Skift Conferences’ unique survey of 103 assembly professionals* paints an image of a complicated and difficult panorama for assembly planners as they alter to new Trump Administration insurance policies. Whereas for some it’s enterprise as common, others are experiencing rising prices from tariffs, cancellations in industries affected by authorities cuts, fewer worldwide attendees keen to journey to the U.S., and concern concerning the impression of immigration insurance policies on resort staffing.
Virtually a 3rd of respondents (29%) have already modified the placement of this 12 months’s conferences or incentive journeys as a consequence of geopolitical circumstances. When requested if they’re contemplating altering places for future occasions, 39% mentioned sure, 21% had been uncertain, and 37% mentioned no.
Tariff Impacts
Rising prices are plaguing the overwhelming majority of planners: When requested about the primary issues impacting their jobs proper now, 90% mentioned potential value will increase and 66% mentioned potential recession. A full 82% mentioned they anticipate assembly prices to extend in 2025–2026 due to the tariffs.
Respondents additionally reported value will increase on promotional merchandise and incentive presents, mixed with a rise within the size of time it takes to obtain items.
Sure Industries Hit Arduous
Authorities conferences, educational and scientific conferences, and people with worldwide attendees have been hardest hit. Mentioned one nameless planner: “The federal government conferences trade has disappeared.”
Kyle Jordan, director of conferences at INFORMS, the Institute for Operations Analysis and the Administration Sciences, mentioned that whereas he anticipates 10-15% decrease attendance this 12 months as a result of 35% of his attendees come from exterior of the U.S., “As an academic-focused group, we anticipate seeing an even bigger hit to our home attendance in 2026 as universities shore up funding for potential long-term courtroom battles.”
Worldwide Attendees Staying House
Worldwide attendees now face a mixture of visa challenges and issues about border entry and security. “Our worldwide members have knowledgeable us that touring to the U.S. for a convention is at the moment not within the playing cards,” mentioned an nameless planner. “Lots of our members have misplaced funding, and are having to chop again convention attendance. General, our registration tempo is far slower than it has been the final three years.”
Mark Phillips, chief working officer at LamontCo, mentioned he has seen worldwide attendance at U.S. conferences drop by 30% or extra, “particularly these the place the air tickets haven’t but been bought.”
As cross-border tensions have elevated, plans for inbound conferences from Canada are getting nixed. Of these respondents with Canadian shoppers or divisions in Canada who had been planning to fulfill within the U.S. this 12 months, 18% have already modified their plans and 15% had been contemplating doing so.
Resort Staffing Issues
One other concern amongst planners is the potential impact of immigration insurance policies on resort staffing, together with kitchen assist, housekeeping, and banquet servers. Greater than two-thirds of respondents (72%) mentioned they anticipate resort staffing to be impacted in 2025–2026, whereas 15% had been uncertain and 13% didn’t foresee any impression.
State of Confusion
Plenty of respondents, together with LamontCo’s Phillips, mentioned they anticipated extra regional conferences because of the falloff in worldwide attendance. Different impacts talked about by respondents included scaling again on utilizing 5-star properties; in search of a lot decrease charges than prior to now; longer lead instances for sourcing and contracting; challenges for college students and attendees of shade getting wanted help to attend sure conferences; and tradeshow exhibitor cancellations.
Even for these planners who mentioned they aren’t feeling any impression from Trump Administration insurance policies, Tim Barrett, senior director, international conferences at Vacation spot South, summed up the present state of confusion being felt by many respondents: “It’s chaotic, particularly the whiplash of someday to the subsequent and the differing totals and/or begin dates.”
TOP 7 PLANNER CONCERNS
(ranked by share of respondents)
- Potential value will increase (90%)
- Potential recession (66%)
- Entry challenges for incoming worldwide attendees (57%)
- Job safety (45%)
- Challenges with bringing U.S. teams internationally (44%)
- Challenges for LGBTQ+ attendees (28%)
- Pregnant attendees requiring emergency care (15%)
*Methodology: Skift Conferences’ e-mail survey of assembly planners was carried out between Could 9 and June 9, 2025, leading to 103 usable responses.
