As the meetings and events industry continues pushing forward into 2026, professionals in the sector are reflecting on best practices that took center stage throughout 2025 and identifying the top trends to lean into for gatherings this year. To get a sense of what those trends are, why they’re important, and how groups can best capitalize on them, Meetings + Events spoke with Brian Kellerman, partner and CEO of San Diego-based GoGather, a full-service corporate event management agency that serves clients across North America.
M+E: What trends do you foresee becoming most prominent this year within the corporate event-planning industry and why?
BK: What we’re really seeing is a move away from autopilot planning. For years, companies ran events because they always had, but that approach isn’t holding up anymore. Costs are higher, budgets are tighter, and attendees are far more selective with their time. So, the biggest trend heading into 2026 is intentionality. Events need a clear purpose and a reason for people to show up in person, and experience-first design is a big part of that. People don’t want to sit in a ballroom all day watching slide decks. They want to participate, connect, and walk away feeling like the time they spent mattered. At the same time, content is getting sharper [due to] fewer sessions, more relevance, and more voices from people actually doing the work.
M+E: How might you recommend planners capitalize on these concepts?
BK: It starts by slowing down at the beginning. Before you pick a destination or lock in a venue, identify why your event exists and who it’s for. That clarity makes every decision easier later on. From there, planners should be designing for choice rather than overload via shorter sessions, flexible agendas, and opportunities for smaller-group interaction. Another element to consider is rethinking where budgets are spent. We’re seeing less value in generic add-ons and more impact when dollars go toward content quality and thoughtful experiences. Also, measurement matters more than ever. Tracking attendance patterns and feedback helps planners build better events year over year.
M+E: How is GoGather working to prioritize these trends as it heads into the new year?
BK: We’re pushing ourselves and our clients to be more strategic from day one. That means starting with goals and attendee behavior before talking logistics. With event budgets under scrutiny, efficiency on the planning side really matters. We’re also spending more time helping clients rethink repeat events. Same venue doesn’t have to mean same experience. Changing room layouts, rotating spaces, bringing in area partners, or adjusting session formats can make an event feel fresh without adding major costs. We’re also leaning heavily into data sourcing (budget versus actuals, room pickup, session attendance) so decisions are based on reality, not assumptions.
M+E: Could you tell us about a recent event organized by GoGather that activated one or several of these objectives and what impact it had on the event overall?
BK: A great example is a first-time user conference our team managed for an artificial intelligence software company in San Francisco last October. It was the company’s inaugural event, a one-day summit with 425 attendees, and it had a small internal team with big expectations. From the start, the focus was on building something intentional rather than overloading the agenda.
We chose a nontraditional venue, the SFJAZZ Center, which immediately set a different tone than a hotel ballroom. The agenda was tight (eight sessions total) and designed around real user needs instead of generic product talks. We created flexible spaces for hands-on sessions and conversations, which ended up overflowing because people wanted that interaction.
Sustainability was also a priority. We skipped excess signage, repurposed unused swag, and donated leftover food, the latter of which resulted in zero food waste. From a production standpoint, we balanced high-quality audiovisual with a warm, human feel so the space supported connection, not distraction. The event sold out, feedback was strong, and it gave the client a foundation for building a long-term user community. The company is already looking to double their attendance next year.
M+E: How do these trend predictions speak to the overall direction the meetings and events industry is heading?
BK: The meetings and events industry is growing up in a lot of ways. Events are no longer treated as line items or perks, they’re now business tools that have to earn their place. That means clearer goals, better storytelling, smarter spending, and more respect for attendee time. Looking ahead, I think the events that succeed in 2026 and 2027 will feel simpler on the surface but also more intentional underneath—fewer things done better. More focus on people, connection, and outcomes. That’s the direction we’re heading, and honestly, it’s a healthier place for both planners and attendees to land.
