EXPO! EXPO! 2025 Event Recap

The global events industry is projected to reach $2.1 trillion by 2032, and that momentum was easy to feel at Expo! Expo! this year.

Aisle to aisle, conversations felt optimistic. Booths were busy. Teams were already talking about what they planned to change next.

There was noticeably less focus on obstacles and more discussion around growth, innovation, and opportunity. Organizers are thinking about what comes next and how to plan their event portfolios for growth.

More events. More engagement. More data. And more pressure to explain what’s actually driving results.

And yet, clarity's still hard to get for many teams.

That gap matters, because momentum only turns into progress when teams can see what's working and why.

Why Expo! Expo! Felt Different This Year

Expo! Expo! felt more confident in 2025.

The energy wasn't just hype. It was supported by planning, investment, and clear intent. You could feel it on the show floor before sessions even began.

A few moments helped set that tone:

• Large scale experiences like the drone show
• Creative activations including ice sculpting
• Busy booths and longer, more specific conversations

That optimism showed up in the data:

• 78% say in-person events are their most impactful marketing channel
• 66% of organizers plan to host more events
• 57% report growth in in-person attendance

That shift changes what leadership asks for: faster reporting and clearer signals on what drove outcomes.

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Teams weren't just reconnecting. They were actively planning and making decisions.

Fragmented Data Is Slowing Teams Down

One frustration came up again and again in conversations.

Organizers are tired of pulling reports from multiple systems just to answer basic questions.

Registration data lives in one place. Marketing data lives somewhere else. Engagement data is spread across even more tools.

The pattern is familiar:

• Manual exports before leadership meetings
• Disconnected spreadsheets owned by different teams
• Time spent reconciling numbers instead of deciding what to change next

Many teams also shared that they still lack a year-round view of engagement. They want to understand how people interact with content, campaigns, and learning long before registration opens.

Without that view, strategy becomes reactive instead of intentional.

Teams end up planning based on what already happened instead of what's actually unfolding across the year. Decisions come later than they should. Opportunities are often spotted after they pass. Reporting becomes an exercise in defending numbers instead of setting direction.

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When Data Exists but Insight Does Not

One thing was clear at Expo! Expo!. Organizers know the data exists. The problem is they can’t see it in one place.

That disconnect creates real friction across teams.

Marketing and operations often report and work from different numbers. Leadership lacks confidence in reporting. ROI conversations stall because teams don’t share one set of trusted numbers.

This challenge is widespread. Nearly 70% of organizers still struggle to prove event ROI. When metrics live in silos, they lose credibility. Even strong performance becomes harder to defend.

Clarity matters more than volume. More dashboards don’t solve the problem if they aren’t connected.

Partnerships Are Shifting From Vendors to Collaborators

Another strong theme at Expo! Expo! was how expectations around partnerships are changing.

Organizers are not just looking for tools. They want partners who connect systems, align reporting, and reduce operational friction.

That shift showed up clearly in conversations about:

• Shared data access across platforms
• Aligned reporting that teams can trust
• Better coordination between technology partners

As event ecosystems grow more complex, collaboration becomes essential. This same shift showed up earlier at IMEX America 2025, where integration and trust were treated as baseline expectations rather than nice-to-haves.

Progress depends less on adding new tools and more on how well existing ones work together.

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From AI Curiosity to Practical Use

AI came up often at Expo! Expo!, but not as a buzzword.

Organizers are asking practical questions:

• How can it surface engagement patterns sooner than post event reporting?
• How can it reduce manual reporting?
• How can it support better decisions throughout the year?

The focus has shifted from experimentation to day-to-day use. Teams want systems that help them see patterns sooner, act with confidence, and spend less time explaining results after the fact.

This is where AI and event data start to matter together.

According to Bizzabo, 80% of organizers believe event technology significantly impacts event success. But technology alone isn’t the answer.

AI only delivers value when it’s paired with clean, connected data. Insight without clarity just creates noise. When teams trust their data, AI becomes a tool for focus instead of another layer to manage.

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What Expo! Expo! Signals for 2026 and Beyond

Expo! Expo! reinforced that the industry’s confident heading into 2026.

Budgets are growing. Attendance’s rising. Experiences are becoming more ambitious.

But momentum alone isn’t enough.

Organizers need:

• A clear view of engagement across the full attendee journey
• Faster access to insight without manual work
• Partners who collaborate instead of creating silos
• Data that supports strategy, not just post event reporting

These same themes surfaced again at MeasureUP '25, where conversations focused less on volume and more on decision quality and long term impact.

Turning Momentum Into Action

Expo! Expo! made it clear that the industry is moving forward with confidence, but also with intention.

As teams plan for 2026, the focus is less on doing more, and more on understanding what’s working and building from it.

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