As oneworld relaunches its Meetings & Events booking platform, a new report co-authored by Globetrender explores how human connection, immersive experiences and aviation innovation will transform international gatherings over the next three years.

Global airline alliance oneworld has relaunched its Meetings & Events platform, coinciding with the publication of a new trend report produced in association with travel trend forecasting agency Globetrender.

Set to be unveiled at IMEX Las Vegas on October 13, 2026, oneworld Meetings and Events Trends 2027-2030 (free to download) identifies seven trends reshaping the international events industry, from the growing value of face-to-face interaction to the emergence of airports as meeting destinations in their own right.

The report arrives as the economics of business travel are changing. According to figures from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), worldwide business travel spending is forecast to reach a record US$1.71 trillion in 2026, up 7.2% year-on-year, while the number of business trips is expected to rise by only around 1%.

With organisations spending more on travel without making significantly more journeys, event organisers are under growing pressure to demonstrate the value of bringing people together.

Jenny Southan, CEO and founder of Globetrender, says: "We are entering a new golden age of gathering. As AI makes information abundant and digital communication effortless, the value of being physically present is rising. But the economics of attendance are changing. People are becoming more selective about where they travel, who they meet and what they expect to gain from the experience.

"Our research reveals how this is reshaping the global events industry, from the rise of experience-first conferences to the growing importance of destinations as a reason to attend. By 2030, the most successful events will be those that give people a compelling reason to make the journey – and something extraordinary to take home."

Seven trends transforming meetings and events

Drawing on interviews with leaders across aviation, hospitality and the international events industry, the report explores how technology, changing traveller expectations and the evolving geography of global connectivity will influence gatherings between 2027 and 2030.

1. The Human Premium: As AI makes information ubiquitous, face-to-face connection is becoming a more valuable professional currency. Research cited in the report reveals that 89% of Gen Z workers believe live events are critical for building professional confidence.

2. The ROI of Presence: Rising travel costs are forcing organisers to demonstrate the return on in-person attendance, with meaningful outcomes taking precedence over footfall. At ITB Asia in Singapore, for example, more than 60,000 business appointments take place over just three days, demonstrating the extraordinary concentration of opportunity that physical events can deliver.

3. Experience-First Events: Conferences are borrowing from festivals, immersive entertainment and fan culture to turn passive audiences into active participants. Venues such as Sphere in Las Vegas, SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and the new Dataland museum of AI arts demonstrate how spectacle and technology are raising expectations of live experiences.

4. Destination as Content: The host city is becoming a headline attraction, with local culture and distinctive experiences increasingly influencing the decision to attend. Event organisers are recognising that the destination itself can be a powerful driver of participation.

5. Geo-Compression: Ultra-long-haul flights, expanding airline networks and geopolitical shifts are redrawing the map of viable event destinations. Qantas's forthcoming Project Sunrise flights between Sydney and London, scheduled to begin in 2027, demonstrate how aviation innovation could make previously challenging journeys more practical.

6. Loyalty Ecosystems: Airline and hotel partnerships are creating more connected journeys, with recognition and rewards extending beyond the flight. oneworld's partnership with Taj InnerCircle–NeuPass, announced in June 2026, illustrates how loyalty programmes are evolving across the travel ecosystem.

7. Meet Me Airside: Airports and their surrounding hotels are emerging as destinations for meetings in their own right. As global connectivity expands, airport-adjacent venues offer opportunities for international delegates to gather without travelling into city centres.

A central theme running through the research is that the traditional conference model, built around presentations and passive information consumption, is losing relevance in an era when knowledge can be accessed instantly.

Instead, organisers are experimenting with more participatory formats, while the value of spontaneous encounters and meaningful professional relationships is becoming increasingly apparent.

oneworld relaunches Meetings & Events platform

Alongside the report, oneworld has unveiled a relaunched Meetings & Events platform designed to simplify international event travel.

Available for eligible gatherings with a minimum of 50 independently travelling delegates, the platform gives organisers access to preferential fares across oneworld's network of 15 member airlines, serving nearly 1,000 destinations worldwide.

Event planners receive a dedicated booking link that can be shared with attendees, allowing individuals to arrange flights from their respective departure points according to their own schedules.

The service is aimed at a broad range of international gatherings, including corporate conferences, professional association conventions, religious gatherings and large private celebrations.

Roger Blackburn, Vice President of Commercial and Loyalty at oneworld, says: "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.

"As the Globetrender report shows, these large meetings around the world are not only here to stay, but growing in importance. The relaunch of oneworld Meetings & Events will make it easier for organisations to bring people together for these important opportunities to connect."

The launch comes during a period of network expansion for the alliance. Hawaiian Airlines joined oneworld in April 2026, while Philippine Airlines has announced plans to become its 16th member, strengthening connectivity across Southeast Asia.

Looking ahead, the introduction of Qantas's nonstop Project Sunrise services between Sydney and London in 2027, followed by Sydney and New York in 2028, could further influence the geography of international business travel.

For the meetings and events industry, the implications extend beyond easier journeys. As destinations compete for global audiences and organisations scrutinise the value of attendance, the ability to bring the right people together in the right place is becoming a defining competitive advantage.

Read the full oneworld Meetings and Events Trends 2027-2030 report and discover the new Meetings & Events platform at oneworld.com.