time, almost three quarters of respondents said measurable return on investment will be essential or very important by 2030. However, the report notes that some of the most valuable outcomes events deliver — including trust, relationships, belonging and culture — remain difficult to quantify.
Saxton CEO Anne Jamieson said the industry is shifting away from simply filling rooms and toward designing experiences that create meaningful change.
“The demand for in-person events has never been stronger, and neither has the scrutiny. What we are seeing from clients is a genuine shift: away from filling a room and toward designing an experience that changes something. That might be how a team thinks, how a culture feels, or how a workforce understands what is coming next,” Jamieson said.
“The speakers and programmes that deliver that are not interchangeable. Relevance is not a nice-to-have. It is the whole brief.”
The findings come as Australia’s business events industry contributes more than $19.6 billion to the visitor economy, with the report arguing strong demand alone will not be enough to ensure long-term relevance.
Instead, it suggests events designed around trust, connection and measurable outcomes will define the sector through to 2030.
