meeting in 2026: predictions for the future of business events
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Over 1.5 billion sq. ft. of event space
1.3 million events created
150 million attendees impacted
4,200 customers
A world where face-to-face events achieve great things.
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2026
The “Golden Age of Travel” will continue.
More events, with bigger budgets.
We won’t be able to tell the difference between real and virtual events.
Robots will setup and teardown rooms.
Artificial intelligence will make events better for everyone.
Complex productions will be easier to organize.
Group business will be booked mostly online.
Second tier cities will become premier destinations.
The room block will play second fiddle to economic impact.
A governing body for the meetings industry will emerge.
The Annual Meeting will become endangered.
More event professionals will report to CEOs
The hospitality industry will be more profitable than ever.
9 Ways to Prepare as a Planner
Become Best Friends with Data
1. Experiment with measuring NPS.
2. Surprise stakeholders with metrics.
3. Backup your ideas with data.
1. Find inspiration outside of the events world.
2. Lean on your creative partners. Challenge them and you’ll be surprised.
3. Be deliberate about every design detail.Creativity
is Key
1. Pick a destination based on the message it sends.
2. Leverage the CVB.
3. Integrate cultural learnings into your destination event.
Unleash Your Inner Anthropologist
1. Encourage social interactions throughout the event.
2. Remember everything is a backdrop for a photo.Pics, Or It Didn’t Happen
1. Pay it forward.
2. Find mentors and serve as a mentee.
3. Ask for introductions.Find People You Trust and Grow Your Network
Be Proactive, Ask and You Shall Receive
1. Ask properties to offer you a customized site visit, specific to your event.
2. Have partners join you on site visits.
1. Invest in your learning.
2. Volunteer your time with an industry organization.
3. Remember that learning happens outside of your comfort zone.
If You Rest, You Rust
1. Ask about sustainability programs at the venues you’re working with.
2. Use it as a selling point, promote your event as a “Green Event”.
Make Meetings & Events Green Again
1. Set goals for yourself.
2. Find an accountability partner.Be a Hero, Save the Day (and Do It Over Again)
