Trends in CVB and planner relationships point to a positive outlook for 2025
Despite the uncertainty among much of the industry due to rising costs, staff shortages, and competition for venues in the past year, 2025 is on an upward trend, according to responses from ConventionSouth’s annual CVB & Planner Relationship Survey. Event planners and CVB representatives reported positive results across many important market sectors. Perhaps even more encouraging is how these segments work together in the face of obstacles for the betterment of the collective meetings and tourism industries. Undeniably, strong CVB and planner partnerships are obvious not only in the events’ programming and venues but also in attendees’ perception and satisfaction—where event planning and hospitality matter most.
The 2025 CVB & Planner Relationship Survey asked ConventionSouth’s audience of 18,000-plus destination and planning professionals to share their insights and experiences about current issues impacting them specifically, as well as issues common throughout the industry. A third-party company administered the survey online in January. Responses were collected anonymously to protect participants’ privacy and to encourage complete candor in their answers.
After a thorough analysis of all responses, the ConventionSouth team compiled and calculated the survey results into the summary findings shared in our 2025 report. The 2025 report is illustrated with reader-friendly graphs, charts, and direct comments from survey respondents. Among the notable findings of this year’s survey are these positive takeaways: 79.4 percent of planners indicated they have plans to hold two or more events this year; 88.5 percent of CVBs reported the same or greater financial results in 2024 than in 2023; and 92.4 percent of CVB staffs were the same size or larger in 2024 than in 2023. Most encouraging for our focus on relationships, both sides overwhelmingly indicated the CVB-planner relationship has not been negatively affected by common industry issues. “Partnerships elevate the travel experience for everyone,” one respondent noted. “If we work together, it’s a win-win-win!”
Money matters
A closer look at the responses reveals a strong industry. Of the combined 88.5 percent of CVBs noting the same or greater financial results in 2024 than in 2023, 55.8 percent saw greater financial results than the previous year; 11.5 percent reported financial results significantly greater last year than the year prior; and 21.2 percent had financial results about the same in 2024 as in 2023. Only 11.5 percent of CVBs experienced lower financial results from 2023 to 2024.
As to be expected, budgets for 2025 followed the revenue trends of 2024. Combined, 86.5 percent of CVBs indicated their 2025 budgets are the same or greater than their 2024 budgets. Among the 86.5 percent of CVBs noting 2025 budgets either the same or greater than the previous year, 40.4 percent increased their 2025 budgets; 1.9 percent significantly increased their budgets; and 44.2 percent of CVB budgets remained about the same from 2024 to 2025.
The combined 86.5 percent of CVBs reporting the same or greater budgets in 2025 marks modest growth from last year. In the 2024 survey, only 85 percent of CVB budgets were the same or greater than those of the previous year.
Only 13.5 percent of CVBs reported decreasing their budgets for 2025. This also marks a positive trend from last year, which saw 15 percent of CVBs decreasing their budgets from 2023 to 2024.
While only 13.5 percent of CVBs decreased their 2025 budgets, 30.8 percent of CVBs indicated they had implemented cost-cutting measures in 2024. This marks another positive trend from 2024, when 40 percent of CVBs indicated they had implemented cost-reduction measures in the previous year. In the 2025 survey, of the CVBs noting cost-reduction measures implemented in 2024, half, 50 percent, reduced their operating costs and 43.8 percent reduced their advertising costs.
Throughout the industry, costs are a universal concern, even for those who didn’t see a decrease in their 2025 budgets or didn’t implement cost-saving steps in the previous year. Overwhelmingly, rising costs is the biggest concern, as noted by 76.6 percent of CVBs and 86.2 percent of planners. This is a sharp increase over the 2024 survey, which saw only 65 percent of CVBs and 60 percent of planners noting rising costs as a concern.
Other common factors were tighter budgets (65.5 percent of planners, 57.4 percent of CVBs), new/increased hotel and resort fees (48.3 percent of planners, 38.3 percent of CVBs), stricter contract terms (37.9 percent of planners, 29.8 percent of CVBs), reduced registration/attendance numbers (34.5 percent of planners, 27.7 percent of CVBs), and staffing shortages and reduced hotel/resort services (34.5 percent of planners and 27.7 percent of CVBs). Only one common factor saw higher reports by CVBs: competition for limited space (46.8 percent of CVBs, 24.1 percent of planners). Additionally, 48.3 percent of planners and 38.3 percent of CVBs noted the political climate as a concern but did not expound on how it could impact their events.
Rising costs continue to impact planners’ overall approach to meetings and events, with 71.4 percent of planners indicating they are considering adjustments. This area also is up from last year, when only 62.3 percent of planners noted rethinking their meetings and events. The most common alternatives reported by planners in this year’s survey were planning events closer to attendees’ locations (65 percent); planning more small events instead of fewer large events (60 percent); planning events in smaller destinations (40 percent); and planning more events in drivable destinations (20 percent).
While rising costs are causing planners to make adjustments, this doesn’t automatically mean higher event registration fees for attendees. In fact, the percentage of planners indicating plans to increase registration fees is down slightly from the 2024 survey. This year, 51.5 percent of planners noted plans to raise registration fees, compared to 54.5 percent last year.
Event trends
Despite rising costs and other issues, gathering at events remains a priority for professionals and other groups. Nearly 80 percent of planners, 79.4 percent, are planning at least two events in the South. Of those, 44.1 percent are planning six or more events in the South; and 26.5 percent are planning 11 or more events in 2025. Another 11.8 percent are planning one event in the South. Only 8.8 percent are not planning events in the South this year.
