The Meetings Industry PULSE Survey, launched in March 2020 at the inception of the global pandemic, captures changes in meeting planner sentiment and expectations. PULSE has become an important predictive tool, tracking changes in
business expectations and sharing planners' collective needs with industry stakeholders worldwide.
Put your finger on the pulse of meeting planner sentiment. Download a free copy of the latest cycle of the Northstar/Cvent Meetings Industry PULSE Survey report.
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February 2026
Booking activity remains consistent with that of the last two years — but planner sentiment has slipped further downward. Download now.
December 2025
Planners are anticipating costs to rise an average of 9 to 13 percent next year — and for many, budgets aren't keeping pace. Download now.
September 2025
Planner optimism continues to trend upward, although 2026 expectations have softened slightly for both meeting volume and attendance. Download now.
July 2025
Planner sentiment has reversed course and become more optimistic, and the perceived value of face-to-face meetings is higher than ever. Download now.
May 2025
Meetings momentum has slowed and planners' outlook for attendance has continued to soften, even as optimism has slightly improved. Download now.
March 2025
The winds have shifted and optimism has decreased, as a majority of planners say their meetings have been impacted by the new presidential administration. Download now.
February 2025
Industry indicators remain positive, but pricing — including F&B, room rates and A/V — continues to be a main concern. Download now.
December 2024
The latest Meetings Industry PULSE Survey forecasts a significant rise in meetings spend for 2025. Download the results.
October 2024
The latest Meetings Industry PULSE Survey reveals sustained optimism among planners. Download the results.
August 2024
Perception of the importance of meetings relative to other business development initiatives is sky-high. Download the results.
May 2024
More than two-thirds of planners report they are being cautious with their contracts. Download the results.
March 2024
Meetings business is booming worldwide and industry indicators are trending upwards. Download the results.
January 2024
Optimism levels have declined from the heights of January 2023, but general sentiment among meeting planners remains positive. Download the results.
December 2023
Planners/supplier relationships have markedly improved as the year draws to a close. Download the results.
October 2023
Booking activity is up, and planners will likely be increasing their budgets next year to account for rising costs. Download the results.
August 2023
Planners will likely be increasing their budgets next year to account for rising costs. Download the results.
June 2023
The outlook for meetings business is still bullish, but post-Covid optimism has waned somewhat.
Download the results.
April 2023
As business picks up, some of the latest planner challenges intensify. Download the results.
February 2023
As the new year began, meeting planner optimism continued to soar. Download the results.
December 2022
Optimism remains high, and planners are closing the year by booking business. Download the results.
September/October 2022
Demand and optimism remains high for meetings but headwinds continue to be evident. Download the results.
August 2022
Regardless of cost and service issues, the future looks bright for meetings. Download the results.
June 2022
Planners are busy and remain bullish. Download the results.
March 2022
Planners are optimistic about their present and future. Download the results.
January 2022
Half of planners are less optimistic about recovery than they were pre-Omicron, while the other half are undeterred. Download the results.
October 2021
Over the past two months, nearly two-thirds of meeting planners have delayed, rescheduled, moved or cancelled an in-person meeting or event. Download the results.
August 2021
While new bookings are down and cancellations are up, two-thirds of respondents will hold in-person events this year. Download the results.
July 2021
Face-to-face meetings are the primary focus for meeting planners, per Northstar’s latest PULSE Survey. Download the results.
May 2021
Planners booking live events for this year are finding hotel staffing more worrisome than Covid-19. Download the results.
April 2021
In-person meetings are a priority again. Booking live or hybrid events is now the primary job function of nearly one in five planners, a 50 percent increase since our last survey. Download the results.
March 2021
This is the turnaround we've been waiting for. 81 percent of meeting planners say they will hold their next in-person event sometime this year. Download the results.
January 2021
A new year brings new hopes — and new worries — to meeting and event professionals. Most expect the rollout of vaccines to accelerate our industry’s recovery. Download the results.
November 2020
Planners who intended to hold in-person or hybrid meetings in the near future have adjusted their expectations — again — as Covid-19 numbers continue to rise. Download the results.
October 2020
Even optimistic meeting professionals are growing jaded, as a timeline for pandemic recovery remains elusive. Download the results.
September 2020
Planners have a relatively high degree of confidence in their ability to plan and produce virtual or hybrid events, according to our latest PULSE Survey. Download the results.
August 2020
With coronavirus cases declining in the United States, it's not surprising that our survey reveals slight but encouraging gains in industry expectations. Download the results.
July 2020
With a surge in COVID-19 cases in the United States, meeting planner confidence is waning. Download the results.
June 2020
Look for live meetings to return this year: Forty-one percent of meeting planners expect to hold rescheduled events before year-end 2020. Download the results.
May 2020
Meeting planner optimism about the return of live events is waning; fewer respondents are actively planning and booking meetings. Download the results.
April 2020
The worldwide pandemic has been particularly harsh for the meetings industry, but a deep dive into planners’ individual experiences and expectations reveals that a majority are working on future business and anticipating fundamental changes. Download the results.
March 31, 2020
No major changes were seen in the distribution of cancellations, postponements and virtual event alternatives. Download the results.
March 17, 2020
As confirmed cases and deaths related to the coronavirus have continued to rise in the U.S. and worldwide, it comes as no surprise that the results of our PULSE Survey reveal a pronounced shift in meeting planners’ actions and attitudes. Download the results.