New data makes the case for more specialized meetings. A new PCMA healthcare and life sciences sector report makes the case for more specialized meetings - and shows how associations, corporate planners, and destinations can get there. The drug, medical device, and life sciences markets are projected to reach a combined $2.6 trillion by 2030, which is good news for the future of the demand for healthcare events, according to the "2026 PCMA Healthcare & Life Sciences: The Pulse of Global Events" sector report. But a larger market doesn't mean that bigger meetings will necessarily follow. Tighter budgets, the changing needs of healthcare practitioners and the increasing competition for their attention are moving healthcare events toward "fewer, smaller, higher-quality meetings with clearer ROI," the report said. Based on the report's research and recommendations, here's what that shift could mean for associations, corporate planners, and destinations. For associations, more specialty meetings. Large-scale, lecture-heavy congress models are losing effectiveness as clinician engagement with pharmaceutical companies drops and sponsors scrutinize ROI, the report said. Meanwhile, clinicians' attention is increasingly spread across congresses offering deeper clinical relevance, according to the report. One example of a changing model: In addition to its flagship multi-tumor congress, the 50,000-plus-member European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) in 2023 held meetings in seven cities built around specific tumor types, therapies, and technology, with some events drawing as few as 400 people. ESMO's specialty meetings offer deeper disease-specific education, stronger expert communities, and more targeted discussion of treatments and patient subgroups. For corporate planners, smaller, invitation-only events. Average marketing budgets have fallen 21 percent at pharmaceutical companies, and clinicians are accepting contact from fewer companies, according to the report. Seven out of 10 pharmaceutical leaders call "doing more with less" their biggest opportunity, suggesting that event budgets could shrink, the report added. The report recommends planners shift money to smaller hands-on, product-linked workshops, advisory boards, roundtables, and other invitation-only formats, where planners can choose who to invite and track results. Also: Keep in-person sessions focused on high-value interaction and add hybrid layers to extend impact. For destinations, marketing local expertise. Rather than competing for association and corporate events on size, infrastructure, or general claims of "world-class facilities," destinations and venues should position themselves around healthcare sector strengths, the report said, including local life sciences clusters, research institutions, and hospital networks. Healthcare events increasingly convene multiple stakeholders, so destinations should build partnerships with key institutions and communities, including hospitals, universities, and associations to position themselves as part of an ecosystem, not just hosts, the report said. Patient focused. CancerCon, organized annually by the nonprofit Stupid Cancer, is designed for adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer rather than for clinicians and researchers. More than 300 cancer survivors, their caregivers, and others gathered at the 2026 event, held last spring in Seattle, for workshops on topics including mental health, financial hardship, career disruption, isolation, and other challenges. Healthcare practitioners were part of the CancerCon 2026 mix, too - the event included a breakout track dedicated to healthcare and nonprofit professionals and an Education Gallery, where they presented posters. Local resources made a difference in organizers' choice of Seattle as host, according to a Stupid Cancer press release, which cited the city's leadership in healthcare and its active local cancer survivor community. "2026 PCMA Healthcare & Life Sciences: The Pulse of Global Events," sponsored by Experience Columbus, is the second of four market-sector reports to be published by PCMA Insights in collaboration with MCI. The reports which include comprehensive market data, a full analysis of sector events, and recommended strategies plotted to specific sectors and business roles. October 8, 2026

MCI UK and Ovation Global DMC make senior appointments. MCI UK and Ovation Global DMC have announced two senior appointments designed to strengthen the expertise and support available to clients across brand experiences, events and inbound incentive travel. Craig Pugh has joined MCI UK as commercial director, working across key client accounts and helping clients unlock greater value from the agency's expanded capabilities following the 2025 acquisitions of Meet & Potato and Pure Communications Group. Pugh brings more than 20 years of experience spanning client services, account development and international event delivery. He has led teams and global accounts across the UK, Middle East and Asia, with sector experience including financial services, pharmaceutical and healthcare, automotive and aerospace. His career has encompassed annual conferences, sales kick-offs, exhibitions, sponsorship and hospitality programmes, live and hybrid events and immersive brand experiences. In his new role, Pugh will work closely with MCI UK's clients to understand their business priorities, strengthen strategic relationships and bring together the right mix of strategic, creative, communications, production and delivery expertise to address their challenges and create greater impact. Pugh said: "I'm excited to work with our clients to build real, lasting partnerships, and to collaborate with the team to create meaningful experiences that support our long-term growth." Tracy Segal has joined the Ovation Global DMC UK team as sales and proposal manager, bringing extensive destination management experience and strengthening the support available to international clients and agency partners developing incentive travel programmes in the UK. While MCI UK and Ovation Global DMC retain their distinct identities and specialist expertise, they are united through mci group to bring together the collective strength of its specialist agencies to help organisations build trust, engagement and meaningful human connections. Segal joins Ovation Global DMC with extensive experience across destination management, corporate transport, client leadership and the development of complex programmes for international corporate and agency clients. She brings in-depth knowledge of the UK destination and supplier landscape, alongside the commercial insight and operational expertise needed to turn ambitious briefs into compelling, deliverable programmes. In her new role, Segal will focus on developing new business opportunities, strengthening agency and client relationships, and translating briefs into distinctive, commercially considered proposals that showcase both the iconic and less expected sides of the UK. She said: "The UK has so much to offer incentive groups, from iconic experiences to the unexpected. I'm excited to combine local knowledge, creative thinking and operational expertise to create programmes that feel distinctive, seamless and memorable." Commenting on the appointments, Charlee Gough, managing director of MCI UK, said: "As our UK teams grow, so does our ability to create greater value for clients and unlock new opportunities. These appointments reflect our ambition to invest in exceptional people, strengthen each brand's specialist expertise and build confidently for the next phase of growth."