Plus: why your next agenda needs 15 more minutes  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Read online Talking About AI, Coming Back to People Plus: why your next agenda needs 15 more minutes   David McMillin, Skift Meetings Head of Content September 24th, 2026 It’s been a week of opposites at Skift Meetings Forum and Skift Global Forum in New York City. A discussion about mega events pivoted to micro experiences. A session about global uncertainty shifted to definitive answers about what to do to navigate the future. And every conversation about the AI machine eventually moved to the only thing that matters: the people. This issue gives you the adjustments you should make for all those humans involved in your program: how to help your team avoid burning out, what Gen Z will do to change conferences (it’s more than you might think), and why you need to carve out an extra 15 minutes in your next agenda. Head below to catch up on what you missed, and join Andrea Doyle, Barbara Scofidio and me for a webinar on Wednesday, September 30 to unpack all the insights from this week. — David McMillin PS. Oh, yeah, our editorial team spent some time in the same room as Prince Harry.       WEBINAR Join the Skift Meetings editorial team for a full debrief of all the action at Skift Meetings Forum. We’ll unpack what we learned on stage and what we heard in the conversations throughout the day. Sponsored by Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Experience Kissimmee. REGISTER NOW             The 15 Minutes Every Conference Needs READ THE STORY             2031 Meetings: The U.S. Politics Loss READ THE STORY             How to Keep Your Team From Burning Out READ THE STORY             The Success of Mega-Events Goes Far Deeper Than Numbers READ THE STORY             FREE REPORT Our new research offers a look at how at corporate meeting planners are navigating the current landscape. Download it today to learn how 111 in-house corporate planners are dealing with geopolitical pressures, ROI expectations, AI, contracts, and more. This report was produced in partnership with MPI and is sponsored by Caesars Entertainment and Convene. GET THE REPORT             WORTH YOUR TIME Five things worth your time today. Learn about why some attendees are planning to boycott an upcoming healthcare conference. Reevaluate your program to reduce choice and raise your appeal for Gen Z attendees. Dive into the key takeaways from the Skift Meetings Forum. Read the letter from U.S. association leaders to prospective Canadian attendees on why they shouldn’t scratch us off the list. Take a look at eight new and improved gaming resorts that are working to attract more group business.             SKIFT PICK: TRANSLATING TRAVEL TRENDS FOR MEETINGS Prince Harry Wants to See Your Sustainability Budget What does Britain’s most famous son have to do with airlines and hotels? He launched Travalyst, an initiative that aims to create a more sustainable travel industry. This week, he came to Skift Global Forum with an ask for business leaders: put the health of destinations on the same level of importance as profit margins and the other numbers they report on. Travel and tourism is responsible for roughly 7.3% of global greenhouse gas emissions. His challenge to executives: look at the budget you’re spending on AI this year, and then compare it to how much you’re investing in making sure the places you rely on can survive climate change. Here's why this is more than a nice sentiment for meetings: destination health isn't an ESG talking point when you're the one picking the host city. Heat, wildfire, and drought aren't hypothetical anymore — they're the reason an event gets disrupted. When yo’'re vetting a destination, ask how the local tourism board is managing the climate catastrophe. Don't just look at their sustainability marketing messaging. Find out what the leaders are doing to protect the place in the bigger picture, and ask how your group can play a role in that work.             Skift Meetings Toolkit Great events are built on strategy, innovation, and the right resources. The Skift Meetings Toolkit is your go-to hub for best practices in managing meetings and events. EXPLORE THE TOOLKIT             Thanks for being a regular reader. We are switching to a new email platform. Why? This change will allow for better delivery, and more engaging newsletters. Please take a moment to add this new email address to your contacts to ensure you continue receiving your newsletters without interruption. During this transition, these emails might land in your promotions or spam folder. To ensure you don’t miss out, please move this newsletter to your primary inbox.       1    DEFINING THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL. Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here © 2026 Skift 35 W 31st St. New York, New York 10001, United States