Wyboston Lakes Resort expects another fall in small meetings in 2026 as short-lead corporate bookings continue to drop.
The trend has shaped much of the resort’s forward planning, according to revenue director Christine Gomez, who said: “In 2025, there has been a noticeable reduction in smaller events which typically book at shorter lead times. I expect the decline in smaller meetings to continue.”
The senior team links the shift to rising business costs. CEO Steve Jones said higher outgoings, including Employers national insurance, business rates and inflation, are pushing companies to reduce event activity. He warned that many organisations now have fewer staff to plan or attend meetings.
This is likely to shorten programmes and increase demand for non-residential formats.
Some companies are responding by merging events. chief commercial officer Richard Smith said this is creating “fewer but bigger events with better revenue per head for corporate conferences”. He noted that clients are reducing the number of meetings they hold but expanding the scale of those that remain.
Margin pressure is another issue the resort expects to face next year.
CFO Julie Ireland said “the focus will remain on strengthening margins with innovation, productivity and finding new solutions for clients to maintain a competitive edge.” She highlighted operational efficiency as a priority for 2026.
Operations director Simon McMahon said venues must adapt working practices and make better use of automation. He said: “Venues need to be smarter with how they operate, introducing better working practices, getting their team to be as productive as possible and using automation to support this.
Sustainability and experience design are also shaping client expectations. Marketing director and sustainability lead Louisa Watson said these areas are now linked, driven in part by younger attendees. She said: “2025 has been a year where client value and delegate experience have become inseparable from environmental and ethical impact,.”
She expects this alignment to deepen in 2026 as Gen Z professionals demand more inclusive, wellbeing-focused and environmentally responsible events.
The resort sees opportunity in this shift. Smith said venues that can enhance delegate experience could gain market share. He added that improvements in service, content design or space layout may influence client decisions more heavily next year.
Jones also highlighted a booking pattern that may help venues capture extra business.
He said prime dates have tightened to Tuesday–Thursday since the pandemic, while flexible working has increased demand swings. He said: “There could be an opportunity for venues to offer great value on the ‘shoulder nights’ where the clients could save thousands on their event, simply by switching dates.”