Many of these trends are rooted in several, crucial global developments which are set to shape the world, beyond that of associations, for the next year and beyond. For one, the rapid development of AI – and the technological growth which it facilitates – is transforming the capabilities of associations and their partner organisations, impacting almost every aspect of association management.
Secondly, despite continued inflation-related issues worldwide and general fiscal uncertainty, there is a guarded confidence in economic recovery. According to a Q3 2024 CFO survey – conducted by Grant Thornton, a global accounting and consulting firm – 79% of senior finance leaders are expecting a growth in net profits over the next 12 months. This cautious optimism is also apparent in the world of associations, and this is catalysing developments in the membership engagement and other arenas.
Finally, the emphasis on sustainability and value alignment continues to grow, and associations are increasingly being held to higher standards by all stakeholders – shaping their operations in several different spheres.
Worth noting, a number of these trends are not new. At the end of 2023, The Association Specialists – an Association Management and Conference Management provider – wrote an article outlining the expected trends for 2024. In this piece, they point to “An increasing number of associations [incorporating] AI”, the need to engage their younger members and “serve their interest in an online environment”, and pointed to event attendees “seeking increased human-to-human interaction”.
As will be demonstrated in looking ahead to 2025, many of these trends have carried through, gaining momentum as associations look to the new year.
Trends in association events
In 2025, the meetings and events landscape will continue to be sculpted by the need for the responsible management of resources, instructed by global economic unpredictability and sustainability concerns.
UFI, one of the leading global associations for tradeshow organisers and exhibition centre operators, published their Global Exhibition Barometer report in the summer of 2024. The study showed that the most pertinent business issue in the majority of countries is the state of their home market, followed by economic developments on the world stage. With these financial pressures remaining a top priority as 2024 comes to an end, in 2025, the world of associations should expect to see the same prioritisation of event ROI and cautious budgeting as was seen throughout this passing year.
Similarly, sustainability was described by Bruce Morgan, Global President of BCD Meeting events, as one of the “constants” when looking ahead to the new year. According to BCD’s What’s Trending 2025” report, “in nearly all countries, sustainability is increasingly seen as a necessity.” In 2025, a focus on this facet of event management is expected to develop further, as association leaders seek to implement more meaningful and impactful sustainability practices at their events.
The same report highlighted the growth of AI in event management, arguing “data is king” when it comes to events. AI can be utilised to aggregate vast amounts of information, allowing associations to gather next level insights from meeting and event data, and, as the report describes it, “drive program success through enhanced data processing, predictive analytics and natural language processing”.
The emphasis on sustainability and value alignment continues to grow, and associations are increasingly being held to higher standards by all stakeholders – shaping their operations in several different spheres.
Trends in association technology
Events are not the only arena in which AI will play a role, and its impacts will soon be felt in almost every aspect of the modern association. From enabling staff to do more with their time, to helping create better experiences for members, to supporting associations with their mission, the world of associations will hear much more of AI for years to come.
“It’s just a power tool,” Julian Moore, a leading AI and partnerships consultant, said on a recent episode of the “Learning by Association” podcast. “It is a new tool that we should embrace really quickly so that we make our staff’s lives easier and, more importantly, we make our members’ lives easier.”
Bill Sheehan, Global Head of Association Strategy for D2L – a learning management system provider – and the host of the podcast agrees, saying: “[AI] obviously is not a fad. It’s not going away. And because it’s advancing so fast, I think the sooner you allow staff to utilise it to the benefit of the members, the better, because it’s going to be very, very hard to catch up.”
That said, the world has developing expectations around the use of AI. Associations will need to stay ahead of the curve by prioritising ethics, transparency and well-regulated data management. Going forward, they must ensure that they are providing adequate training for their staff, assessing partners carefully, and regularly reviewing and adapting relevant policies. Flexibility and long-term thinking will be crucial when it comes to the responsible use of AI in 2025 and beyond.
Trends in association membership & engagement
With a somewhat optimistic forecast for financials in 2024, many associations are cautiously primed for growth in 2025. Sequence Consulting – a consultancy firm specializing in associations – points to research from Marketing General Incorporated which shows that 60% of associations are confident in reaching their revenue goals for the year. With this comes stability or growth in budgets for recruitment and engagement, likely facilitating a growth in membership.
Here, technology will also play a role. Investment into digital-first practices like online courses, interactive webinars and workshops, and virtual training programs should, and will, be used to diversify and modernise the offerings of many associations, helping with a heightening of member engagement.
Leveraging tools that support the real-time collection of feedback and in-the-moment collaboration will be used to help associations better connect with their members and build a more cohesive community. If handled correctly, these digital platforms will assist with the attraction, retention and engagement of younger demographics, like Millenials and Gen Z.
As Sequence Consulting put it: “The momentum built this year, combined with the potential of emerging technologies and a renewed focus on member engagement, suggests that associations are ready for whatever comes next and eager to shape it. By embracing innovation, remaining adaptable to the ever-evolving needs of their members, and staying ahead of the curve on emerging trends, associations are poised to continue on [an] upward trajectory.”
Emerging competition
While technological advancements bring many benefits for associations, they are not exclusively favourable, particularly for those who have not kept up with these changes.
In years past, bringing members together in person – whether for smaller workshops to larger conferences – was the only truly viable way for professionals to connect with their colleagues and peers. Associations, therefore, had a unique value that was difficult to find elsewhere. And while some still prefer this way of operating, changes to workplace demographics are leading to developments in this space.
Between them, Millennials and Gen Z are on track to replace the “Baby Boomer” generation as the most dominant generation in the workforce, and this is impacting how associations will conduct business. Rather than waiting for in-person events, these generations are digitally native and have a preference for receiving information instantaneously, and building communities online.
The private sector, therefore, has much to offer this new wave of workers. Not only do social media platforms, notably LinkedIn, facilitate the formation of virtual connections and the fostering of digital communities, there is tremendous scope for professional development online.
With the continuing growth of digital content, and the rise of online coaching opportunities, workers have far more avenues through which they can connect with the best in their field and grow their skillset. Many of these professional development opportunities are free and can be conducted on-demand, aligning with this new wave of professionals’ desire for flexibility, as they balance their work and life.
As a result, associations must evolve to meet the demands of a workforce that values convenience, community and continuous learning. In order to compete, an association must strategically consider where it is currently providing value to these younger generations, and examine where its offerings can better meet their needs. Embracing technological developments, rather than shying away from them, will be a requirement of relevancy for associations in 2025 and beyond.
A year of uncertainties & possibilities
Although 2025 is just a few weeks away, what the year will hold for associations still remains unclear. In the past 3 months, we have seen major elections in the USA and the UK. The changes brought about by these elections will doubtless have significant economic consequences, impacting both the private sector and associations. Additionally, geopolitical tensions and conflicts across the world will continue to impact global markets and international relations. Associations with international operations and members will have to navigate this ongoing instability, adjusting their strategies amidst shifting political and economic landscapes.
Both in response to these global uncertainties, and the technological, economic and sustainability developments discussed above, flexibility and adaptability will be central to the success of all associations in 2025.