Summary: M&I Transatlantic Vienna 2026 (24–28 February) will combine SITE research with interactive masterclasses and structured buyer-supplier meetings to help shape future incentive travel programming.

M&I has published the education programme for M&I Transatlantic Vienna 2026, detailing a mix of market intelligence and practical skills sessions designed for buyers and suppliers operating in the transatlantic Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) market. The programme aims to use SITE research and interactive learning to address changing expectations in incentive travel.

Keynote: SITE data meets generational insight

The week-long forum, scheduled for 24 to 28 February 2026, will open with a keynote developed in partnership with SITE that presents findings from the latest Incentive Travel Index Survey. The session, titled What’s in the Mix for 2026 in Incentives, will be delivered by Pádraic Gilligan, former SITE President and co-founder of SoolNua.

“SITE is delighted to partner with M&I again, following our fantastic experience together at last year’s US Forum in Brooklyn. The M&I Transatlantic in Vienna offers a unique opportunity to explore how incentive travel is evolving in a world where purpose, personalisation, and performance are redefining business events. I’m excited to share fresh insights and data on how these forces are shaping the next chapter for our industry.”

The keynote will examine generational trends affecting incentive travel and demonstrate how data from SITE’s Incentive Travel Index can inform the redesign of incentive programmes. Attendees will also take part in a collaborative rapid design sprint to prototype incentive concepts tailored to shifting audience expectations.

Masterclasses: human skills and relationship building

Beyond market data, the education programme places emphasis on interpersonal skills. A featured masterclass, What AI Can’t Fix: Human Skills Driving Successful Partnerships, will be led by Viona Terleth and Wendy Naerebout, co-founders of Corinor People & Tribe and Happy Millennials.

“What shapes outcomes today is the combination of market insight and human capability. At M&I Transatlantic Vienna, we bring both, data from SITE’s Incentive Travel Index alongside practical learning on the skills AI can’t replace, from trust to communication. The aim is for buyers and suppliers to leave Vienna with fresh perspectives and partnerships that last.”

The masterclass will focus on core skills such as communication, trust-building and long-term relationship management—areas that organisers say are essential to sustaining successful supplier–buyer partnerships in the MICE sector.

Programme structure and commercial opportunities

  • Dates: 24–28 February 2026
  • Keynote built with SITE: What’s in the Mix for 2026 in Incentives
  • Masterclass: What AI Can’t Fix, led by Viona Terleth and Wendy Naerebout
  • 40 pre-scheduled, face-to-face buyer–supplier meetings
  • Curated experiences and structured networking, culminating in an Awards Evening

M&I Transatlantic Vienna is designed to connect buyers from the Americas with UK and European hotels, destinations and destination management companies in a tightly scheduled commercial environment. Curated experiences and evening programmes are built to deepen professional relationships outside the meeting room.

Delegates networking at a meetings and incentives event in Vienna during a session
Delegates at M&I Transatlantic Vienna will attend SITE-backed presentations, masterclasses and pre-scheduled meetings to strengthen transatlantic partnerships

Market context: growth in transatlantic travel

The forum is taking place amid a transatlantic meetings and incentives market that remains on an upward trajectory. Organisers point to data showing that more than 80 percent of European destinations recorded year-on-year growth in visitors from North America during 2025, while outbound European travel also increased.

Why this matters for the industry

By combining empirical research with practical skill-building, M&I Transatlantic Vienna 2026 aims to equip buyers and suppliers to design incentive programmes that respond to evolving attendee expectations while strengthening commercial relationships across the Atlantic.

So what? For event organisers, destinations and suppliers, the conference offers concrete tools and data to refine incentive offers and improve buyer engagement. For buyers, the forum provides both evidence-based insight and practical methods to build programmes that deliver measurable results and stronger long-term partnerships.