During the past five years we have experienced a seismic shift in the evolution of business events driven by new business models and urgent calls for sustainability, access and inclusiveness across our industry. Recent research from the Events Industry Council, including its Futures Landscape Report and the 2023 Global Economic Significance of Business Events study, underscores these shifts while highlighting the impact of business events on knowledge exchange, innovation, and social advancement. As Executive Director of Business Events at Destination Canada, I believe the future of our industry will be determined by our ability to adapt, measure real-world impacts, and foster sustainable, regenerative growth.
The good news is that despite business events being the last to recover during post-pandemic times, the need to gather, share, build and grow sustainably is building momentum. EIC’s comprehensive surveys and recent studies, conducted in partnership with Oxford Economics, assess a $1.6 trillion global business events sector that is rapidly rebounding to pre-pandemic levels. What is truly exciting is that the industry’s greatest value lies not just in direct investment, but in its power to drive global collaboration, employee engagement, and cross-sector and cross-border innovation. This is what EIC identifies as the “catalytic effects” of business events. Relationship management, building organisational awareness, and attracting new customers, while creating positive benefits for host destinations are now as important as traditional ROI metrics when measuring event success. This shift calls on industry leaders to embrace holistic evaluation models that include sustainability and legacy outcomes as core KPIs.
In Canada, sustainability and regeneration have become non-negotiable standards in event delivery. This past April, Destination Canada convened its inaugural Business Events Sustainability Roundtable, gathering leading global experts to discuss common challenges and collective ambitions across the industry. And while the roundtable highlighted that event planners must move beyond “greenwashing” to demonstrate substantive improvements in carbon emission reductions, waste minimisation, sustainable sourcing, and energy use, highlighting cultural and social impacts of hosting business events is equally important. Transparent ESG reporting emerged as critical, with both clients and partners demanding visibility on impact. New measurement models are invaluable in attracting business events hosting partners whose values are aligned with the industry’s goal towards net zero emissions by 2030.
The consensus at our roundtable was that only through cross-destination collaboration can we develop shared definitions, consistent measurements, and credible success criteria for a sustainable event landscape. This commitment is manifesting in widespread adoption globally of sustainability standards, destination-wide partnerships, and incentives for event organisers who prioritise local sourcing or integrate Indigenous reconciliation and community impact into their programming,
What is exciting to see is that across the globe, industry leaders are embracing innovations that leave positive legacies and restore well-being for both residents and the environment.
“Regeneration” is a word that is quickly overtaking “sustainability” as a guiding principle. For Destination Canada, regenerative event management means actively striving to enhance ecosystems and communities touched by events, from implementing circular economy practices (such as eliminating single-use plastics and adopting reusable materials) to supporting reforestation or community resilience projects in host destinations. This is a powerful movement which I believe is helping raise both the profile and value of business events across global markets.
Imagine attending a conference where its host venues have been enhanced ecologically through habitat restoration and expansion of green spaces? Where local artisans and small business owners are invited into the marketplace to show off their wares and breakout sessions take delegates to businesses who are leading in sustainable and regenerative best practices?
Destination Canada’s Legacy & Impact Study we hope will redefine what business events achieve by evaluating their economic, social, and environmental footprints across Canada. This multi-year project is tracking up to 16 major conferences that were held between 2018 and 2024, and mapping their “positive handprints”, enduring benefits ranging from knowledge transfer and capacity building to sector innovation and community engagement.
By identifying nine critical legacy drivers, including showcasing local expertise, advancing sustainable practices, and supporting advocacy, the research is providing actionable insights for event planners and policymakers worldwide. Rather than focusing solely on immediate economic impacts, the study demonstrates how business events can inspire collaborations, strengthen key industries, spark policy reforms, and drive long-term change—making legacy a core metric for event success in Canada. We hope this will be emulated globally.
The work of EIC and others has proven that no single destination can act in isolation. Instead, new business models must foster open dialogue on measurement challenges, pilot new ESG frameworks, and provide incentives to event planners who choose to lead with sustainable and regenerative best practices. Within Canada we have seen this firsthand as we combine national ambition with practical collaboration. Through partnerships with municipalities, industry suppliers, and event organisers, we champion a holistic view of legacy that emphasises stewardship, knowledge transfer, and community resilience.
Forward-looking business models in the event sector also now embrace transparency, measurable progress, and deep partnerships. EIC’s ongoing research and commitment from business events leaders offer a roadmap toward an industry that can thrive on the principles of stewardship, equity, and regeneration.
It is an important and exciting time for our industry. Business events continue to be a catalyst for change. By working together on these evolving business models, across borders and sectors, sharing best practices, and holding ourselves accountable, our industry can drive meaningful advancement, innovation, and adaptation in a rapidly changing world.
Virginie De Visscher, Executive Director of Business Events at Destination Canada, has a tenacious determination to foster a regenerative meetings industry that benefits people, planet and place.
An innovative thinker with a highly collaborative approach, Virginie has extensive experience in business development, international operations and humanitarian aid – from leading international trade missions to managing coffee and cocoa operations in East Africa.
