The best business decisions are made in face-to-face meetings When the stakes are highest, teams work smarter and faster in person
- The costs behind not meeting are often overlooked. Organizations that do not meet in-person can be slower to react, less focused, and struggle to quickly solve complex business issues.
- In-person meetings promote trust, culture, engagement, and stronger relationships while also fostering collaboration and innovation.
- Hilton understands the needs of businesses and provides meeting spaces of all sizes so business travelers can capitalize on the productivity gains of in-person meetings.
New research from the U.S. Travel Association, Executive Insights on In-Person Meetings, shows that business leaders overwhelmingly agree on the value of face-to-face events. Nearly 96% say off-site meetings help them operate more effectively, and most say meetings help them navigate change and accelerate strategic alignment.
U.S. Travel’s research, conducted by Heart and Mind Strategies and supported by Hilton, surveyed more than 100 senior executives from VP level through CEO and C-suite at companies with annual revenues of $250 million or more. These leaders decide when and if meetings happen, define business objectives, and set budgets. It is the first large-scale study designed to capture executive perspectives on the value of meetings and use their own language to counter the idea that meetings are expendable.
The hidden cost of cutting meetings
Although leaders see the value of gathering in person, meetings are often eliminated when budgets tighten, even though that may be the time they are most needed for complex topics or business challenges. Executives acknowledge that meetings help them respond to market shifts, clarify priorities, and resolve issues that are difficult to reconcile virtually, yet about half still find it difficult to defend the investment.
Hilton, a supporting partner of the research, sees this pattern across its global portfolio. “The irony is that when business performance dips, travel and in-person meetings are often the first things cut from the budget,” says Gerilyn Horan, VP at Hilton Worldwide Sales America. “But that’s when you most need to pull people together to understand what’s happening, creatively solve the problem, and act quickly.”
Kevin Hinton, U.S. Travel’s managing director, group travel, agrees. “Rather than frame cuts as cost savings, we'd like leaders to consider the cost of not meeting — and that's not always measurable in dollars and cents.” Can your business absorb slower decision cycles or missed opportunities? Can an unfocused, dispersed team effectively resolve the very issue the meeting was meant to address?
The study findings have laid the foundation for U.S. Travel’s new campaign, Meetings Meet the Moment, which aims to counter the perception that face‑to‑face events are optional.
What in-person events deliver
Executives point to both measurable and less tangible benefits from meetings. Better business opportunities and stronger team performance are among the outcomes leaders associate with face-to-face gatherings. Just as important are benefits that are harder to measure: trust, culture, engagement, and stronger relationships.
Most importantly, says Horan, “The energy and exchange of ideas that happen when people are sharing a moment can’t be replicated online.”
Research and executive experience point to several distinct advantages of off-site, in-person meetings.
- Command attention
In virtual meetings, people often check email, reply to texts, or juggle other work. An article in HR Executive cites research showing employees multitask about half the time during virtual meetings, and 13% have even showered while "attending." - Energize and motivate teams
Travel remains a powerful employee motivator, according to studies by SITE and Maritz. In-person events offer inspiration, connection, and experiences employees can't replicate through a screen. Even amid economic pressures, 75% of professionals say the business value of incentive travel remains strong. - Provide an ideal setting for collaboration
Purpose-built meeting spaces, such as those shaped by Hilton’s World’s Most Welcoming Events initiative, are designed for comfort, creativity, and productive interaction. Stepping away from daily routines and into a new environment can help people focus on shared goals and collaborate more effectively. - Speed decisions and reduce misunderstandings
When people are together, they can work through complex issues in real time rather than stretching discussions across calls, emails, and time zones, notes a recent Forbes blog. Facial expressions, body language, and tone provide important context, helping teams clarify intent, reduce misinterpretation, and reach consensus more quickly. - Build trust faster
Shared experiences build credibility, rapport, and trust, particularly during times of change. A meta-analysis of 31 studies found a positive relationship between trust and collaborative performance. Trust was associated with stronger learning, innovation, and outcomes. - Strengthen culture and belonging
Corporate culture can't be effectively communicated through a handbook alone. In-person gatherings reinforce organizational values, strengthen team identity, and create a shared sense of purpose. Research from Northwestern University found strong evidence that in-person conferences help build community and professional connections, important foundations for culture and belonging. - Spark peer-to-peer learning and innovation
Some of the most valuable ideas emerge outside the formal agenda, during hallway conversations, meals, and other spontaneous interactions. Research highlighted by Harvard Business School suggests that being physically together exposes people to new perspectives and knowledge that can lead to fresh thinking and innovation. - Drive careers and business results
Senior leaders overwhelmingly credit in-person meetings with advancing both organizational performance and their own careers. In U.S. Travel's research, 90% said meetings contributed to their professional success.
Making the case for meetings
The evidence is abundant and compelling. In-person meetings are powerful business tools. For leaders pressed to justify the investment, the research behind Meetings Meet the Moment reinforces a strong conclusion: Nothing moves business like being in the same room.