Published by Neil Thompson, 28th November 2025
Venues could offer great value on the shoulder nights – Mondays and Fridays; clients could save thousands on their event, simply by switching dates
Wyboston Venue Management directors see challenges and opportunities for the meetings and events sector next year
“In 2025, there has been a noticeable reduction in smaller events which typically book at shorter lead times. I expect the decline in smaller meetings to continue.”
Christine Gomez, Revenue Director of Wyboston Lakes Resort succinctly captured the overriding view of the Resort’s Senior Leadership Team when they recently considered which issues will have a major impact on the sector in 2026.
CEO Steve Jones reflected on the reasons for this trend. “The rising costs for businesses, from Employers NI to business rates and sticky inflation, will see those organisations that survive this climate cutting back on events; expecting rates to reduce or simply having fewer team members to train, to send to events or to help plan and organise offsites. This could lead to both shorter length events and a rise in non-residential events.”
“fewer but bigger events with better revenue per head for corporate conferences”
Richard Smith, Chief Commercial Officer, Wyboston Lakes
Innovation and productivity
From a venue management perspective, CFO Julie Ireland says “the focus will remain on strengthening margins with innovation, productivity and finding new solutions for clients to maintain a competitive edge.”
Operations Director Simon McMahon adds “venues need to be smarter with how they operate, introducing better working practices, getting their team to be as productive as possible and using automation to support this.”
Reflecting a more encouraging trend, Marketing Director and Sustainability Lead Louisa Watson says “2025 has been a year where client value and delegate experience have become inseparable from environmental and ethical impact. In 2026, I expect sustainability and experience design to become even more closely aligned. Delegates, especially Gen Z professionals, expect more from in-person experiences — from inclusivity and wellbeing to environmental impact and meaningful content.”
Opportunities
Richard Smith sees a positive prospect in the growing importance of the delegate experience. “There is an opportunity to be seized by venues that can offer upgrades to delegate experience.”
Steve Jones also sees an opportunity in another trend. “With prime dates more compressed to Tuesday-Thursday in term time since the pandemic, and the rise in flexible and home working, there could be an opportunity for venues to offer great value on the ‘shoulder nights’ where the clients could save thousands on their event, simply by switching dates.”
