One Day, Dozens of Possibilities: What Planners Can Gain at The Summit

Great planners are always looking for an edge. Not just a new venue. Not just a new vendor. Not just another event to attend.

They want fresh ideas, better partners, stronger connections, and smarter ways to create events that stand out. That is exactly why the Hospitality & Tourism Summit is worth a planner’s time. The 2026 agenda includes planner-focused education, a roundtable luncheon, a trade show, and networking throughout the day, all designed for executives, planners, and leaders who build events and move the industry forward.

The value for planners is simple: in one day, you can learn, compare, connect, and leave with ideas and relationships that can help you do your job better. The day includes Education & Eggs, a planner-track education; a roundtable luncheon; the trade show; and an after-party.

You can discover new partners faster.

One of the biggest advantages of The Summit is efficiency. Instead of hunting down new ideas one meeting at a time, planners can meet a wide range of businesses, venues, and service providers in one place at the trade show. The agenda positions the trade show as a place to wander, connect, and experience what exhibitors have to offer. Check out the list of exhibitors. 

You can sharpen how you think about experience design.

The planner education track is built around timely topics that matter right now. Sessions include multicultural event experiences, AI, engagement, and the new economics of events. Those topics are geared toward helping planners think more strategically about participation, relevance, inclusion, and value.

You can get practical ideas you can actually use.

The Summit is not positioned as theory for theory’s sake. The agenda emphasizes practical solutions, actionable insights, and real-world tactics attendees can apply when they get back to work. That matters for planners who do not need more inspiration without execution. They need ideas that help them solve problems, improve events, and make better decisions.

You can ask better questions and get better answers.

The roundtable luncheon is built for hands-on discussion that sparks ideas, builds connections, and shares practical tips to boost your career and grow your business. That makes it especially valuable for planners who want practical conversations, not just presentations.

You can build relationships with other planners, too.

The Summit is not just about meeting suppliers. It also gives planners the chance to connect with peers, swap ideas, compare notes, and build relationships that can help them grow professionally over time. That kind of networking can lead to fresh perspectives, better problem-solving, and a stronger circle of industry connections that benefits both planners and the organizations they work for. The structure of the day — breakfast, education, roundtables, trade show, and after party — is built to encourage connection throughout.

You can celebrate the planner community and the partners that help planners succeed.

The Summit Awards add another layer of value by recognizing excellence across the event ecosystem, including planner, venue, hotel, and event services categories. For meeting planners and wedding planners alike, that means being in a room that not only helps you build your network and discover new partners, but also celebrates the people and businesses that help create stronger events.

You can hear what is changing before it affects your events.

The Summit’s education programming is built to help attendees better understand what is shaping hospitality, tourism, and events right now. For planners, that kind of context is useful. Better events start with better decisions, and better decisions start with knowing what is changing around you. Check out the list of educational opportunities and roundtable discussions.

And yes, there is a fun side, too.

The day starts with Education & Eggs, a complimentary networking breakfast sponsored by Yolk. All tickets include access to a trade show where attendees can wander, connect, and sample food and drinks from some of Chicago’s best venues. Then there’s the After Party, where entry is included with registration and food and drinks are available for purchase. For planners, that means the Summit is not just productive — it is also a chance to enjoy great hospitality, experience what businesses bring to the table, and take in the energy of the industry in a more memorable way.

Bottom line: For planners, the Summit is not just a day out of the office — it is time invested in yourself, your career, and the kind of ideas and relationships that lead to better events.

In one day, you can discover new possibilities, build stronger relationships, gather smarter ideas, connect with peers, and put yourself in a better position to create events that are more relevant, more memorable, and more successful.

That is a pretty good return for one day. Get ticket information here.