Here are five trends guiding how meetings are planned, attended and marketed — and why DMOs that lead with bold content, smart tools and a human-first strategy are perfectly positioned to become indispensable planning partners.

Trend 1: AI Engagement Platforms

Love it or hate it, AI = assistance instantly. 

Example

Chatbots. They’re popping up on cities’ sites everywhere. 

They’re helpful, but sometimes, when planners ask layered, logistical questions, a lot of chatbots hit a wall. Nuanced questions around safety, for example, get a default message that encourages users to head to the main site, but not to specific content. That’s an opportunity for your team to be able to look and say, “Hey, we’re missing something.”

Hitting a wall in the chatbot can also be your sales team's entry point. Some destinations are training their AI tools to route with purpose, so not just saying, “Sorry, I don’t know.” But instead, they're using the moment to highlight the value of their sales team.

When that handoff happens, your team needs to be ready to engage.

Takeaways

• Start small: A chatbot connected to FAQs is a low-cost, high-impact starting point. Track what it can’t answer — those are your next content ideas.
• Treat fallbacks as intel: Review logs regularly to identify content gaps and inform future site improvements or sales talking points.
• Be the content source: AI tools pull from your site, PDFs and maps. Structured, current content increases your visibility in the attendee journey.
• Train for the handoff: When AI hits its limit, make sure your sales team is ready to step in. These leads aren’t cold — they’re already warmed up.

Trend 2: Zero-Click Content

Zero-click content is exactly what it sounds like: delivering value without requiring a click. Whether it’s LinkedIn carousels, Google previews or in-feed content, the message hits before the site loads.

Examples

• Many DMOs are investing in answer engine optimization by publishing FAQ-style content and applying structured data so that their information surfaces directly in search results or voice assistant answers.
• Some destinations are sharing full guides and bite-sized videos on LinkedIn and Instagram rather than just link teasers, so meeting planners scrolling social media can consume useful planning content without leaving the app.

The Takeaway

If you’re building awareness and trust before a planner ever hits your homepage, you’re doing your job. DMOs should be thinking about reducing friction by providing answers upfront.

Takeaway if you’re wondering how to measure success if clicks and visits aren’t prioritized as much? “Traffic to trust doesn’t feel quantifiable."

Track:

• Social saves, shares and carousel engagement
• Reduced planner inquiries (because content answered them)
• Engagement in chatbot or AI assistant logs
• Direct leads or inquiries routed from chatbot “handoffs”

Trend 3: Content Serving Two Digital Audiences

Planners and attendees are looking for different things. Planners might want B2B content or RFP-ready content, which can include planning essentials and specs. Attendees are usually driven by real-time needs — where to go, what to eat, how to navigate. It’s short-term, emotional and personal.

Your website and digital tools need to serve both: the logic-driven decision maker and the experience-driven end user.

• By providing a ready-made attendee website, this frees up planners from fielding destination questions and lets the DMO leverage its local expertise directly with attendees.
• Meanwhile, on the planner side, those same DMOs maintain robust meeting planner portals (with RFP forms, facility databases and service contacts).

Think of it this way: You’re not just marketing to planners — you’re co-hosting with them.

Takeaways

• Speak to different audiences: Recognize the dual journey of planners and attendees.
• Use digital tools to reduce planner friction: By supporting attendees through content, you take pressure off the planner and show up as a true partner.

Trend 4: The Anti-AI

Your team’s input is more valuable than anything. DMOs are reminding the industry that while AI can crunch facts, it’s the local flavor, personal stories and on-the-ground expertise that truly set a destination apart.

Intellectual Capital Is a Good Example of Setting a Destination Apart

Atlanta, Park City, Pasadena and Savannah — destinations traditionally known for certain mainstays — are just a few actively reshaping their content to highlight their destinations' local intellectual capital in fields like medicine, tech, sustainability and more. 

• For example, Phoenix showcases its downtown Bioscience core (a 30-acre life sciences innovation district) as a unique asset for medical meetings.

By connecting planners with local experts and showcasing venues like labs and university facilities, the DMO provides insights that an AI summary might miss.

This approach taps into local knowledge networks to add rich context to meetings – proving that insider knowledge and human connections are invaluable for creating memorable, place-based meeting content.

Takeaways

• Lean into your human edge: AI can’t match your relationships, meaningful connections, cultural nuance or personal insight.
• Highlight your intellectual capital: Showcase local experts in key industries.
• Use chatbot “misses” as sales openers: Don’t just apologize when AI fails — use it to invite personal connection and planner support.

Trend 5: Contrarian Content Cuts Through the Noise

Want to stand out from AI? Sometimes you have to dare to be different.

Look at contrarian content. When everyone says the same thing, the bold voice becomes the trusted voice.

Contrarian content isn’t about being edgy for the sake of it. It’s about telling the truth others aren’t ready to say — and that’s how destinations become trusted.

Examples for DMO Leadership

• Address safety concerns directly, not defensively.
• Address criticism transparently instead of letting assumptions spread.

How Do You Know Which Trends to Prioritize First?

Start by auditing your existing strengths:

• If you have strong local expertise and industry partnerships → lean into anti-AI and contrarian content.
• If you’re already producing a lot of content but seeing less traffic → focus on zero-click content and answer engine optimization.
• If you’re preparing for a major citywide → prioritize AI engagement tools that enhance service without extra staffing.