2025 Austin Meeting Trends

Meeting and event planners will find lots of exciting trends to follow in Austin. From planning campus-style meetings and budget-friendly events to showcasing the awesome power of AI and group activities that give back, the Visit Austin team is on hand to assist with plenty of great tips and helpful local resources.

Credit to Nick Simonite.

Trend #1: Campus-Style Meetings

Meeting and event planners can aim to mirror the magic of SXSW with its tried-and-true formula of using more than one venue to host events. One bonus of the campus-style concept is that it allows attendees to experience more things to see and do in Austin. Planners are learning to be strategic about showcasing the city’s assets, offering everything from breaks outside to opportunities for attendees to cross paths and network. The impetus for hotels, venues, restaurants and entertainers to work together to host large-scale events was spurred by the $1.6 billion expansion of the Austin Convention Center that will begin in 2025 and continue until 2029.  Learn more about hosting campus-style events in Austin.

Central Library. Courtesy of Austin Public Library. 

Trend #2: Budget-Friendly Events

Doing more with less doesn’t mean that planners must sacrifice any wow factors. Determine early on what your budget and priorities are for an event. The Visit Austin team can help you source a variety of vendors, from hotels to venues, caterers, entertainment and transportation providers. Budget-friendly ideas include booking a venue that has built-in entertainment or offers a vibrant environment, exploring what places offer tours as part of a package, or coordinating your event with an attention-getting activation. Cost-saving tips like these offer creative ways to stretch your dollars while keeping your budget in check. Visit Austin’s specialty is helping to create events and activations that excite both planners and attendees. Learn more about planning budget-friendly meetings and events.

Trend #3: Showcasing the Power of AI

The University of Texas at Austin designated 2024 as the Year of AI. Invite some of UT’s brightest minds in AI research to speak at your next event, which can be booked at The University of Texas Club or a venue of your choice. The university’s experts can provide insights about AI and topics relevant to your group or Austin, a thriving national tech hub and a launching pad for entrepreneurs. In fact, UT is ranked among the Top 10 in the country for its AI interdisciplinary programs and research. The university is making strides in understanding AI technology, raising awareness about societal and ethical issues, and guiding ways to apply AI. Find out more about how the UT Speakers Bureau can enhance educational offerings for meetings and events.

Courtesy of the Visit Austin Foundation.

Trend #4: Giving Back

Team building activities can be even more meaningful when they give back to a meeting or event destination. The Visit Austin team has a deep understanding of initiatives that resonate with the community and can help organizations choose an experience that aligns with their mission. "With over 700 local non-profits in the Austin area, it is easy to pair convention and meeting planners with the right fit to enhance their program with corporate responsibility initiatives," said Jenn Shira, Visit Austin’s Senior Convention Services Manager. 

A recent example is the Texas Roadhouse group, which conducted a Humanitarian Day with 1,000 of their conference attendees to benefit Keep Austin Beautiful and the Ronald McDonald House. Keep Austin Beautiful and Texas Roadhouse partnered with LBJ High School for a campus beautification project and renovation of their on-site store, in addition to working on three separate litter abatement projects in areas surrounding the school. For Ronald McDonald House, the Texas Roadhouse group created a variety of care packages (2,500 total) and made 500 blankets for kids and adults. "Whether it’s spending a few hours at the Food Bank preparing meal kits or keeping Austin beautiful with The Trail Conservancy on a beautification project," Shira said, "there are plenty of options for groups of any size to make a difference in Austin!"

Visit Austin is Here to Help

Need help staying on top of Austin’s latest meeting and event planning trends? The Visit Austin team is happy to assist. Contact us to learn more.