Three in Four Event Planners Now Use AI to Source Venues — Why DMCs and Hotel Sales Teams Must Become Machine-Citable
The short answer Three-quarters of event planners now use AI in their venue sourcing process, according to Cvent’s 2026 Global Planner Sourcing Report (survey of 1,650 event professionals, published July 2026) — applying it to finding and selecting venues, analyzing attendee data for fit, and comparing bids. More than 60% expect to increase their AI use further this year. That means the shortlist for your next corporate program, incentive trip or conference is increasingly drafted by a model, not a person. And with GBTA’s 2026 Business Travel Index (August 2026) forecasting a record $1.71 trillion in global business travel spending for 2026, the contracts being decided this way are the richest in industry history. If your venue, DMC or destination content isn’t machine-citable — structured, factual, fresh and findable — you are not losing the pitch. You are being excluded from it before it happens. ...