As both planners and suppliers, we always have a great time at industry conferences—but Connect is something special. We met incredible partners and made more friends than we know what to do with. We got to hear from industry leaders and hear more about the needs of our peers and clients.
Here are a few key takeaways we’re keeping with us as we prep for 2026:
Luxury and upper-upscale events are booming. Michael Dominguez shared that while midscale and independent events are projecting slower growth, the luxury market is expanding quickly and dramatically.
Ignore the noise—corporate events remain strong. Dominguez also emphasized that although industry chatter makes it feel like events are “taking a hit,” most of that volatility is in government-funded gatherings, not corporate events.
You can’t fake engagement. In his talk You Can’t Fake Events, Julius Solaris highlighted some of his most controversial LinkedIn takes—like banning laptops on sales floors and questioning the role of puppies at events (unless they truly engage attendees or are used for wellness purposes, we might add).
Events are for people. Solaris also emphasized that the interest over time for the search term “meet new people” is exploding. Your events are an opportunity for connection–community makes events memorable.
Wellness for events is now standard. Seven years ago, when TRILUNA started doing wellness for events, people thought we were crazy. Back then, no one could picture what wellness and events had to do with each other. But at Connect, mot a single person was confused about how to impliment wellness. They were excited. They understood that:
💡 Brain breaks and wellness lounges = better retention and focus
💡 Movement and meditation = less burnout and overwhelm
💡 Community = the most memorable part of any event
Wellness activations aren’t a “nice to have” anymore—they’re quickly becoming a necessity. Attendees expect to be cared for, and events are evolving to meet that need.
Thank you to everyone who made our connect experience so special. Can’t wait to see everyone again soon.
-Team TRILUNA Co-Founders, Elizabeth + Ashley
