According to research compiled by Global DMC Partners, a global conglomeration of independent destination management companies, Southern California and Chicago top the U.S. destinations most sought after for business travel gatherings, while Mexico and Italy head the international roster of potential destinations. The study, called the 2017 Global Destination Index, presents the top meeting and incentive destinations around the world, measured based on feedback from more than 700 meeting and incentive companies that are operating in 2017 in over 500 destinations.
“Business meetings, incentive travel, conferences, and conventions have a huge impact on the global economy, ” said president of Global DMC Partners, Catherine Chaulet. “They help facilitate face-to-face interactions to build stronger and more profitable business relationships, and they contribute greatly to local economies and their sustainability. Many of the 2017 destinations highlighted here have been popular for meetings and incentives for the past few years, however there are a few destinations that we are very excited to see rising in the ranks, such as Colorado, Greece (Athens), Costa Rico, Switzerland, and Cabo and Riviera Maya in Mexico.”
The 2017 Global Destination Index also looks forward, highlighting destinations that are rising in popularity based on meetings and incentives that are either booked or close to contracting within a particular destination in 2018.
Locations on that up and coming list include Boston, Park City, Utah, Puerto Rico, Seattle, and Montreal in North America, while Croatia, Morocco, and Bali, Indonesia are a handful of places in a growing international spotlight.
“There are so many amazing locations around the world that not everyone thinks of for business conferences or sales incentive trips. But after doing just a little bit of research, meeting planners will find that these destinations are ideal for many important reasons, such as flight lift patterns, cost-effective local options, and an array of experiences that are unique to the destination,” says Chaulet.
The complete report is available at www.GlobalDMCpartners.com.
