Data-driven decisions: Turning MICE spend into insights

Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) are a cornerstone of corporate strategy – bringing people together to share knowledge and strengthen relationships.

But in an era of tighter budgets and heightened demand for measurable ROI, MICE decision-makers face a growing challenge: how to turn complex spend data into actionable insights.

Event planners, procurement managers, finance teams, and travel buyers all wrestle with the same set of pain points:

• Fragmented supplier contracts
• Limited visibility across categories and regions
• Difficulty proving ROI to the C-suite

And if you add to that the mounting pressure to embrace AI and analytics, the path forward can feel overwhelming.

The good news? Payment and expense data hold the key. By bringing corporate payment solutions like those from AirPlus on board, MICE professionals can go beyond transactions and use insights that drive smarter, more strategic decisions.

The case for data-driven MICE decision-making

The industry is moving quickly toward data-centric strategies. According to the Amex GBT Global Outlook 2025, investment in AI and digital tools continues to accelerate across the meetings and events space. Organizations see analytics not as a “nice to have,” but as a critical enabler of efficiency and competitive advantage.

But many MICE leaders are still running with limited visibility. Expenses are scattered across different suppliers and regions, often tracked manually or via disconnected systems. As a result, opportunities to optimize budgets and measure true ROI are often missed.

Turning MICE spend into insights is essentially about shifting the perception of meetings and events from “cost centers” to measurable drivers of value.

From spend transparency to strategic action

So, what does it mean to make data-driven decisions in MICE? It starts with three key capabilities:

1. Turning transaction data into spend transparency

Corporate payment solutions provide a centralized view of all MICE spend – across suppliers, geographies, and event categories. This visibility allows procurement and finance teams to spot inconsistencies and track budgets in real time.

Instead of relying on estimates or verbal feedback, decision-makers can pull up precise figures for everything from venue hire to catering to attendee travel.

This transparency builds the foundation for smarter conversations at the executive level.

2. Negotiating smarter supplier contracts

Fragmented data makes it nearly impossible to assess supplier performance. With centralized expense insights, organizations can identify high-value vendors, track spend concentration, and spot opportunities for volume-based discounts.

For example: If 40% of your event catering spend consistently goes to the same supplier across regions, that’s leverage for better contract terms.

3. Linking attendee behavior with engagement data

Beyond logistics, spend insights can also reveal attendee patterns. Which sessions drew the highest travel and accommodation spend? Where did attendees invest in add-ons like networking dinners or workshops?

When combined with engagement metrics (such as app activity or survey feedback), these insights create a powerful picture of what participants value most. That means event planners can design experiences that resonate – and back it up with hard data.

4. Measuring ROI with numbers

Traditionally, MICE ROI has been measured by satisfaction surveys or verbal feedback. Although these are valuable, they don’t stand up well in boardroom budget discussions.

By analyzing payment and expense data, organizations can track outcomes more concretely: cost per attendee, spend per lead, or revenue tied to attendee engagement. With clear, measurable benchmarks, the case for MICE investment becomes far more compelling.

The role of AI in unlocking MICE insights

AI is no longer just an industry buzzword—it’s becoming a practical tool for MICE professionals. By applying machine learning to payment and expense data, organizations can:

• Forecast spend patterns across future events, helping allocate budgets more effectively.
  
  
• Spot anomalies or outliers in supplier costs, preventing overspending before it happens.
  
  
• Segment attendees based on behavior and spend, enabling tailored engagement strategies.
  
  

These forward-thinking organizations are at the cutting edge of meetings and events management.

Why AirPlus? Beyond payment, toward insight

AirPlus has long been a trusted partner in corporate payments. But in today’s MICE environment, we have to move beyond processing transactions. Our solutions help transform raw payment data into clarity, strategy, and competitive advantage.

With AirPlus, MICE leaders gain:

• Comprehensive spend visibility across suppliers, regions, and categories.
  
  
• Negotiation power rooted in accurate, centralized data.
  
  
• Smarter ROI tracking that resonates with the C-suite.
  
  

The power lies in translating the story behind your payments so you can plan for the future based on fact.

Optimizing MICE budgets in a new era

The MICE sector is at an inflection point. As budgets come under pressure and expectations rise, data-driven decision-making is essential.

By leveraging corporate payment data, organizations can turn fragmented spend into actionable insights and prove the value of every meeting and event.

The path forward is clear: stop viewing payments as the end of the process, and start treating them as the beginning of your insights journey.