Registration 11:30PM 

Chapter Updates & Buffet Service 12:00PM 

Speaker Presentation 12:30 - 1:30PM

Interactive Networking Workshop 1:30PM - 2:00PM   

Session Description

As 2025 gets smaller in the rear-view mirror and 2026 comes into view, join us as we explore some of the leading business travel trends, forecasts, and predictions through the lens of what business travelers, travel managers, and event planners tell us to expect.

Are 2026 hotel and air forecasts truly “demand-flat,” or are macro risks (tariffs, geopolitics, supply bifurcation) hiding sharp divergences by city, tier, and trip purpose? Are invisible payments and automated receipts finally killing expense pain, or are we just moving the reconciliation mess from travelers to finance? Is premium economy the new business class, and how should policies evolve when comfort, cost, and carbon all collide? Can conversational travel planning through generative AI boost compliance and traveler satisfaction, or will smarter search and policy prompts expose broken and outdated rules?

The MODIV Group will join us to discuss what happens when you put these and other topics through the filter of their ongoing Mindset® research with business travelers, event planners, and other corporate travel decision makers. Expect a little level-setting, some nuance unpacking, and insights that might change the way you think about what's ahead in 2026, despite what the headlines are saying. 

Key Headlines that will be discussed 

1. Politics and Entry Friction Rewire Business Travel - Will broader political stances and entry/visa rules continue to influence when or whether business trips happen in 2026? 
2. Travelers Top Up as Out-of-Policy Upgrades on the Rise - Who is paying for the rise in upgrades, and are out-of-policy top-ups becoming a part of travel program considerations?
3. From Burnout to Purpose - Is travel burnout killing the transactional business trip?
4. Meetings as the New Culture Engine - Will internal meetings continue to be levers for culture, engagement, and retention?

Session will be lead by Raleigh Gresham, Managing Director - MODIV

Raleigh Gresham is the Managing Director of Research at The MODIV Group, where he leads one of the travel industry’s most comprehensive and commercially impactful research programs. With nearly 20 years of experience in analytics and customer experience strategy, he specializes in designing agile, decision-ready research that helps brands, destinations, and tourism bodies turn traveler insights into measurable business outcomes. Known for challenging passive data collection and surface-level metrics, Raleigh builds systems that capture the complexity of traveler behavior and align findings with strategic and economic goals. His work spans the full research lifecycle—from study design to delivery—translating complex data into tools and strategies that drive loyalty, marketing, product innovation, and growth.

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Fairmont Austin

An Urban Oasis in the Heart of Downtown Austin