“As incentive travel participants are trending younger, we\u2019ll see a trend of combining pop culture I program design. Think of a three-wave programs with options at one of the three locations where White Lotus was filmed. Or, bringing in a singer from The Voice<\/em> for a private concert. Maybe a workshop on how to create a good TikTok video?” — Annette Gregg (SITE CEO<\/em>)<\/p> “As the world continues to shift and surprise us, programs will lean into creativity and emotion \u2014 crafting unforgettable experiences that truly inspire. Expect bursts of surprise and delight designed to make participants feel seen, valued, and motivated. After all, as Maya Angelou reminded us, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”” — Dallas Lyons III (Head of Membership & Chapter Engagement) <\/em><\/p> “Predicting that … storytelling will become the heartbeat of incentive travel marketing \u2014 with destinations and DMCs making a shift from selling “places” to selling purpose. Leading with how emotional connection drives both loyalty and performance.” — Aoife McCrum (Head of Marketing) <\/em><\/p> “Now more than ever before, research shows that there is an even greater desire for people to meet and connect in-person to foster ideas, gain new perspectives, and create a sense of community and culture. Especially within the incentive space, attendees are craving authenticity, uniqueness and an opportunity to create meaningful connections. <\/p> I predict that there will be even more authentic, experiential activities strongly reminiscent of the destination. For example, an incentive activity could be a cooking class but enhance it by visiting a local farm to meet the vendors, select the produce, choose your eggs and then come together to cook the meal. It\u2019s authentic, memorable, and experiential: sure to leave a lasting impact!” — Samantha Nicastro (Head of Business Development & Partnerships)<\/em> <\/p> “I predict the incentive travel market will continue to grow, along with the importance of emphasizing personalization and flexibility. I also believe there will be more focus from attendees on meaning in the programs, looking for something beyond just a fun destination and more aligned with their personal values and priorities.” — Elizabeth Sage (Head of Education & Events) <\/em><\/p> “I predict that SITE will offer its CIS and CITP certificate programs in multiple languages, further expanding its reach to educate its global audience on the business case for incentive travel.” — Mark Swets (Head of Operations)<\/em><\/p> “As technology continues to evolve, the SITE Foundation\u2019s fundraising will become more immersive and experiential. Virtual previews of auction items, interactive storytelling, and AI-driven tools will help donors connect more deeply with Foundation\u2019s campaigns and mission.<\/p> And for a somewhat silly prediction: By 2030, SITE will host its first conference in space! As travel boundaries expand, SITE will be at the forefront of redefining what an \u201cincentive level\u201d destination really means.” — Kellen Bachler<\/em> (Foundation Relations Coordinator)<\/em><\/p> “I predict great things for Maren Morris in 2026.” — P\u00e1draic Gilligan<\/em> (Research & Consultancy)<\/em> (and shared immediately prior to catching her live late 2025 gig in Dublin!) <\/em><\/p> “I think the incentive travel industry is in a great spot right now. Companies are putting more focus on creating trips that feel personal and meaningful, not just big or fancy. People want experiences that really stick with them, and I think we\u2019ll keep seeing more of that kind of travel.” — Danielle King<\/em> (Membership & Volunteer Specialist)<\/em><\/p> “I\u2019m making an early bet on Pantone\u2019s color of the year \u2014 and am predicting it will be a SITE-appropriate \u201cjazz burgundy<\/a>.\u201d” — Jennifer King<\/em> <\/strong>(Graphic Design) <\/em><\/p> “In 2026, the power of local connection will continue to shape how incentive travel professionals build community. As SITE continues expanding our global network of affiliates<\/a>, members will have more opportunities than ever to build meaningful, community-driven relationships right where they are. <\/p> Those local touchpoints paired with global reach will help continue to create a SITE membership experience that feels more personal, more collaborative, and more aligned with how people want to connect today. It won\u2019t just strengthen people both personally and professionally \u2014 it will strengthen the industry.” — Dani Kloap<\/em> (Chapter Relations Specialist)<\/em> <\/p> “One of the best discourses I heard this year was Roxane Gay (re)making her case in-person for the power of possibility over hope<\/a>: so I\u2019m accordingly focusing my 2026 predictions on what I want the SITE community to make possible rather than what I merely hope will happen.<\/p> First, I look forward to seeing the incentive travel world embrace the totally out-there destination ideas in 2026 (go full cottage-core in County Fermanagh<\/a>! Tap what seem like hum-drum destinations<\/a> for something totally unconventional!). I look forward to hearing and seeing more truly off-the-beaten-path incentive destination pitching.<\/p> I also want incentive travel leaders to make holding space possible, as employees continue working through turbulent times. There\u2019s good guidance<\/a> out there on how to do this<\/a>, but it\u2019s important to sit with the reality of the genuinely scary \u201cstuff\u201d in the world right now. At a time of year when many of us express hopes for peace, we also need to actively help (or at least respect the need for) our colleagues and teams to process more complex emotions and difficulties, alongside our best well-wishes for the world.” — Sydney Nolan (Marketing & Communications)<\/em><\/p> “I predict we will see the rise of CBD\/THC and functional beverages at events. <\/p> Over the last few years, we have seen a societal shift in alcohol consumption. Only 50 percent of young adults (18-34) are reporting drinking alcohol and 54 percent of American adults are reporting drinking alcohol, down from 67 percent in 2022. <\/p> In a society where sobriety is becoming a trend of its own, we are seeing more beverage companies pushing functional beverages with healthy benefits. CBD\/THC canned drinks offer a way to feel the same buzz without the lasting effects of alcohol and provide health benefits such as improved sleep, reduced inflammation, and pain relief \u2014 items that are definitely beneficial to the seasoned traveler. The CBD\/THC drink market has exceeded a $1 billion USD industry and is expected to surpass $5.6 billion by 2035.” — Emily Parsons-Walker<\/em> (Event Specialist)<\/em><\/p> “My prediction is that gifting at incentive events will become far more intentional. With Gen Z\u2019s growing influence and their reputation for being environmentally conscious, planners and suppliers alike will need to prioritize purposeful, sustainable gifts that attendees will actually use. We\u2019ve moved beyond stickers and pop sockets people!!! Gifts with meaning and intention will win every time.” — Tiffany Shafer<\/em> (Education Specialist)<\/em> <\/p> “I predict that there will be more push from attendees to have more down time where they get to pick what they do instead of jam-packed schedules. I also think that travel will be more geared toward destinations outside of the United States given the climate of everything here.” — Mella Whitaker (Sponsorship Relations Specialist)<\/em> <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What lies ahead for the future of our industry and association <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":20471,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_views_all":1391,"_views_30d":42,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[11],"class_list":["post-20470","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-ideas"],"custom_author":{"byline":"SITE Staff","byline_avatar":"https:\/\/siteglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/site-staff.png","byline_email":"","author_id":"0"},"yoast_head":"\nMore “wow” moments in incentive travel<\/h4>
Storytelling that speaks to minds and <\/em>hearts<\/h4>
Prioritizing the authentic and experiential <\/h4>
Personalized, flexible growth<\/h4>
Multilingual opportunities to upskill<\/h4>
More voices from the SITE team<\/h3>
AI, and an event in space?!<\/h4>
Super-stardom<\/h4>
Getting personal, to make it memorable<\/h4>
Seeing red<\/h4>
More connections for SITE members<\/h4>
The power of the unconventional, and the need to hold space <\/h4>
F&B “high”-lights<\/h4>
Purposeful gifting <\/h4>
Free schedules in more expansive destinations <\/h4>