The MPI Meetings Outlook for Q1 2026 reflects a meaningful shift in sentiment across the meetings and events industry.
As the year begins, optimism has climbed above a key threshold, with 57 percent of respondents anticipating favorable business conditions over the next 12 months—the strongest reading in the past year.
In-person attendance projections are similarly upbeat, with 60 percent expecting growth, although most foresee modest gains of less than 10 percent.
At the same time, planners report that budget projections are not keeping pace with broader business and attendance expectations. While 53 percent expect favorable budget conditions, that figure has remained essentially flat quarter over quarter. At the same time, rising costs—particularly for food and beverage, AV and labor—continue to pressure profit margins. As one planner noted, “You can’t afford autopilot anymore.”
With higher expectations and less tolerance for meetings that lack clear purpose, events must be designed with intention, measurable outcomes and compelling value, the planner says, adding that “meetings must clearly justify the time commitment.”
Attendance patterns also reflect greater selectivity. Many respondents report that smaller, more curated gatherings are outperforming larger, less-focused events. As one planner shared, attendees are showing up “for connection, relevance and practical value—not just another date on the calendar.” Virtual attendance, meanwhile, remains largely flat, with fewer respondents expecting positive movement compared to last year.
Mixed Feelings About AI
AI remains the industry’s most powerful and disruptive force. The survey reveals that regular use of generative AI tools has jumped to 70 percent, up dramatically from 43 percent a year ago and just 22 percent in late 2023.
One planner claimed that AI has a place—but not the only place—saying, “some problems are nails, some are screws and AI can, when used thoughtfully, be the right tool for the job.”
On the other hand, confidence in using AI to deliver meaningful experiences has dipped, and overall sentiment has cooled slightly. While 62 percent still view AI positively, more respondents now express concern about overreliance, data privacy and keeping pace with rapid innovation. As one supplier observed, AI offers tremendous efficiency but can be “hard to keep up with and integrate in a timely fashion.”
Finally, the survey reveals a gap between what may be asked for and what actually takes place when it comes to economic impact data. Most planners report rarely or never collecting local impact metrics, while 25 percent of suppliers say they collect event economic impact data “often.”
However, 77 percent of all respondents also claimed that impact data is at least “slightly important” to their internal and external stakeholders, revealing that realizing its importance and actually tracking it are two different things.
Click here to read the full report.
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