Geopolitics, Airlift Are Incentive Pros’ Largest Challenges

More than half of incentive planners say that geopolitical instability is disrupting their destination selections, according to the 2026 Incentive Travel Index, revealed this week during IMEX America. The study from the Incentive Research Foundation and the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence queried 2,100 global incentive travel professionals. The annual report also reported that securing airlift during a time when there is compressed airline capacity is becoming a challenge.

Other highlights from the index include:

• · A majority of U.S. buyers expect to choose destinations they haven't considered previously.
• · Per-person spend rose 8 percent in 2026, compared with 2025 spend.
• · Luxury accommodations and direct air access remain the top must-haves for incentive destination choices.
• · Concerns over personal safety for participants is the top reason planners will avoid a destination, followed by difficult air access and geopolitical factors. The perception of how welcome attendees feel in a destination is becoming more important.
• · Nearly two-thirds of respondents believe U.S. politics will continue to contribute to a decline in inbound incentive travel. More than half of those polled cite complex visa and travel restrictions as reducing the country’s attractiveness.
• · Securing airlift and airlines jumped from 12 percent in the 2025 survey to 40 percent in 2026, making it the top short-term challenge. Uncertainty, short-term planning and international instability also are major concerns.
• · Rising costs remain the biggest long-term challenge, according to 63 percent of buyers.
• · AI adoption is accelerating rapidly. In 2026, 80 percent of U.S. buyers are using or planning to use AI for destination research and planning, up from 58 percent in 2025. Other ways planners are using AI are for content creation, program design and participant communications.

The Caribbean is the top destination for programs, with Western Europe ranking second, followed by the United States.