SITE Brings Global Incentive Travel Community Back to Vancouver in 2027

Registration has opened for SITE Global Conference 2027, taking place from 1–4 March under the theme ‘Where Currents Meet’. The programme will combine industry education, immersive workshops and destination experiences, bringing the international incentive travel community together in British Columbia.

The global incentive travel community will return to Vancouver in March 2027, as the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) prepares to host its next Global Conference in the Canadian city from 1–4 March. Registration is now open for the gathering, which will explore how people, technology and place are influencing the future of incentive travel under the theme ‘Where Currents Meet’.

Seven years after its previous conference in Vancouver, SITE is returning to a destination whose urban setting, natural environment and cultural diversity provide a backdrop for discussions on the changing expectations of incentive participants and the evolving role of experiential programme design. The agenda will address the influence of artificial intelligence and data, alongside the growing importance of sustainability, wellbeing, culture and community in the development of incentive travel programmes.

For SITE, the conference represents an opportunity to bring together professionals from across the international incentive sector at a time when research, technological developments and changing participant expectations are reshaping the industry's priorities.

Rebecca Wright, Interim CEO of SITE, said: “There was tremendous energy around SITE at IMEX America, from the conversations prompted by our research to the relationships strengthened throughout the week. Opening registration for Vancouver gives our community something exciting to build towards, with time to explore the issues affecting their businesses and learn from colleagues facing similar decisions around the world.

“Global Conference brings together people who understand the value of incentive travel and want to make it better. We want delegates to leave Vancouver with practical ideas, stronger relationships and a fresh perspective on what they can achieve.”

Education, business connections and destination experiences

The conference programme will combine general sessions with 60-minute immersive workshops and shorter, focused educational sessions, providing different formats for professional exchange and discussion. Alongside the conference content, a Partner Marketplace will create opportunities for suppliers and buyers to connect, while a dedicated first-time attendee experience and a Young Leaders event will cater to different stages of professional development within the industry.

The social programme will also make use of several of Vancouver's established event venues. A welcome reception and dinner at the Vancouver Convention Centre will open the gathering, followed by the SITE Awards Gala at The Westin Bayshore and a farewell evening at Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.

Beyond the conference venues, the destination programme will introduce delegates to a selection of Vancouver's natural and cultural attractions. Planned activities include Grouse Mountain, forest bathing in Stanley Park and a scavenger hunt at Granville Island, bringing outdoor exploration and local discovery into the conference experience.

The combination of structured education, networking and destination activities reflects the conference's central theme. By placing the local environment alongside discussions about incentive travel, SITE will give delegates an opportunity to consider how culture, natural surroundings and shared experiences can contribute to the design of programmes that create meaningful connections with participants.
 

A year of research and investment in the incentive travel community

The registration announcement follows a particularly active period for SITE, marked by new industry research, professional development initiatives and celebrations of the association's international community.

At IMEX America, SITE and the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) launched the 2026 Incentive Travel Index, produced in collaboration with Oxford Economics. The research provides an important reference point for understanding developments across the incentive travel sector and the changing expectations influencing programme design and investment.

The association also marked 20 years of SITE Young Leaders, recognising two decades of supporting emerging professionals and developing the next generation of industry talent. SITE NITE North America brought together 1,500 industry professionals for an evening of networking and celebration, further underlining the importance of community-building across the sector.

Earlier in the year, SITE Classic in Puerto Rico raised more than US$276,000 through its auctions in support of the SITE Foundation's work. The event also marked the launch of the Foundation's latest Impact Report, outlining how its investment supports research, scholarships and professional development throughout the incentive travel industry.

Hasan Dinç, President of SITE, said: "This year showed what the SITE community is made of. Our members, partners and volunteers shared their knowledge, backed the next generation and invested in the future of our industry. Vancouver carries that spirit into 2027, a place to build relationships, challenge how we think and see incentive travel through the eyes of a remarkable host destination."

With its combination of educational content, industry networking and destination-led activities, SITE Global Conference 2027 will provide a meeting point for professionals examining how incentive travel can respond to a changing business and participant landscape. Vancouver's return as host destination also gives the association an opportunity to connect these conversations with the cultural, urban and natural characteristics of a city that offers multiple settings for experiential programme design.
 

Registration is now open. Further information and registration are available here
 

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