Business event organisers across the APAC region are calling for wider use of real-time multilingual translation services, as demand increasingly extends beyond large-scale conferences into everyday business interactions, according to independent research commissioned by global multilingual event technology company, Interprefy.
The study, Accelerating Global Communication, reveals that well over two-thirds (71%) of APAC business event organisers are experiencing high or very high demand for multilingual translation services, reflecting the region’s role as a hub for international trade, regional headquarters and cross-border collaboration.
While conferences remain an important use case, Interprefy’s research shows that multilingual support is no longer viewed as something reserved solely for headline events. With 58% of respondents believing their organisation would benefit from live translation in business meetings, while 45% see value at industry conferences and 44% at webinars; signalling a broader shift in expectations around how language inclusion supports day-to-day operations.
As APAC continues to play a central role in global business growth, economic expansion across developing Asia and the Pacific is forecast at around 4.9% in 2025 and 4.7% in 2026, compared with global growth forecasts of approximately 3%. This sustained growth advantage means organisations are operating across increasingly diverse markets and workforce structures, driving greater expectations for inclusive, multilingual communication.
Oddmund Braaten, CEO at Interprefy, said, “APAC is one of the most linguistically diverse regions in the world and that diversity is increasingly reflected in how organisations work. What’s changing is the expectation that language support should be available not just at major events, but in everyday meetings and webinars where collaboration, alignment and decision-making take place.”
Across Southeast Asia, where organisations routinely operate across multiple languages and markets, demand is being driven by regional collaboration and fast-growing international teams. In North Asia, global-facing enterprises are increasingly focused on ensuring clarity and consistency in multilingual meetings with international partners, while organisations in Australia and New Zealand are embedding multilingual access as part of more inclusive, globally connected working practices.
The findings reflect a broader regional trend as APAC businesses enter 2026, with organisations expanding into new markets, strengthening regional ties and managing increasingly distributed workforces. From internal planning sessions and leadership updates to virtual briefings and cross-market collaboration, the volume and variety of multilingual communication continue to grow.
A key insight from the research is the increasing preference for flexible, hybrid human–AI approaches to multilingual delivery. Organisations across APAC are balancing accuracy, efficiency and scale, selecting professional interpreters for high-stakes discussions and AI-powered speech translation or live captions for more frequent, operational communications.
Braaten added, “The opportunity for organisations across APAC now is to embed multilingual access into everyday communication, not just reserve it for special occasions. Whether teams are collaborating across Southeast Asia, engaging global partners in North Asia or operating internationally from Australia and New Zealand, language inclusion needs to be built into the way people work.”
As organisations across APAC continue to expand into new markets and manage operations across multiple time zones, multilingual communication is becoming central to everyday business continuity. From regional headquarters coordinating teams across Southeast Asia to global enterprises managing partner and client engagement across North Asia, the ability to support inclusive, multilingual interaction is increasingly tied to productivity, alignment and long-term growth.
“When technology fits seamlessly into existing workflows, organisations can remove communication barriers without adding complexity, ensuring everyone can engage meaningfully, regardless of location or language,” concluded Braaten.
