- Categories:
- Appreciation
- Tags:
- Work
- Where:
- United States
- Date change rule:
- Every September
Meeting Planner Appreciation Month, celebrated each September, is a global industry initiative spearheaded by Prevue Meetings + Incentives, in collaboration with industry partners, to recognize the professionals whose vision, expertise, and dedication create the meetings, conventions, incentive travel programs, exhibitions, and events that connect people, inspire ideas, strengthen organizations, and drive economies around the world.
Launched in 2026 and rooted in Prevue’s parent company, Worth International Media‘s mission of A World Connected, this annual observance invites the meetings, events, hospitality, travel, and tourism industries to unite in celebrating the extraordinary individuals behind every successful event. Meeting Planner Appreciation Month serves as a lasting expression of gratitude while raising awareness of the essential role meeting planners play in fostering collaboration, innovation, economic growth, and meaningful human connection across the globe.
History of Meeting Planner Appreciation Month
Behind every successful conference, convention, corporate meeting, incentive travel program, trade show, and executive retreat is a meeting or incentive planner who transforms ideas into unforgettable experiences. These professionals orchestrate countless moving parts—from venue selection and budgets to attendee engagement, transportation, sustainability initiatives, and risk management—while ensuring every event achieves its strategic objectives.
Over the past 30-plus years, the role of the meeting and incentive planner has evolved dramatically. What was once viewed primarily as an event coordination role has become a highly strategic profession that combines business leadership, marketing, hospitality, technology, logistics, negotiation, and experience design. Today’s meeting and incentive planners don’t simply organize events—they create experiences that educate, inspire, strengthen organizations, reward achievements, and generate significant economic impact for destinations around the world.
The profession has also continued to evolve alongside changing attendee expectations. Modern planners increasingly focus on creating meaningful experiences that leave a positive legacy, incorporating sustainability initiatives, community partnerships, wellness, diversity, accessibility, and innovative technologies into meetings and incentive travel programs. Their work extends well beyond the event itself, helping organizations build stronger relationships while creating lasting benefits for the communities they visit.
Despite their tremendous contributions, meeting and incentive planners have historically worked behind the scenes, with few opportunities for broad industry-wide recognition. While individual organizations have honored exceptional professionals through awards and local initiatives, there had never been a dedicated annual observance created specifically to celebrate the profession as a whole.
Since 2009, Prevue Meetings + Incentives, published by Worth International Media Group, has served as one of the meetings and incentives industry’s leading media brands, providing destination inspiration, industry news, educational resources, research, thought leadership, live events, and professional recognition that empower meeting and incentive planners to stay ahead in an ever-evolving industry. Prevue’s mission has always been to help planners discover the best destinations, anticipate emerging trends, and create exceptional experiences.
Recognizing the immense importance of the profession and how demanding it is for those working within it, Prevue Meetings + Incentives established Meeting Planner Appreciation Month in 2026 as the first annual industry-wide observance devoted to celebrating meeting and incentive planners. The initiative was created to recognize and reward planners, spotlight their leadership and innovation, and engage the planner community through digital, print, and live experiences while encouraging hotels, destinations, convention centers, suppliers, associations, and industry partners to join together in celebrating the people who make meetings and incentive travel possible.
The inaugural celebration marks the beginning of what is intended to become a defining industry tradition. Each September, Meeting Planner Appreciation Month provides an opportunity to recognize outstanding planners, share inspiring stories, promote professional development, encourage community engagement, and elevate awareness of the profession for future generations. By celebrating the people behind the world’s most meaningful meetings and incentive experiences, the observance reinforces the vital role meeting and incentive planners play in connecting people, strengthening organizations, and shaping the future of the global meetings and events industry.
Meeting Planner Appreciation Month timeline
Detroit establishes the world's first Convention and Visitors Bureau (today known as a destination marketing organization), creating a new model for attracting meetings and conventions. As business events grow in size and importance, the need for professionals to plan and manage them begins to emerge.
Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is founded to support education, networking, and professional development for meeting professionals. The organization helps establish meeting planning as a respected career and advances professional standards across the industry.
Organizations increasingly use incentive travel to reward top performers, strengthen company culture, and drive business results. As incentive programs become more sophisticated, the role of meeting and incentive planners grows beyond logistics into strategic experience design.
In March/April 2009, Worth International Media Group publishes the inaugural issue of Prevue, a magazine created specifically for meeting and incentive professionals. From its beginning, the publication delivers destination inspiration, venue news, industry trends, and practical education to help planners create exceptional meetings and events. Over the years, Prevue becomes one of the industry's most trusted media resources for meeting and incentive planners.
Recognizing the changing needs of the profession, Prevue expands into Prevue Meetings + Incentives, strengthening its focus on serving meeting and incentive planners through destination inspiration, industry news, research, professional development, thought leadership, webinars, awards, and live educational experiences.
Meeting and incentive planners rapidly reinvent conferences and incentive travel programs through virtual and hybrid experiences, demonstrating resilience, creativity and innovation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
After decades of serving meeting and incentive planners, Prevue Meetings + Incentives begins developing Meeting Planner Appreciation Month to create the industry's first annual observance dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the professionals behind successful meetings and incentive travel experiences.
