Why purpose-driven events matter more than ever

Hotels and resorts are thinking outside the square as corporate events and incentive travel enter a new territory.

Fresh optimism is sweeping through the corporate events and conferences market, as both modern travellers and forward-thinking organisations rethink the offsite experiences they invest in. 

Segment momentum is reflected in the numbers, with the Australian meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) market projected to reach US$44.4 billion ($63.7 billion) by 2034, up from US$18.1 billion ($25.97 billion) in 2025, according to research from IMARC Group. 

Hotels and resorts remain among the largest players in the corporate events ecosystem. They are increasingly central to shifting expectations as the next era of business events becomes more experiential, strategic, and closely aligned with what modern attendees want. 

The result has been far more memorable corporate events built around distinctive experiences and more modern touches. Conferences are increasingly infused with local culture and built to allow time for regional activities, elevating the overall meeting and event experience. 

One company at the forefront of this innovation is IHG Hotels & Resorts, a leading hotel company with 21 global brands and a growing presence across Australia. As a leader in the groups and meetings industry, IHG has a long history of analysing the changing trends in how people meet, travel and connect in the modern workforce – and, importantly, what this means for the future of business meetings. 

In our hybrid working world, offsite work meetings or conferences need to be much more intentional, with interactive and engaging events revolutionising the corporate experience, explains Dean Jones, vice president commercial, East Asia and Pacific, IHG Hotels & Resorts. 

“How people meet, travel and connect is evolving. Value-led experiences that provide meaningful, purpose-led or values-aligned experiences will be more important when booking venues in the future,” Jones says. 

Going beyond the boardroom

Across the region, IHG’s meeting and events offering spans everything from tropical retreats such as Six Senses Fiji and InterContinental Hayman Great Barrier Reef to city landmarks such as InterContinental Sydney, Crowne Plaza Hobart, Crowne Plaza Christchurch and the newly opened InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach. 

IHG recently surveyed the market to understand better how and when business leaders plan to meet in 2026 and beyond, and what priorities they have when choosing a destination. Convenience curation came out on top. 

The research reveals that 65% of business decision-makers favour central business district locations for day meetings and workshops. At the same time, half would also consider regional destinations within two to three hours of a capital city. 

Wellbeing is also important for attendees, with 55% of venue bookers seeking balance-focused environments. Meanwhile, 49% want increased access to curated local experiences when selecting a venue. 

“If you’re asking attendees to give their attention for a day or two, modern-day events and meetings need to be far more intentional than in the past to bolster and reward participant engagement,” Jones says. 

While the data shows a growing bias toward meetings closer to home, incentive travel continues to command strong interest. For many organisations, international trips remain the ultimate reward, with 30% of business events decision-makers opting for overseas destinations. 

“We found 30% of business events decision-makers were opting for overseas destinations,” Jones says. “Incentive travel is a valuable way to take programming aboard while bolstering productivity and talent retention,” Jones says. 

Memorable experiences

To meet the evolving expectations of business travellers, IHG properties are increasingly incorporating distinctive local and wellbeing-led experiences into their event offerings. At Crowne Plaza Sydney Darling Harbour, traditional tea and coffee stations have been reimagined with wellness-focused options, including a kombucha bar, to help delegates stay energised throughout the day. 

Meanwhile, at InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa, the Vanua Immersion Dinner brings groups together with a torch-lit welcome, followed by a traditional Fijian feast, kava ceremony, and Meke dance performance, offering attendees a shared cultural experience that goes far beyond the standard conference dinner. 

Jones says diverse resorts and hotels that foster creativity are increasingly sought after, with research showing business decision-makers favour locations within two hours of the central business district. At the same time, companies are increasingly turning to resorts and unique destinations for incentive travel, rewarding teams, partners and customers with experiences designed to be both memorable and meaningful. 

“The research also reveals that when selecting future business events, respondents are opting for destinations and hotels that help meetings work harder to optimise travel time, protect energy and create experiences that people actually remember,” Jones says. 

“The business events category was built around space and scale for a long time. This meant squeezing as many people as you could into a room and moving large groups through a venue as effectively as possible. 

“But conference attendees don’t want to be sitting through a 75-page slide deck shared to a large screen that they could have looked over in the office. They want interaction and engagement with their peers, and a shared experience they will remember,” Jones says. 

For business leaders or those booking and planning business events, visit meetings.ihg.com to explore the portfolio and request a proposal, or call 1800-MEETINGS.