The recent 2026 Events Industry Report highlights big shifts in budgets, formats and guest expectations in the UK, indicating a move to purposes over volume of corporate events…
Fewer corporate events but bigger spend per guest
UK businesses are hosting fewer events, but spending more per guest as they prioritise purpose, quality and meaningful in-person connection, according to data from the UKโs largest venue booking platform, VenueScanner.
Drawing on thousands of booking enquiries through the VenueScanner platform alongside interviews with event organisers and venue operators,ย The State of the UK Events Industry 2026ย shows a clear shift from high-volume calendars to curated, high-impact formats that support culture, retention, and commercial growth. Despite rising costs, particularly in London, average event budgets remain broadly flat (down 1%), while spend per guest has risen 8%, reflecting a move toward premiumisation.
Rebecca Kelly, Founder & CEO of VenueScanner, comments: โAs AI reshapes how we create and consume digital content, the value of real, human connection is rising. In-person events offer something technology canโt replicate โ trust, shared experience and genuine engagement. Thatโs why organisations are investing more intentionally in fewer, higher-quality moments that really matter.โ
VenueScannerโs data shows that purpose-led events are outperforming generic formats, with the strongest growth seen in employee engagement and high-intent commercial gatherings:
- Awards ceremonies saw overall event value rise 39% year-on-year, with guest numbers up 86%, reinforcing the role of recognition in retention and performance.
- Team away days declined in volume, but average spend per event increased 9%, indicating fewer but more intentional gatherings.
- In commercial events, private dining bookings rose 12% in both volume and value, while broader networking events saw value drop 54%, reflecting a shift toward smaller, relationship-driven formats with clearer ROI.
Data from the report also reveals:
- 61% of organisers manage budgets over ยฃ20,000, with 24% overseeing budgets above ยฃ100,000
- Total conference guest numbers dropped 38%, but spend per attendee rose 24%, signalling smaller, more editorially-driven programmes with greater investment in speakers and content quality.
- Large London events (250+ guests) saw the steepest rises, with Christmas parties reaching ยฃ250 per person
- Regional cities such as Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow offer venues at 30โ50% lower cost than London, with strong transport links supporting accessibility
- 41% of organisers use AI for marketing tasks such as emails and copywriting, 28% use it for agenda creation, while 43% have not used AI at all, citing lack of integration, budget and training as barrier
What do corporate events with purpose look like?
Kelly concludes: โWhat weโre seeing as we head into 2026 is a clear shift towards shorter, sharper and more intentional events.
โAs hybrid working continues and digital channels become harder to trust, events and owned communities are becoming one of the most powerful ways for brands to build credibility, connection and culture. The winners in 2026 will be those who prioritise strong content, thoughtful design and meaningful human interaction over scale or spectacle.โ
