Subvention, the financial and in-kind support that destinations provide to associations hosting events, is at a crossroads. According to preliminary, new findings from a survey conducted by Conferli, in collaboration with #MEET4IMPACT and the Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDS-Movement), 91% of participating destinations say they want to drive positive change through subvention. Yet only 6% have fully integrated legacy and impact criteria into their programmes.
The survey, which gathered insights from 115 destinations across five continents, reveals momentum and misalignment. While nearly 77% of destinations currently offer subvention solutions, most still prioritise traditional economic indicators like room nights and delegate spend in their events sustainability strategy.

Key Findings at a Glance:
- 91% of destinations want to use subvention to drive change
- Only 6% have fully embedded environmental or social impact criteria
- 40% expect to introduce formal sustainability requirements within 24 months
- 66% say budget constraints are the main barrier to offering subvention
- Only 17% of current subvention schemes require social or environmental outcomes
Despite the growing desire to fund events that leave a positive legacy, the majority of funding criteria continue to prioritise event type and strategic alignment with sectors first, then volume of out-of-region delegates, room nights and occupancy impact and lastly, government policy alignment.
Among the destinations that do go beyond economic return:
- 20% offer fully-integrated support packages (e.g. sustainability roadmaps, legacy plans)
- 29% facilitate partnerships between organisers and local interested parties
- 32% provide practical tools like checklists or best-practice guides
Almost 50% of destinations that offer support run two or more subvention programmes, tailoring support to suit both flagship congresses and smaller, high-impact events.
This Early Insights Report provides a first look at global subvention trends. The full study, which will include in-depth case studies and association perspectives, is set to launch in July 2025.