The 2026 Playbook for Winning Meeting & Event Bookings
Between March 2023 and June 2025, we analysed over 50,000 direct online bookings across independent hotels, chains, meeting venues and conference centres in Western Europe. The results show just how quickly the world of meetings & events is evolving — and which factors really make the difference.
Speed is Crucial
Speed pays off. Venues that respond within 30 minutes achieve a conversion rate of 60%. Wait a full day and that drops to 52%; after 24 hours, just 44%.
Smaller meetings perform best: they reach a 66% conversion rate and are typically booked within 58 days. Larger groups of 50+ participants see conversion fall to 34%, with lead times of more than 150 days.
To unlock MICE growth, venues must prioritise loyal bookers and embrace 24/7 automation for smaller meetings — freeing up valuable time for personalised sales and high-impact events. Ralph van Hooijdonk, CEO VenueSuite
Loyalty Pays Off
The numbers speak for themselves: 85% of all bookings come from existing customers. They also convert more often (53%) than new customers (40%).
Meeting venues benefit most: at medium and large venues, more than 90% of requests come from repeat customers. Hotels, by contrast, see just over 50%.
The Always-On Booker
Bookers don’t stick to office hours. Nearly 1 in 5 requests comes in during evenings or weekends — and they often generate higher revenue. On Sundays, the average booking value is €869, compared with €704-€768 during the week.
Hotels vs. Meeting Venues: Each with Their Strength
Not every type of venue performs the same:
- Hotels: lower conversion (47%), but the highest revenue per booking (€1,182).
- Medium-sized meeting venues: high volume and quick transactions, but slimmer margins.
- Small meeting venues: strong in niche markets, with the highest revenue per guest (€65).
- Large meeting venues: average performance in both conversion and revenue.
Gaining the Edge Through Automation
Venues that automate requests are clearly ahead. In 2023, 48% of requests were followed up within an hour; by 2025, more than half were handled within 30 minutes.
What to Expect in 2026
The coming years will bring major shifts:
- Dynamic pricing will become the norm.
- Online payments combined with flexible cancellation policies will rise in importance.
- AI agents and attribute-based booking engines are emerging as the next generation of digital recommenders.
The question is not if these changes will happen, but how well your venue is prepared to embrace them. The benchmark makes clear that speed, loyalty and automation are no longer ‘nice to have’ — they are the foundation of sustainable growth in M&E.
Venues that invest now in smart processes and digital tools free up valuable time to focus on what matters most: giving personal attention to the bookers who make the difference. That’s how you not only increase conversion and revenue, but also build long-term relationships that future-proof your venue.
Curious about how different venue types compare? Read the full Benchmark 2026 for all insights.
Floor Belle
Customer Success Manager
Venuesuite B.V.
