MICE + Hoteliers: It’s Time to Capitalize on London As a Center of Knowledge

MICE + Hoteliers: It’s Time to Capitalize on London As a Center of Knowledge – By Robin Mittal – Image Credit Unsplash

MICE means money for hotels. But what industries are worth capitalizing on? With a fast-moving economy, hotels risk missing out if they don’t stay aware and agile. Here’s what hoteliers in London need to know about the state of MICE right now to define a Find, Book and Grow strategy that works.

Smart hoteliers know that Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) bring massive potential. The MICE tourism market size was worth USD$42.8 billion in 2022, and this is set to have almost doubled to $83.9 billion by 2032. Fueled by increasing investment in MICE, growing economic benefits, the continuing globalization of business, and increased focus on employee motivation and wellbeing – analysts are optimistic about the future.

The MICE market in London is currently strong. The city’s strategic location and infrastructure continue to make it a leader, while global trends towards knowledge exchange and professional development are driving growth. Almost half of the 42.5 million overseas visitors to Great Britain in 2024 went to London, and 17% visited for business reasons.

With close to a fifth of London’s overseas visitors being business travelers, hotels need fact-based evidence to define strategies to effectively reach the MICE market and drive revenue. That’s why Knowland by Cendyn returned to Europe, starting with a pilot in London in March 2025.

Having grown our data and knowledge, we now have crucial insights about market segment distribution and top industries that hoteliers can look towards to thrive in the MICE market in the city, shared in our London MICE Market Insights report.

Here are the stand-out facts hoteliers in London need to know.

Corporate strength underpinned by professional networks

So far in 2025, the Corporate segment is the frontrunner in the MICE market in London, holding the highest proportion of market share. The Corporate segment in MICE covers events that are planned and driven by businesses – including meetings with clients and internal meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibitions, and more.

In fact, corporate events accounted for 48% of the global MICE market last year, while corporate event participation accounts for 58% of global MICE activity. Clearly, focusing on the Corporate segment is a smart move for hoteliers.

Although corporate-driven MICE is the leading segment, there is also notable growth happening in the Association segment – which covers professional development and networking events. With year-on-year growth in event volume, hoteliers should take notice of this emerging trend that reflects London’s strategic location and infrastructure.

Training and Education is a primary growth driver

Upskilling employees, and giving them opportunities to gain knowledge and learn new skills, have become critical pillars to the success of businesses today. Almost half of employees say that having opportunities to learn new skills is a key consideration when it comes to their decision to stay with their employer or leave for another job.

Training expenditure increased almost 5% to $102.8 billion in 2024-2025. With 49% of training hours delivered in-person, businesses and employees are returning to in-person training, fueled by a rising desire employees have for professional connection and personal growth.

In Q3 of 2025, this sentiment was a key driver in the profound growth of the Training and Education niche of the MICE sector in London. Growing significantly year-on-year, Training and Education experienced the highest growth of any segment. A hub for learning with world-class universities, training providers and experts, London is harnessing its unparalleled strength here.

Quarterly upward trends in industries

By pinpointing patterns and honing in on specific niches, hoteliers can develop a more focused MICE strategy. The Travel and Consulting industries have often been steady anchors in the MICE landscape, and our latest data confirms this.

Charities and Non-Profits also have expanding influence, showing steady growth from Q3 2024 to 2025. In addition, Technology, Weddings, and Healthcare MICE activity saw growth during the same period. International Government and Real Estate MICE activity also surged, signaling renewed cross-border engagement and infrastructure-related events returning to London’s calendar.

By looking at trends on a quarterly basis like this, hotel teams can be agile to prospect the right industries in specific quarters. For example, our report shows that wedding demand declined overall from Q1 to Q3 between 2024 and 2025, but the growth from Q3 2024 to Q3 2025 shows summer is when demand is highest. Following similar logic, many pharma events take place in Q1, so this tells hotels when to focus on Pharma segment prospecting.

When sectors aren’t growing

Understanding when different markets aren’t as active enables hoteliers to define their strategy, the market opportunity, and their positioning.

Our latest data shows there’s been a decline in MICE activity in the Staffing, Manufacturing, Social/Sports, Aerospace and European Government industries during Q3 year on year.

Hoteliers need to actively account for these downward trends to be responsive to market conditions based on changing data. Feeding this into resource management means hotels can guide sales teams towards the right industries at the right times, focusing their efforts to maximize success.

How can London hoteliers tap into MICE trends?

The data is clear: London’s MICE market is shifting toward purpose-led and knowledge-driven demand — and this brings clear opportunities for commercial teams ready to act.

So what should hoteliers do?

Prioritize flexible and tech-enabled meeting spaces to accommodate hybrid formats and interactive sessions.

Deepen partnerships with universities, training providers, consultancies, and government organizations that value London’s connectivity and expertise.

Leverage data and segmentation insights to identify repeat event planners and nurture long-term relationships in expanding verticals.

Re-engage leisure-related sectors (Travel, Sports, Weddings) through bundled or off-peak offers that drive incremental revenue and optimize utilization.

London’s MICE market is full of potential for hoteliers. And now Knowland by Cendyn has data that holds the key to unlocking it. Elevating your Find, Book and Grow strategy depends on it.

Robin Mittal Connect with Robin on LinkedIn.

About Cendyn

Cendyn is a global hospitality cloud-based technology company that enables hotels to Find, Book, Grow – driving revenue, maximizing profitability, and creating deeper connections with guests through its integrated solutions.

Serving hoteliers for nearly 30 years, Cendyn has over 32,000 customers in more than 150 countries including brands Outrigger Hospitality, Hyatt, IHG, Aman Resorts & Hotels, Relais & Châteaux, Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, Coraltree Hospitality, and Onyx Hospitality Group – generating more than $20 billion in annual hotel revenue. The company supports its growing customer base with offices across the globe.

To find out more, visit cendyn.com.