By Danny Cohanpour, CEO, Trove Tourism Development Advisors

The global meetings and events market is growing, and so is the competition for planner attention.

To better understand what drives destination decisions today, Trove conducted a Planner Survey in April 2026 with 60 qualified respondents involved in selecting, recommending, or approving destinations for business events. The group included association planners, third-party and agency planners, corporate planners, incentive travel planners, and nonprofit and government event professionals.

The results show that winning more business depends on understanding what planners want from both the destination and the organisation behind it.

What planners want from destinations

1. Strong value for money

Cost and overall value remain the most influential factors in final destination decisions, with 75% of planners ranking this among their top three priorities. In an environment of tighter budgets and greater scrutiny, destinations that combine quality experiences with competitive pricing have a clear advantage.

2. Easy air access

Airlift and accessibility ranked in the top three decision drivers for 50% of planners. Direct flights, strong regional connectivity, and a reliable airport experience all reduce friction for attendees and make destinations easier to justify internally.

3. Enough hotel rooms and meeting space

Hotel room block availability scored as the single most important destination factor, with a mean importance rating of 4.55 out of 5. Convention and meeting space quality also ranked highly, reinforcing that planners need confidence a destination can comfortably host their group before anything else is considered.

4. Safety and security

Safety and security scored 4.36 out of 5 in importance, making it one of the most essential decision criteria. Looking ahead, 75% of planners said safety will become even more important over the next 12 months.

5. Experiences attendees will remember

Once the fundamentals are covered, destinations stand out through attendee appeal. Quality dining, nightlife, leisure experiences, and authentic local culture all help increase attendance, improve satisfaction, and make an event more memorable.

The destination gets planners interested, but it’s the destination organisation that often determines whether interest becomes a confirmed booking.

What planners want from DMOs / CVBs

1. Lead with logistics, not just price

Many destinations market themselves through scenery or affordability, but planners often eliminate options based on practical constraints first. Room blocks, meeting capacity, flight access, and operational readiness consistently outranked softer selling points in the survey.

2. Fast, clear responses

When asked what DMOs could do better, planners pointed first to more transparent pricing (39%) and faster response times (38%). A destination that responds quickly with clear, organised information can gain a major competitive edge over one that responds slowly or vaguely.

3. A consultative partner

Planners most value hands-on support from destination organisations, including FAM trips and site inspections (70%), local supplier recommendations (64%), and introductions to partners (55%). They want practical help that saves time, reduces risk, and simplifies decision-making.

4. Early visibility and ongoing relationship building

More than half of planners say destinations enter consideration before any formal RFP is issued, including 34% during initial brainstorming. That means trade show presence, FAM trips, digital visibility, and proactive outreach all matter long before a formal opportunity appears.

5. A website worth finding

Online content introduces 54% of planners to destinations they weren't previously aware of. In particular, destination websites are where 59% of planners discover online content, ahead of search engines and social media combined. That makes a DMO's own digital presence one of its most underutilised sales tools.

The results of this survey were synthesised into Trove’s sixth annual MICE white paper, “What Planners Want in 2026: How Destinations Can Win More Meetings & Events Business.”

For more data, recommendations, and actionable takeaways, download the full white paper.