The Biggest Thing We Learned About Millennials in Meetings in 2015

Skift spoke with a wide range of millennials working in the meetings and conventions industry in 2015, including both meeting planners and young executives in hospitality and tourism who assist planners. While millennials in general have typically been defined by their affinity for technology and faculty with social media, we attempted to identify the deeper roots underpinning their behaviors in the events sector. The most predominant motivations driving Gen Y decision-making and demands in meetings, we discovered, are in large part the result of dramatic socio-economic and political events and an ultra competitive job market over the last 15 years. What Millennials Want In a partnership with the Meetings Mean Business alliance this year, we published the Skift Trends Report: What Millennials Want in Meetings. We interviewed dozens of Gen Y members who repeatedly told us that they rely on technology as a tool to help expand their networks above all else, but it doesn't define them. Our premise about what's motivating millennials as young professionals was summed up in the report by the following: Since 9/11, millennials have entered the workforce during a time of drastic economic and political upheaval that caused a major shift in their priorities, compared to Gen X and boomers. Millennials are more inclined to believe that a wide network of professional contacts and continuing education within their particular industry are more important than advanced degrees or longevity with any one company for professional growth opportunities. For many millennials, there is no such thing as a corporate ladder, and a colle