Canada gains, Gulf States decline as incentive travel planners respond to geopolitical tensions.
The latest SITE Pulse Survey, conducted between March 25 and April 6 with 193 respondents across four global regions, reveals a snapshot of how incentive travel professionals are responding to current geopolitical dynamics. The most striking finding is the consistent and significant decline in interest in the Gulf States and Northern Africa across all respondent groups. Canada emerged as the clearest winner in incentive travel planning. “What we’re seeing is not a drop in demand for incentive travel, but a shift in mindset,” said Melissa Moten, Vice President Experience & Event Solutions, BCD Meetings & Events and Chair of the SITE Research Committee, in a statement commenting on the study. “Planners are highly attuned to global developments and are making thoughtful, strategic decisions about where to place their programs. Destinations that are perceived as stable, accessible and aligned with client expectations are rising to the top.”
There were varied perspectives on U.S. destinations. While planners based here had positive outlooks, respondents from Europe, Asia and elsewhere all registered negativity—reflecting the growing trend of destination appeal responding to geopolitics. In contrast, there was strong positive sentiment to Europe and Canada across multiple respondent groups, signaling their positioning as stable, reliable and attractive options in uncertain times. European planners indicated a strong trend for intra-regional travel as well as long-haul travel to destinations perceived as politically neutral or distant from conflict zones. There was notable enthusiasm for Canada across all geographic regions, with a net sentiment score of +66.7% among European respondents and +46.4% among the other three global regions. It was the most positive incentive destination choice in the survey. Across all respondent groups, the Gulf States received the most negative sentiment scores, reflecting widespread concern about proximity to geopolitical instability.
Survey results strongly point to incentive planners actively re-evaluating destination choices through the lens of geopolitical conditions. “Incentive travel has always been both rational and emotional,” said Pádraic Gilligan, Head of Research & Consultancy at SITE. “Right now, the emotional dimension—how a destination feels in terms of safety, stability and alignment—is playing a more prominent role. What’s particularly interesting is how quickly sentiment can shift, and how clearly that shift is reflected in destination preference.”
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