Prevue Meetings + Incentives, published by Worth International Media Group, officially establishes Meeting Planner Appreciation Month. The inaugural celebration launches with planner spotlights, the new Planner of the Year Award presented by Caesars Entertainment, educational content, sponsor giveaways, and industry-wide participation, creating a lasting annual tradition dedicated to meeting and incentive planners.
Meeting Planner Appreciation Month FAQs
What is Meeting Planner Appreciation Month?
Meeting Planner Appreciation Month is an annual observance celebrated each September to recognize and honor the creativity, leadership, and contributions of meeting and incentive planners. Established by Prevue Meetings + Incentives, published by Worth International Media Group, the month celebrates the professionals who create conferences, conventions, meetings, and incentive travel experiences that connect people and drive business around the world.
Who established Meeting Planner Appreciation Month?
Meeting Planner Appreciation Month was established in 2026 by Prevue Meetings + Incentives, published by Worth International Media Group, to create an annual industry-wide tradition dedicated to recognizing meeting and incentive planners and elevating the profession. The initiative was created to celebrate planners, spotlight their leadership and innovation, and unite the meetings and incentives industry in appreciation each September.
How can I celebrate Meeting Planner Appreciation Month?
There are many ways to participate! Thank a meeting or incentive planner, share your appreciation on social media using #
How can I get more involved?
Meeting Planner Appreciation Month is designed to be an industry-wide celebration, and everyone is invited to participate. Whether you’re a meeting or incentive planner, hotel, destination, convention center, supplier, association, or industry partner, there are many ways to get involved. Visit the official website for partnership opportunities, planner recognition initiatives, and campaign updates. To learn more about participating or partnering with the initiative, contact Andrea Sper, Director of Marketing at Worth International Media, at andrea@worthit.com.
Why is Meeting Planner Appreciation Month important?
Meeting and incentive planners are the driving force behind the conferences, conventions, meetings, and incentive travel programs that bring people together, strengthen organizations, and create lasting economic and community impact. Meeting Planner Appreciation Month provides a dedicated annual opportunity to recognize their achievements, elevate the profession, inspire future industry leaders, and celebrate the people whose work often happens behind the scenes but makes extraordinary experiences possible.
How to Celebrate Meeting Planner Appreciation Month
Recognize an outstanding planner
Know an exceptional meeting or incentive planner? Nominate them for the 2026 Planner of the Year, presented by Caesars Entertainment. This new award recognizes a planner whose creativity, leadership and impact are shaping the future of the meetings and incentives industry. Voting is currently open at Prevue Meetings + Incentives. (During September, voting will continue on the official Meeting Planner Appreciation Month website.)
Join the celebration online
Celebrate your favorite meeting or incentive planner by sharing a story or message of appreciation on social media. Follow @PrevueMeetings on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, use #MeetingPlannerAppreciationMonth, and help shine a spotlight on the professionals who make extraordinary meetings and incentive travel experiences possible.
Visit the official website & win prizes
Visit the official Meeting Planner Appreciation Month website throughout September to discover planner spotlights, educational resources, and ways to get involved. While you're there, subscribe to Prevue Meetings + Incentives to be eligible for exclusive sponsor giveaways taking place all month long.
5 Facts About Meeting Planner Appreciation Month
One of the most stressful careers
Meeting and event planning is consistently ranked among the world's most stressful professions, with many planners reporting significantly higher stress levels following the pandemic. (Source: Prevue Meetings + Incentives Planner Stress Report 2025.)
Meetings drive business
Meeting and incentive planners create conferences, conventions and incentive travel programs that bring people together to educate, collaborate, celebrate achievements and build lasting business relationships.
Sustainability has evolved
Today's meeting and incentive planners increasingly focus on creating positive community impact through volunteer projects, nonprofit partnerships and meaningful legacy initiatives—not simply reducing waste.
No two events are ever the same
Every meeting, conference and incentive travel program presents unique goals, audiences and challenges, making adaptability one of a planner's greatest strengths.
They finally have their own month
Meeting Planner Appreciation Month, established in 2026 by Prevue Meetings + Incentives, is the first annual observance dedicated to celebrating meeting and incentive planners.
Why We Love Meeting Planner Appreciation Month
It recognizes the professionals behind every great event
From executive meetings and association conferences to incentive travel experiences, meeting and incentive planners create the moments that connect people, strengthen organizations and inspire new ideas. This observance gives them the recognition they have long deserved.
It elevates the profession
Meeting Planner Appreciation Month helps showcase the creativity, leadership and strategic thinking required to succeed as a meeting or incentive planner. By raising awareness of the profession, it inspires the next generation of industry leaders.
It brings the industry together
Established by Prevue Meetings + Incentives, the observance encourages destinations, hotels, convention centers, cruise lines, suppliers, associations and planners to celebrate together through recognition, storytelling, education and shared experiences. It creates a unifying annual tradition for the entire meetings and incentives industry.
Meeting Planner Appreciation Month dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | September 1 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | September 1 | Wednesday |
| 2028 | September 1 | Friday |
| 2029 | September 1 | Saturday |
| 2030 | September 1 | Sunday |
