SITE and the Incentive Research Foundation unveil the seventh edition of the Incentive Travel Index (ITI), the meetings industry's leading global study of incentive travel.

Explore the latest findings across budgets, benefits, program design and destination selection, alongside new insights into geopolitical risk, qualifier expectations, AI in practice, the future of DMCs and evolving budget considerations. Leave with a clearer understanding of the trends shaping incentive travel and practical ideas to help inform future planning.

Learning outcomes:

Understand the key global trends and tensions shaping incentive travel in 2026

Explore how risk, AI, qualifier expectations and DMC evolution are reshaping program and destination decisions

Identify practical actions to future-proof your incentive travel strategy using ITI insights

This session is approved for the following certifications.

* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 1

* CMP/CEU Approved: Strategic Planning, 1.0 credits

* CSEP Approved

How far would you go to create a once-in-a-lifetime incentive travel experience? For today’s well-traveled top performers, long-haul travel can offer the exclusive and culturally immersive experiences that make a program unforgettable. Explore what gives a distant destination real trophy value, from adventurous itineraries and bespoke access to time for jet lag recovery, relaxation and personal exploration. Consider air travel, time away from the office and pricing, and discover how to make the journey part of the reward.

Learning outcomes:

Identify the characteristics that give long-haul destinations “trophy value”

Evaluate the benefits and practical considerations of planning a long-haul incentive program

Explore strategies for creating memorable, culturally immersive journeys

* CMP/CEU Approved: Domain I: Site Management, 0.5 credits