Let’s look at what 2026 has in store for the event industry and planners.
We have summarized the forecasts and key trends below:
The Numbers:
The overall event industry market is predicted to continue its growth at 10% per annum to USD 1.07 trillion by 2029. This growth is supported by 88% of industry professionals expecting their budgets to increase in 2026 according to Amex GBT. On the flip side is a cost increase expectation by 71% but overall 85% of industry professionals are optimistic.
The AI:
This continues to be the hottest topic in the industry and rightfully so. According to Eventex AI is the leading event industry trend for the third year running and Amex GBT states that 50% plan to use GenAI for tacking and creating experiences.
The connection:
Connectedness is the newest hot topic with 42% wanting more interactive experiences and 40% would like to see more social activities and networking.This leads into the topic of micro-events where delegates are looking to connect in smaller settings and through an activity or topic that is a shared experience. We see from our end as well that events include morning running and brisk walking tours to not only offer a wellbeing activity but also to create spaces that provide a different kind of connection and networking.
NEWS THAT MOVES US
9 Event Trends You Should Know for 2026
2026 events will be driven by intentionally, with practical AI, trust-building, attendee-led personalization and micro experiences, plus stronger measurement using first party data.
6 Event Industry Trends and Predictions for 2026
A six trend rundown for 2026 that prioritizes mental well-being and community first design, alongside smaller, more curated gatherings and more intentional use of tech.
2026 Global Meetings and Events Forecast
Surveying 601 meetings professionals in 8 countries, the report predicts rising budgets alongside rising costs, with heavy focus on AI adoption, more interactive and social agendas, and stronger measurement of event value.
RUNNING AND BRISK WALKING IN YOUR EVENTS
Discover how our running and brisk walking tours enable delegates to kickstart their morning in a healthy and sustainable way in more than 70+ cities worldwide. Give
them a much-needed chance to leave the conference facilities and discover the local area with a local guide.
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LATEST DESTINATIONS
In Go! Running Tours we continue our expansion, so morning running and brisk walking tours with local guides are now available in Shanghai. This means we are now in more than 80+ cities worldwide and you can see all our destinations here:
Explore Our Destinations
EVENT HIGHLIGHT
We had the pleasure of guiding delegates of the American Association of Equine Practitioners annual conference on running and brisk walking tours of Denver. The delegates were divided into smaller groups and then they were off exploring Denver’s main sights and hidden gems with local guides.
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