Strategic Thinking and Impact

Back by popular demand, we’re bringing one of the most talked-about sessions from the 2025 FICP Annual Conference straight to your screen!

The Incentive Research Foundation’s (IRF) Top Performer Study examines what successful companies are doing differently regarding investments in incentives, rewards and recognition. During this session, our panel will drill down into the results of the study to examine best practices of top-performing finance and insurance companies. They’ll discuss how key factors — including leadership support, collaboration across departments, program design, reward selection and budget — contribute to a strategy that maximizes the use of non-cash rewards to drive employee performance.

CMP-IS Domain A: Strategic Planning

Participants joined their peers for an engaging virtual roundtable that focused on how meeting professionals and hospitality partners were adapting to the dynamic global environment. Through guided group discussion, they explored how global regulatory updates, economic shifts, and changing travel dynamics were reshaping international event and incentive travel. The session concluded with group reflections highlighting key takeaways and actionable insights to plan confidently amid uncertainty.

Read how fellow FICP meetings professionals and hospitality partners to discuss how AI, business expectations and geopolitics are shaping the future of meetings and events. Whether you're interested in learning about current trends or looking to benchmark against industry standards, this discussion will provide actionable insights from FICP’s 2025 Summer Pulse Survey report for curating programs in 2026 and beyond.

Note: The pulse survey report was released in August 2025.

FICP meeting professionals and hospitality partners gathered to discuss the importance of tracking and analyzing data from events. Experienced meeting professionals shared their best practices and the tools they used, followed by a group discussion to refine additional solutions and recommendations. Participants explored metrics such as Participation, Engagement, Financial, Experience, Marketing, Operational, Technology, and Sustainability to evaluate performance, improve planning, demonstrate ROI, and enhance the participant experience.

This resource is an AI session recap from the 2024 FICP Annual Conference.

This state-of-the-industry session investigates the impact of global economic and social trends on meetings and events. Discover how these trends affect both meetings professionals and hospitality partners and explore creative strategies for navigating a challenging economy while using data to support tough conversations. This rich discussion offers a vital overview of key hospitality trends and economic forces that every event professional needs to stay ahead.