What We Heard in the Hallways: Industry Pain Points and Opportunity Areas from Convening Leaders 2026

There’s something that happens at Convening Leaders that doesn’t show up on the agenda.

It’s the conversations in hallways between sessions. The side comments over coffee. The quiet honesty that comes out when planners talk to other planners—and realize they’re not alone.

At this year’s Convening Leaders, the JDC Events team intentionally leaned into those moments. We conducted targeted, anonymized conversations with event professionals across association, corporate, and franchise-led organizations to better understand what’s really weighing on the industry right now—and where there’s genuine opportunity to do things differently.

What we heard wasn’t surprising. But it was clarifying.

Across roles, organization types, and event sizes, the same themes surfaced again and again. Some planners have already started to address them. Others are still searching for the right path forward. All of them point to an industry in transition.

Here’s the story those conversations told us.

“We Know Costs Are Up—But Help Us Be Smarter”

Few topics sparked as much emotion as audiovisual costs.

Planners were candid: AV pricing continues to rise, especially with in-house providers, but the scope and complexity of services often haven’t changed. Loyalty, in some cases, feels like a penalty rather than a partnership.

To be clear, planners understand reality. Equipment costs have increased. Labor is more expensive. Supply chains are still uneven. What they’re asking for isn’t a rollback—it’s transparency and flexibility.

They want pricing models that allow for informed tradeoffs. If something must give, let it be intentional and let them choose. They want regional partners who can reduce travel, trucking, and labor costs. And they want RFPs to mean what they say—without surprises after contracts are signed.

The message was consistent: work with us, not against us.

The Industry Is Done with “Just a Vendor”

That sentiment carried into a broader theme: planners are no longer looking for vendors. They’re looking for partners.

Transactional relationships—those that begin and end with a purchase order—are breaking down under today’s pressures. Budgets are tighter. Expectations are higher. Risk is everywhere. And planners don’t have time to manage it alone.

The partners who stand out are the ones who bring ideas, not just invoices. They flag risks early. They understand long-term goals. They help protect the budget, not just spend it.

Several planners shared a simple but powerful tactic: start the year with a vendor launch call. Bring everyone together. Share goals, KPIs, and expectations upfront. When partners understand what success looks like, they can help you get there.

Innovation Isn’t the Hard Part—Internal Buy-In Is

One of the more frustrating patterns we heard had nothing to do with external partners at all.

Even small, low-risk innovations—adjusting sponsorship recognition, automating communications, introducing experiential touchpoints—are often stopped internally. The reason is usually the same: fear. Fear of confusing attendees. Fear of brand risk. Fear of change.

What’s missing in many of these conversations is data.

Planners know attendee behavior is evolving. They see it in engagement metrics, feedback, and attendance trends. But without shared education around experience design, innovation becomes opinion-based instead of evidence-based.

The opportunity here isn’t radical transformation. It’s incremental change, backed by insight, deployed intentionally.

Attendance Decline Isn’t a Marketing Problem

When the topic of attendance decline came up, planners didn’t blame promotion or pricing.

They blamed experience.

Organizations running the same format year after year are seeing diminishing returns—especially among emerging professionals. Meanwhile, leadership often underestimates how much experience design influences engagement, loyalty, and word-of-mouth.

The events gaining traction are the ones giving attendees more agency. Open networking formats. Interactive sessions with purpose. Social activations that create real connection.

People don’t just want to attend anymore. They want to belong.

When One Planner Is Doing the Work of Five

Behind many of these challenges is a quieter issue: staffing.

We heard from countless planners running large, complex events with minimal support—or none at all. When teams are stretched thin, everything becomes reactive. Innovation stalls. Strategy takes a back seat to logistics.

This is where smarter use of external partners can change the equation. Not as an added cost, but as a pressure release valve.

Operational support from event management agencies can fill gaps without overspending, freeing planners to focus on growth, experience, and long-term vision instead of just getting through the day.

Sponsors Want More Than Logos—and So Do Planners

Sponsorship remains critical, but many planners are seeing a troubling pattern: sponsors pay, but don’t show up.

When sponsors aren’t present, perceived ROI drops on both sides. The relationship weakens. Renewals become harder.

The opportunity isn’t more branding—it’s more connection.

Curated sponsor meetups, regional dinners, and structured moments that foster real interaction are making a difference. When sponsors feel engaged and valued as participants—not just supporters—they’re far more likely to be present and invested.

Global Disruption Is Now a Planning Assumption

Tariffs. Regulatory changes. Supply chain instability. Geopolitical tensions.

For planners with global audiences, disruption is no longer an edge case—it’s part of the baseline. Where events are held, who can attend, and how production is executed all require more flexibility than ever.

Planners are responding by diversifying locations, expanding venue options, and rethinking production strategies. Those who rely on non-U.S. participation are also exploring incentives to counter travel hesitation.

Perhaps most importantly, many are choosing not to retreat from global markets—but to lean in. Being present when the pendulum swings back matters.

No-Shows Are Creating Real Waste

High registration no-show rates—especially for free or internal events—came up repeatedly. The financial impact is significant: food, labor, space, and materials go unused.

Planners are testing new approaches, from AI-driven SMS confirmations to real-time attendance validation closer to event dates. Shorter guarantee windows are helping, too.

And when no-shows do happen, there’s a growing focus on reuse, repurposing, and recycling to reduce waste and cost.

The Second-Tier City Conversation Isn’t Over

Despite clear advantages in cost, accessibility, and experience, second-tier cities still face resistance—often driven by perception rather than data.

Planners who are making progress here are partnering closely with CVBs to build stronger narratives: case studies, peer validation, and storytelling that reframes destinations around ROI and experience, not prestige.

Walkability. Ease. Authentic local experiences. These are strengths—and when showcased effectively, they resonate.

The Bottom Line

Across every conversation, one message came through clearly:

The future of successful events depends on experience, partnership, and adaptability.

Planners are ready to evolve. What they need are trusted partners, internal alignment, and the space to design events that reflect how people want to connect today—not how they did five years ago.

The organizations that invest in intentional design, collaboration, and education won’t just weather change. They’ll lead through it.