From Bath’s historic venues to the mountain landscapes of Montana, BCD Meetings & Events has highlighted five destinations to watch for meetings, events and incentives in 2027.
Featured in its newly released Meetings & Events Trends 2027 report, the selection offers alternatives to established meetings hubs, spanning beach resorts, cultural cities and outdoor escapes.
Here’s BCD M&E’s take on each destination, alongside the programme types they suit and the practical considerations for planners.
Phú Quốc, Vietnam
Phú Quốc is gaining attention as an Asia-Pacific option for incentives and selected meetings, supported by growing resort infrastructure, natural appeal and increasing hospitality investment. Its coastline, biosphere setting and integrated resort developments give planners a destination that blends beach experience with business-event potential.
BCD identifies the island as best suited to incentive programmes and groups seeking integrated resort, beach and group activity options.
Transfer times, wet-season conditions, air access and specific property capacity should all be confirmed before shortlisting.
Bilbao and San Sebastián, Spain
Together, Bilbao and San Sebastián combine culture, gastronomy, coastal scenery and contrasting urban personalities. Used well, they can create a two-centre programme with strong incentive appeal and a memorable sense of place.
BCD recommends the pairing for incentives, leadership gatherings and food and culture-led programmes.
The two-centre format adds movement and logistics, so planners should test whether the added experience value justifies the operational complexity.
Panama City, Panama
Panama City combines regional connectivity, modern infrastructure, historic districts and access to tropical landscapes. Its appeal lies in the ability to move from business content to food, culture and nature within one destination.
BCD highlights its suitability for regional Americas meetings, incentives and programmes combining business content with food, culture and nature.
Planners should reconfirm route options, hotel capacity, transfer times and seasonality for their intended dates.
Big Sky, Montana, USA
Big Sky offers mountain experiences, year-round outdoor appeal and a growing hospitality and meetings base. For the right group, the setting becomes part of the event experience rather than just a backdrop.
BCD identifies leadership retreats, incentives and smaller groups seeking active or nature-based experiences and high-quality accommodation as the strongest fit.
Season, weather, transfer time and activity accessibility should shape programme design.
Bath, UK
Bath combines a compact city centre, strong heritage appeal, distinctive venues and easy rail access.
BCD recommends the city for leadership meetings, incentives, client gatherings and off-site programmes where character and walkability matter.
Historic venues may create constraints around access, production, capacity or conservation, so technical feasibility should be confirmed early.