Planners reported a mix of events, across all categories, coming to the South in 2025, with 66.6 percent planning trade shows and conferences, 60.6 percent corporate meetings, 54.5 percent association events, 45.5 percent networking or social events, 18.2 percent government events, and 18.2 percent other events. The percentages exceeded 100 in this case because planners could note as many categories that apply to types of events they are planning in the South this year.
In keeping with ConventionSouth’s audience trends, planners noted a tendency for intimate gatherings. This year, 75.7 percent of planners reported an average of more than 100 attendees at their events, and 21.2 percent reported an average of more than 500 attendees. Only 9.1 percent of planners reported an average of more than 1,000 attendees at their events—down from 26.8 reported last year.
Staffing trends
Planners and CVBs continue to experience staffing shortages as part of their event business. Among planners, 64.3 percent reported experiencing staffing shortages at the destinations/venues they use. Those planners noted staffing shortages most often in F&B (77.8 percent); housekeeping/cleaning (66.7 percent); venue set-up (44.4 percent); and customer service (27.8 percent). While only 41.3 percent of CVBs reported staffing shortages at destinations/venues, they reported notable staff shortages in the same categories: F&B (73.7 percent); housekeeping/cleaning staff (73.7 percent); customer service (73.7 percent), and venue set-up (31.6%). On a positive note, 93.5 percent of CVBs indicated staffing shortages have not impacted their relationship with vendors/suppliers.
In terms of CVB staffing, 33.3 percent of planners reported experiencing noticeable turnover/reductions in CVB staff. Of those, 77.8 percent reported the turnover/reduction in CVB staff has not affected their planning efforts.
CVBs reported on their staffing trends as well, with 92.4 percent noting their staff size was larger or the same in 2024 as in 2023; 40.4 percent reported increasing their staffing levels in 2024; and 36.5 percent noted plans to hire more staff in 2025. Only 7.7 percent of CVBs had smaller staffs in 2024 than in 2023.
CVBs planning to hire additional staff reported the greatest challenges are finding qualified candidates (50 percent), meeting salary demands (50 percent), and finding knowledgeable and reliable candidates
(38.9 percent).
Despite CVB staffing shortages, 87.8 percent of CVBs indicated no impact on their relationships with planners. Furthermore, 91.7 percent of CVBs have not had a reduction in services provided to planners.
Relationship trends
Strong CVB-planner relationships are essential to planning successful meetings and events, for clients, attendees, and destinations. According to survey responses, 96.2 percent of planners rely on CVBs when planning their events.
The most common CVB services reportedly used by planners include site visits/FAM
tours (63 percent), vendor recommendations (63 percent), promotional materials (63 percent), RFPs (55.6 percent), and initial destination research (51.9%). Planners also noted relying on CVBs for registration assistance (25.9 percent) and attendance boosters (18.5 percent).
In addition, 76.9 percent of planners reported CVBs’ average RFP response times is less than a week, and 19.2 percent reported response times of one to two weeks. Most planners, 80 percent, indicated CVBs share their RFPs with venues appropriate for their events.
One of the markers of a strong CVB-planner relationship is repeat business. According to the survey, 96.3 percent of planners reported hosting an event at a repeat destination/venue. Of those, 59.2 percent host events at a repeat destination/venue often to always. Only 3.7 percent of planners indicated they do not book repeat events at the same destination/venue.
The most common reasons planners host events in repeat destinations/venues, as reported by planners, are relationships
with hotel/venue staff (70.4 percent), cost
(66.7 percent), destination/venue is close to clients/stakeholders (51.9 percent), relationships with CVB staff (48.1 percent), and amenities (44.4 percent). Planners also noted location as a factor, especially if it is easily drivable (37 percent), is a tourist destination (29.6 percent), is important to the specific industry (22.2 percent), and is family-friendly (14.8 percent).
CVBs and planners have a similar perception of their relationships, with 81 percent of CVBs and 73.1 percent of planners reporting their relationships unchanged from last year.
Technology trends
In terms of marketing strategies, the most common change over the past year was in social media marketing, with 61.4 percent of CVBs noting an increase. Advertising also saw an increase, as reported by 52.3 percent of CVBs. Also, 31.8 percent of CVBs noted an increase in email marketing.
Social media remains the most widely used marketing tool, as reported by 86.4 percent of CVBs—up from 78.9 percent last year. CVBs also reported marketing at industry conferences (84.1 percent) and using trade magazine website/email marketing campaigns (81.8 percent). Other tactics noted by CVBs include direct email marketing (72.7 percent), direct sales (68.2 percent), and trade magazine print advertising (59.1 percent).
LinkedIn is the most-used social media, as reported by 86 percent of CVBs and 76.9 percent of planners. Facebook was second (69.8 percent of CVBs, 73.1 percent of planners), and then Instagram (65.1 percent of CVBs, 53.8 percent of planners). Reported success rates for social media marketing followed similar usage trends, with 48.8 percent of CVBs noting LinkedIn as most successful; Facebook, 18.6 percent; and Instagram, 11.6 percent.
Digital tools are becoming more common in event planning and destination marketing. The biggest area of implementation is in virtual FAM/site tours, as reported by 65.9 percent of CVBs. Of those, 96.6 percent reported planners view virtual tours at least occasionally. Among planners, 25 percent are planning hybrid events in 2025.
Digital tools, virtual events, and AI technology put event planning information at planners’ fingertips. With just a simple click, they can connect with attendees, CVBs, and vendors. Still, planners, and CVBs as well, prefer human connections to the convenience of technology. As one respondent noted, “Relationships matter. There is no substitute for good person-to-person relationships.”
Do planners typically use the services of a CVB when planning live events?
