Skift Meetings Releases Essential Guide to New Meeting and Incentive Venues in 2025

For meeting and incentive planners who take pride in knowing every meaningful hotel or venue opening around the globe, staying ahead of the curve isn’t just important—it’s essential. Yet even the most seasoned planner can’t feasibly keep track of every promising debut. Enter What’s New in Meetings and Incentive Travel 2025, the freshly launched report from Skift Meetings, created in partnership with IMEX, and sponsored by Banff Lake Louise Tourism, Monterey Meetings, Tourism New Zealand, and Visit Lauderdale.

^{Explore 135 exceptional new properties hand-picked for meeting and incentive planners}

Uncovering Exceptional Properties

Designed specifically to streamline the daunting process of shortlisting and selecting exceptional properties worldwide for meetings and incentives, the report showcases 135 new and upcoming hotels and venues. The Skift Meetings editorial team left no stone unturned, employing detailed intake surveys, extensive research from hotel announcements and hospitality news, convention bureau intel, and even AI to uncover over 500 global properties. From this extensive list a total of 135 were editorially chosen for offering ample meeting space and options or providing a unique setting for a special incentive group. All the properties included have either opened since our last report, or are scheduled to debut by 2027, ensuring planners remain ahead of competitors with truly cutting-edge choices.

Each featured property offers practical, actionable data, including the number of guest rooms, total event capacity, number of meeting spaces, the capacity of the largest room (in theater style) and distance to the closest major airport. More importantly, the report pinpoints what genuinely sets these venues apart, from extraordinary design and immersive cultural offerings to innovative sustainability practices and next-level culinary experiences.

Trends in Hotels and Venues

Beyond property details, the report also delivers insights into the hotel and venue trends that will impact venue sourcing strategies in the coming years. It explores why upscale all-inclusive resorts are seeing a resurgence, and how some convention hotels are redefining capacity expectations. Convention centers are similarly adapting, emphasizing strategic renovations and expansions rather than new constructions.

The timeless allure of historic and palatial venues persists, many of which were recently reborn through deep renovations. Meanwhile, gaming resorts are boldly venturing into unexpected destinations.

Another notable trend is the rise of culinary-first properties, where exceptional food isn’t an afterthought but rather the very essence of the experience. Meanwhile, the emphasis on authentic cultural storytelling is also increasingly shaping venue selection, as attendees seek meaningful, location-specific experiences that create deeper emotional connections.

Perhaps the most significant shift identified is in sustainability where bold commitments from venues focus on reducing the environmental impact. Complementing this trend, ultra-luxurious wellness retreats blend exclusivity with natural immersion, reflecting a growing emphasis on mental and physical restoration.

Finally, the reimagining of unconventional venues continues to captivate planners, turning forgotten spaces into memorable, highly versatile event locations.

Cruises and Connecting the Dots

Beyond traditional venues, the report extends its coverage to the seas, providing a comprehensive update from 37 cruise companies that have significantly enhanced their offerings.

Of course, for planners eager to explore these venues firsthand, IMEX Frankfurt 2025 offers the opportunity to meet representatives from many featured properties directly, translating insight into action through face-to-face interactions.

In short, this report is not just another venue list. It’s a strategic resource that offers tangible intelligence for planners whose reputation depends on delivering meetings and incentives in new, distinctive, and genuinely impressive properties.

Download your free copy of the full report here.