Editor’s note: This summary of the webinar transcript was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence.
If 2025 marked the industry’s dominated by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, 2026 is shaping up to be a year defined by pressure points—and strategic opportunity. In his annual hospitality outlook, Associated Luxury Hotels International President and CEO Michael Dominguez highlighted forces that will most directly shape planners’ decision-making in the year ahead. You can view the whole conversation.
Below, we expand on three items that every planner should consider for the year.
Meeting Space Compression Is the New Normal
Group demand has fully rebounded in major U.S. markets, and in many cases, it’s exceeding pre-pandemic levels. According to Dominguez, nearly all of the top 25 U.S. destinations are experiencing group growth, signaling a return to first-tier cities as anchors for large-scale meetings and conventions. The challenge isn’t demand—it’s capacity.
Renovations and expansions at major convention centers, including Austin and Dallas, are temporarily removing large blocks of inventory from an already tight system. Layered on top of that is the global impact of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Even planners not meeting in host cities will feel the ripple effect, as companies sponsoring or activating around the event pull executives and resources into World Cup commitments. The result is a year in which 12 months of meetings are effectively compressed into 10.
Read More: 2026 Industry Forecast: A Constant Shift
For planners, this means availability—not budget—will often be the primary constraint. Preferred dates, traditional seasonal patterns and long-standing city rotations may no longer be viable without adjustment. Flexibility becomes essential, not optional. Successful planners will be those who proactively educate stakeholders about the realities of space compression and build support for alternative dates, creative room layouts or secondary markets within major metro areas.
The upside is that this pressure is temporary. As convention center projects come online and World Cup infrastructure investments mature, planners will ultimately benefit from expanded, modernized facilities and upgraded destination experiences. But in the near term, patience, adaptability and early sourcing will be critical tools.
International Travel Is Rebounding—Despite Lingering Perception Gaps
International attendance at U.S. events remains a concern for planners, but Dominguez cautioned against letting perception outpace reality. While visa delays and geopolitical noise dominate headlines, the data tells a more nuanced story. Major international events are already seeing strong participation, with record-setting ticket sales for the World Cup and robust attendance at large-scale trade shows like CES.
A key factor planners often overlook is that the majority of international travelers—approximately 57%—enter the U.S. through visa waiver programs, bypassing the traditional visa process entirely. While challenges remain for specific markets, particularly India and parts of Asia, processing times are improving and government focus on travel infrastructure is increasing ahead of global mega-events.
Read More: New and Renovated: Meetings in International Cities
For planners, the challenge lies in managing both logistics and optics. Even when the data support optimism, attendee anxiety can influence registration and participation decisions. Clear communication becomes as essential as operational planning. Providing realistic timelines, sharing official resources and addressing concerns early can help prevent misinformation from shaping outcomes.
Dominguez also noted an emerging dynamic tied to the World Cup itself. Many international travelers are deferring U.S. travel plans in 2025 in anticipation of extended trips in 2026, combining sporting events with leisure travel across multiple destinations. That shift may temporarily suppress some inbound numbers, but it sets the stage for a strong rebound as global travel patterns realign.
For meeting planners, this reinforces the importance of separating anecdote from analysis. International travel is not uniformly broken—it is uneven, evolving and highly dependent on market-specific conditions. Planners who rely on data rather than assumptions will be best positioned to maintain confidence among stakeholders and attendees alike.
Consolidation Will Accelerate Across the Meetings Ecosystem
One of the most consequential, if less visible, trends shaping 2026 is the acceleration of mergers and acquisitions across the hospitality and meetings industry. Dominguez predicts a surge in deal activity, particularly among AV companies, destination management firms and specialized service providers.
Several forces are converging to drive this wave. Capital is returning to the market after a pause triggered by economic uncertainty in 2025. At the same time, many entrepreneurial founders who built businesses over the past two decades are reaching a point where exit strategies make sense. The result is a rapidly shifting supplier landscape that planners can’t afford to ignore.
Consolidation brings both opportunity and risk. Larger organizations may offer broader capabilities, geographic reach and operational consistency. At the same time, mergers can lead to pricing changes, reduced flexibility or shifts in service culture. For planners, longstanding relationships may suddenly look different, even if familiar brand names remain.
The most effective planners in 2026 will be those who stay informed and ask deeper questions. Who owns your vendors? How might consolidation affect contract terms, cancellation policies or on-site support? Are you gaining scale—or losing customization?
As consolidation reshapes the industry, planners are increasingly acting as strategic buyers rather than just coordinators. Understanding market dynamics and advocating for transparency will be essential to protecting both budgets and attendee experience.
The Bottom Line
Meeting planners are entering 2026 at a moment of strength—but also complexity. Demand is high, global attention is focused on the U.S., and the industry is evolving rapidly behind the scenes. Space constraints, international travel dynamics and supplier consolidation will test even the most experienced professionals.
The planners who succeed will be those who lead with insight rather than reaction—educating stakeholders, grounding decisions in data and embracing flexibility as a competitive advantage. In a year defined by compression and change, strategic foresight may be the most valuable skill a planner brings to the table.
