Learn what planners want from hotels and venues in 2026

The issues facing planners have changed. The Northstar/Cvent Meetings Industry PULSE Report gives suppliers proven insight into evolving planner sentiment. Topics include:

The Pulse of Event Professionals
  • The state of meetings and events.
  • The importance of rebuilding relationships.
  • How planners are evaluating venues.

Top Findings

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43%of planners say their outlook has become more optimistic, up from 27% last year, marking the strongest sentiment in the past 12 months.

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70% of planners expect to produce more meetings this year than last year, returning to 2024 levels after a softer 2025.

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52% of planners say AI has already delivered measurable time savings and efficiency gains for their meetings and events programmes.

Tip for Suppliers: MICE business is crucial for the hospitality industry, providing a predictable business segment amidst budget cuts and escalating geopolitical tensions. Unexpected cancellations in leisure and transient segments can disrupt revenue and profitability, but MICE business ensures stability. Cvent helps hotels build a strong MICE business pipeline, increasing exposure and access to planners to win more RFPs and mitigate cancellations from other key business segments.

Tip for Planners: Ensure you have visibility into all events happening across the organization and can easily measure their impact. If you need to pivot or make adjustments, you'll understand where and when they happen, the cost, and the value. Event management software can help you gain these insights across the entire event lifecycle.

Resources to Meet the Moment

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Myth-Buster Maze

Think you know the 2026 meetings and events landscape Play the game to test your industry IQ.

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Top 9 Event Trends to Track in 2026

Discover the global event trends shaping planner sourcing decisions and where new opportunities are emerging.

Explore the trends

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Use AI for Improved Personalization in Hospitality

Discover how AI can enable personalized and impactful interactions with your guests and clients.

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