The International Association of Conference Centers (IACC), the global body representing the world’s top 1% of conference and meeting venues that has a base of U.S. operations in Chicago, published its 2026 Meeting Room of the Future report in early June, its most comprehensive annual benchmarking survey to date, drawing on responses from 124 venues in North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific regions. Produced in partnership with Development Counsellors International (DCI), which has U.S. headquarters in New York City, the report builds on years of survey data to track shifting priorities, emerging trends and regional differences across the global meetings sector.
What emerges from this year’s data is a sector investing heavily in experience, connectivity, and sustainability, without losing sight of what has always mattered most: Natural light, acoustics, and food and beverage continue to score as highly with operators as any new technology investment.
“The insights shared within the 2026 Meeting Room of the Future report once again demonstrate the pace at which our industry continues to evolve,” says Mark Cooper, CEO of IACC. “The perspectives and experiences contributed by venue operators and industry experts around the world provide valuable guidance that help us shape and navigate the future development of meetings and business events over the next two to three years.”
IACC Report Trends
Technology investment has accelerated sharply, and 87% of venues have invested in internet infrastructure or hardware in the last two years, with 64% planning further investment in the next two years, the IACC report notes. The importance of secure, dedicated client Wi-Fi has seen one of the sharpest year-over-year movements in the report’s history, rising from 8.2 to 9.3 out of 10, a clear signal that reliable, secure connectivity is a baseline requirement for venues.
Venue operators are clear that the basics still matter as much as any new investment, however. The importance of meeting room acoustics scored 9.2 out of 10, natural light 9.0 and dedicated refreshment break stations 8.8.
The IACC report also found that venues feel the pressure on affordable, inspiring food and beverage offerings, and so are their clients’ budgets. Some 89% of venues reports an increase in requests to accommodate dietary preferences, with 42% citing increased costs as the primary operational challenge this creates. Another 68% agrees that higher food and beverage costs have directly impacted their service delivery.
Client expectations around sustainability are also growing. Locally sourced food and beverage is now the most-requested sustainability initiative, cited by 51% of clients, ahead of food waste reduction (33%) and plastic-free operations (29%). Some 85% of venues say they use locally sourced produce wherever possible, and 83% say demonstrating sustainable practices has become more important to their business.
Drinking habits are shifting, too, and 57% of venues report lower alcohol consumption among attendees, prompting many to rethink their beverage offerings.
Experiences are also emphasized in the IACC report. More than two-thirds of venues strongly agree they are responsible for ‘experience creation’ as part of delivering successful meetings. Themed food and beverage is the most widely offered experience element (92% of venues), followed by team building (87%).
Artificial intelligence (AI) remains in the consideration phase for most venue operators, according to the IACC report. Guest services and human resource efficiency are the most commonly explored applications, though few venues currently use AI for workforce planning, menu design, or food waste management. The data suggests the industry is aware of AI’s potential, but is taking a measured approach to implementation.
Aurora Dawn Benton, consultant to the Events Industry Council, says, “Many staff in banquets have been in the industry, and oftentimes in their venue, for decades. The best AI-aided menu design is not going to overcome years of inertia where a human with emotions and influence can still override rules for service setup, portion sizing, and replenishment.”
In addition, the IACC report notes the meetings and events industry is in the middle of a generational workforce shift. Most venues have far more Gen Z and Millennial lower-level staff than they do in leadership. Some 89% of venues have Gen Z making up less than a quarter of their management teams. That gap will close over time, and venues already attuned to younger audiences will be better placed when it does.
To download the full report, visit: iacconline.org/iacc-meeting-room-of-the-future.
