The booking engine is still running, but political tension, cost pressure and slower growth are testing planner resilience in 2026.

If 2025 was about recovery, 2026 is about recalibration. The latest Cvent North American Pulse Survey reveals an industry that, despite some qualms, is dedicated to moving forward.

Optimists now outnumber pessimists by the narrowest margin (1.17 to 1). Nearly two-thirds of planners say recent economic and immigration policies have negatively affected the travel business. And yet one-third of planners are actively booking new events, a level consistent with the past two years.

Here are six shifts the report identified as defining the year ahead

1) Growth is cooling, but not collapsing. For the first time since the pandemic hit in 2020, fewer than half of planners (43%) expect to produce more meetings this year than last year. However, the report indicates that this is more of a normalization than a contraction. For example, pipelines remain active and lead times have stabilized at just under 11 months. So while the expansion surge of recent years may be ending, the business now is moving into a stage of steadier, more disciplined growth.

2) Politics is now a core business variable. The survey, conducted prior to the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, also indicates that Trump-era policies are not abstract concerns. Planners cite immigration restrictions, visa uncertainty, cross-border tensions and tariff-related economic volatility as direct disruptors of attendance, sourcing and budgeting. Concerns about trade disputes and international perception are influencing inbound and outbound planning decisions.

Political, cultural and social issues now rank among the top concerns for future events. When it comes to site selection, political and social alignment is even more important than in the past. This means that destination decisions have morphed into reputational decisions.

3) Meetings remain strategic despite tightening budgets. Three-quarters of planners say stakeholders view face-to-face meetings as more valuable than other business initiatives . Eighty-eight percent say leadership sees meetings as strategic investments.

However, only 32% report that stakeholders are willing to invest beyond inflationary increases, even though higher F&B and AV costs remain top pain points.

This indicates that the gap between strategic rhetoric and financial commitment is widening. Planners can expect sharper scrutiny of ROI, stronger demands for measurement and less tolerance for “nice to have” amenities.

4) AI is moving from buzzword to back office. Event technology — particularly AI — is no longer experimental. The study shows planners are increasingly exploring AI tools for attendee communications, content personalization, data analysis and operational efficiency. Interest is strongest around automation of repetitive planning tasks, smarter matchmaking and predictive analytics.

Notably, AI adoption is less about replacing human touch and more about scaling it. Planners see technology as a way to deliver personalization and measurable outcomes without expanding headcount. The implication is that tech stacks are becoming strategic assets, not line items.

5) Global meetings are being rebalanced. Forty-three percent of planners are currently organizing international programs, slightly down year over year. More significantly, fewer U.S. inbound programs are being planned. Meanwhile, Canada and the Caribbean appear positioned to gain marketshare, and Europe remains the top international destination, according to the report.

6) Risk management is strategic planning. Higher costs remain the top concern, but the layering of economic uncertainty, policy shifts and geopolitical rhetoric has elevated risk management to a board-level discussion, the report found. Duty of care, contract flexibility and contingency planning are no longer defensive tactics — they are core strategy.

The overall message of the report is one of an industry whose mood is cautious and whose growth expectations are tempered. Political volatility is real. Budgets are tight.

And yet, planners are booking. Stakeholders still believe in face-to-face. AI is being deployed to make lean teams more powerful.

So overall, the picture is not one of an industry pulling back, but one that is recalibrating — with sharper risk filters, smarter tech and clearer-eyed expectations.

Image by freepik