Oneworld's network of 15 member airlines serves nearly 1,000 destinations worldwide. Photo Credit: Rafael Henrique for Adobe Stock
As rising travel costs put greater pressure on business-event budgets, Oneworld is making the case that in-person gatherings are more valuable than ever.
At IMEX America in Las Vegas, Nev., the global airline alliance relaunched its Oneworld meetings and events platform, a booking tool designed to simplify air travel for international meetings, conferences and conventions while providing attendees access to preferential fares across Oneworld's network of 15 member airlines serving nearly 1,000 destinations worldwide.
The platform is geared toward events with at least 50 independently traveling attendees converging on a single destination. Organizers receive a dedicated booking link that attendees can use to arrange flights from their individual points of origin.
A broader play for international events
Oneworld says the relaunched platform is intended to support a range of gathering types, including corporate meetings and association conferences. The alliance believes easier access to global air travel is of the utmost importance as planners look beyond traditional destinations and attendees become more selective about where, why and how they travel.
The launch coincides with the release of Meetings & Events Trends 2027-2030, a new report developed by the trend-forecasting agency Globetrender in partnership with Oneworld. The report argues that despite the proliferation of AI and digital communication tools, demand for high-value, face-to-face experiences is only growing stronger.
In-person connection becomes a competitive advantage
According to the report, the meetings industry is entering what Globetrender CEO Jenny Southan describes as a "new golden age of gathering," driven by the growing emphasis on human connection.
One of the report's standout trends, the "Human Premium," posits that the easier AI makes it to access information, the more valuable in-person professional relationship-building becomes. In fact, research cited in the report found that 89 percent of Gen Z workers believe live events are critical for building professional confidence.
"Even in an increasingly digital world, research shows the enduring value of connecting in person, and that the best events create relationships, ideas and opportunities that are difficult to replicate virtually," said Roger Blackburn, Oneworld's vice president of commercial and loyalty, during the launch announcement.
Seven trends shaping meetings through 2030
All told, the report identifies seven forces expected to reshape international gatherings over the next several years. Among them is the "ROI of Presence," which reflects growing pressure on organizers to demonstrate business outcomes rather than simply attendance numbers. In short, with travel costs at a premium, event stakeholders want proof that an in-person meeting delivered measurable value.
The report also points to the rise of experience-first events, with conferences taking cues from festivals, entertainment brands and fan communities to create more immersive environments. Another trend, "Destination as Content," suggests that the host city itself is becoming a major draw, with attendees increasingly choosing events based on the experiences available to them beyond the convention center.
Other trends highlighted include "Geo-Compression," which examines how expanding airline networks and ultra-long-haul flights are opening previously hard-to-reach destinations; "Loyalty Ecosystems," which explores deeper integration between airline and hotel rewards; and "Meet Me Airside," the growing role of airports and airport-adjacent hotels as meeting destinations in their own right.