Budget benchmarking data for your 2025 conferences.

Planning for conferences in 2025 requires a solid understanding of budget allocations and emerging industry trends. 

Recent data provides valuable insights into average expenditures and areas of significant spending, essential for corporate executives and event planners aiming to optimize their event strategies.

Our 2024 benchmarking data will help you build your 2025 conference budgets and help allocate dollars to the highest value categories.

Average conference budgets and attendance.

According to our data, the typical conference budget in the United States is approximately $1.89 million, accommodating an average of 601 attendees. 

We typically see a per-person expenditure of about $3,144. 

For conferences with sponsorship and ticket revenue, we see an average revenue of $2.6 million, indicating a profitable return on investment for organizers.

Major expenditure categories.

Understanding the distribution of expenses is crucial for effective budget management. The primary spending areas include:

• Food and Beverage (F&B): Accounting for 29.9% of the total budget, with an average spend of $565,000, translating to approximately $940 per attendee.
• Audio/Visual (A/V): Representing 15% of the budget, with an average expenditure of $288,000.
• Housing: Comprising 11% of the budget, averaging $209,000.
• Airfare: Making up 7.4% of the budget, with an average spend of $140,000.
• Sponsors and Expo: Constituting 5.9% of the budget, with expenditures around $110,000.

Impact of company revenue on conference budgets.

Companies with annual revenues exceeding $1 billion tend to allocate significantly higher budgets for conferences. 

Their expenditures more than double compared to smaller companies, correlating with nearly double the attendance figures. 

Interestingly, the per-person cost for these larger companies is about 60% higher, suggesting a focus on enhanced attendee experiences or premium services.

Event duration and timing.

Regardless of company size or conference type—be it kickoffs, user conferences, or other events—the average event length remains consistent at three days. 

Most of these events are scheduled during peak conference seasons in spring or fall. However, spending levels remain relatively stable even outside these peak periods, indicating a steady investment in conference quality year-round.

2025 industry trends.

Several key trends are shaping the conference landscape in 2025:

• Minimal Airfare Increases: Despite high demand, airfare prices are expected to rise by only 0.5% in the U.S., suggesting stable travel costs for conference planning.
  Northstar Meetings Group
• Shift to Local Events: Economic factors and corporate social responsibility goals are driving a preference for local and regional events, reducing travel expenses and environmental impact.
  Convene
• Experience-Driven Events: There's a growing emphasis on creating immersive and personalized experiences to enhance attendee engagement and satisfaction.
  Prestige Events Magazine Blog
• Integration of Technology: The adoption of AI and other technologies is streamlining event planning and enhancing the attendee experience.
  Convene
• Focus on Wellness: Incorporating wellness activities into conferences is becoming increasingly important, reflecting a broader commitment to attendee well-being.
  Prestige Events Magazine Blog

What about inflation in 2025?

Inflation is always a consideration for your events, so take into consideration the following numbers when you build your event budget:

• Federal Reserve's Projection: The Federal Reserve anticipates that core inflation will reach 2.5% in 2025, which is above their target of 2%.
  Yahoo Finance
• Bank of America's Forecast: Bank of America projects that core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) inflation will be 2.8% by the end of 2025, peaking at 2.9% by mid-2026.
  Business Insider
• Goldman Sachs Outlook: Goldman Sachs forecasts that core PCE inflation will fall to 2.1% by the end of 2025, with potential tariff effects possibly raising it to 2.4%.
  Goldman Sachs
• Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Estimate: The CBO projects that PCE inflation will slow to 2.2% in 2025.
  Congressional Budget Office
• RSM US LLP Economic Outlook: RSM forecasts PCE inflation at 2.2% for 2025.
  RSM US

Key tips for your 2025 conference.

1. Prioritize high-impact investments: Allocate more budget to areas with the highest ROI, such as Food & Beverage (34% of spend) and A/V (17%), as these directly impact attendee satisfaction and engagement.
2. Consider off-peak scheduling: While most events occur in spring and fall, hosting your conference during off-peak times can help negotiate better rates without sacrificing quality.
3. Tailor budgets by revenue scale: If your company’s revenue exceeds $1 billion, use your higher per-person cost as an opportunity to deliver premium experiences, leveraging your larger budget for greater attendee impact.
4. Leverage technology to streamline costs: Use event management software and apps to optimize registration, logistics, and attendee engagement. This can help reduce administrative overhead and improve data collection for future events.
5. Incorporate emerging trends: Enhance attendee experiences by integrating wellness activities, personalized experiences, and local elements into your event, aligning with the 2025 focus on immersive, memorable conferences.

By aligning planning strategies with these insights and trends, you can effectively navigate the evolving conference landscape in 2025.