A new white paper from Destinations International and Smart Meetings calls for earlier collaboration with local experts to reduce event risk. Presented at the 2025 Convention Sales & Services Summit (9–10 April, Hilton Alexandria Mark Center, Virginia), Best Practices for Managing Event Risk draws on feedback from more than 60 event professionals. It outlines key challenges in 2025 – including security threats, extreme weather, cyberattacks and political unrest.
Key findings Only 36% of planners have a dedicated risk management team Just over half (52%) create a crisis plan for every event 58% include contingency costs – often only 1–10% of total budgets Physical safety topped the list, with 57% citing it as their biggest worry. Weather disruption followed at 17%.
Experts stress the need to go beyond crime stats and headlines, instead assessing venue safety street by street – and asking the right questions.
The report recommends: Involving local CVBs and public safety contacts from the outset Running crisis drills with staff Training teams in de-escalation and behavioural awareness Embedding risk management into site selection and RFPs
“Planning for safety is no longer optional – it’s essential,” said Don Welsh, president & CEO of Destinations International.
Climate and cybersecurity risks grow Weather is becoming a board-level concern. ASAE’s Amy Hissrich said ESG policies must account for disruptions: “If we can’t convene due to climate events, that’s a business risk.”
Cybersecurity is now non-negotiable. 75% of planners see it as a top priority. Experts advise working only with vendors who offer encrypted platforms, multi-factor authentication and compliance standards such as SOC 2.
Staff training remains key. Phishing attacks and ransomware can strike even experienced teams – so planning for mistakes is just as vital as preventing them.
The full white paper is available at DestinationsInternational.org.
