The Future of the Meetings Industry

This timely session explores how meeting planners are rethinking destination selection, which resources influence their decisions and how they want to engage with DMOs today. We examined the marketing and advertising tactics breaking through, the messaging that inspires action and the best practices shaping tomorrow’s successful destination strategies—giving you a clearer understanding of what’s resonating now and how to align your approach accordingly.

The session also included a panel discussion led by Colleen Phalen, Vice President of Meetings Strategy and Innovation at Miles Partnership, featuring industry leaders Dahlia El Gazzar, Founder of DAHLIA+Agency; Derek Rodriguez, Executive Vice President at Informa Connect; and Luke Wiggins, Vice President of Sales at Destination Rogers. Together, the panel explored how technology, experience design and evolving planner expectations are influencing destination selection, planning decisions and long-term destination partnerships.