MeetingTraveler logo
Validated Buyer Meetings™
Inverted Lunch
Your Eighteen
Product Launch

You send it. Then you wait a week. We're ending that, starting October 27th.

You know the other feeling well enough. RFPs sent into the void. Rotation after rotation, roulette wheel after roulette wheel, sorting through properties that were never right for your programs. Half the work goes nowhere, and nobody tells you which half.

MeetingTraveler™ is a new kind of industry event. At lunch, on stage, we're showing technology that answers the only questions that matter: is the space there, and does the program fit your dates and your price. Answered on the spot, not a week later, not never. We build it out market by market from there. Everything here is inverted, on purpose. Starting with who does the choosing.

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Space, dates, price: see it answered on the spot, live on stage

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Every meeting validated before you sit down

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Eighteen hotels, every one there because planners asked

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A 4-course inverted lunch, dessert comes first

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Forty minutes to ask the industry panel anything

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Register for $25, get it back as an Amazon gift card at check-in

NO MORE RFP BLACK HOLEVALIDATION BEFORE DISTRIBUTION
The first look is coming
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First stop: Los Angeles · Tuesday, October 27, 2026
39 cities across North America through 2027. Find yours below.
Reserve your spot →
The Launch. Every industry has its moment. Retail has had this technology for 35 years. Group travel gets its own on October 27, live on stage, at lunch.
Seating is capped at 50 planners, and it is a hard cap; the eighteen hotels are curated around who registers, so when the room is full, it is full. The host hotel is announced on or before September 15th, and registered planners hear it first.
NO RFP ROULETTEValidation Before Distribution

What you can expect

One focused half-day, built entirely around you: a live look at technology that flips how sourcing gets done, eighteen hotels that planners asked for, and connections that actually matter.

MeetingTraveler event experience

Validated Buyer Meetings™, Not Another Rotation

Our founder invented the five-minute SpeedMeetings™ format sixteen years ago. Then the industry copied it, forced it, and diluted it into a rotation nobody enjoys. So he retired his own invention, and MeetingTraveler built something entirely new: ten-minute meetings held only where validated business exists. If someone is across your table, there's a reason.

Luxury hotel venue curated for meeting planners

Hotels Curated Around You, Not the Reverse

Here's our inversion: planners register first, and name the properties and brands they're actually sourcing. The eighteen hotels in the room are the ones planners asked for, each matched to real programs, so every conversation is one both sides want to have.

Attendees networking on an outdoor terrace at a MeetingTraveler event

Networking With Peers and Industry Experts

Trade ideas with fellow planners who get it, and build real relationships with the hoteliers and experts who can move your next program forward. Meaningful connections, not another name-badge shuffle.

Outdoor four course working luncheon at a MeetingTraveler event

A 4-Course Inverted Working Luncheon

Dessert comes first, the meal is bookended by sweetness, and your seat was chosen before you arrived: friends on one side, strategic matches on the other. You'll be talking; we'll be working.

White Elephant gift exchange table with wrapped gift baskets, boxes, and envelopes

The White Elephant Gift Raffle

Eighteen hotels bring eighteen gifts, from gift baskets to 1, 2, and 3-night stays. But can you remember what's been opened, so you know what to steal when your name is called?

Jacob Ahrens presenting live on stage

See It Work: A Live Technology Showcase

Our founder went quiet for two years. The truth? He was building the technology he'd imagined for a decade. Watch it perform live on stage as a real planner's real meeting is put to the test right in front of you.

MeetingTraveler will change how this industry meets. What's on stage at lunch will change how it works.

You’ve spent your career being the host.
For one afternoon, be the guest.

Explore our Agenda

Planner reviewing the MeetingTraveler event agenda
10:00am - 11:00am

Registration and networking

Your experience begins the moment you arrive. Start your day at your convenience with complimentary valet, breakfast hors d’oeuvres, and freshly brewed coffee. Reconnect with familiar faces, network with industry leaders, and kick off an inspiring, productive afternoon.

11:00am - 12:30pm

Validated Buyer Meetings™

No rotations, no roulette. Your schedule was built before you walked in: ten focused minutes with each hotel that matches what you're actually sourcing. Every meeting validated, every minute earned.

12:30pm - 2:15pm

4-Course (Inverted) Plated Working Luncheon

Why have three courses when you can have four? This lunch is inverted. Dessert comes first, the meal is bookended by sweetness, and while you're talking, we'll be working.

12:30pm - 12:45pm

It's all about you: Curated Seating

Sit with familiar faces and meet the right people. We’ve strategically curated your table to spark meaningful conversations, foster valuable connections, and ensure everyone has a place in the conversation.

12:45pm - 1:00pm

Welcome by Jacob Ahrens & Our Host Hotel

A word of gratitude to the property hosting us, followed by a founder’s perspective on the question everyone has been asking: where has he been for the past two years?

1:00pm - 1:20pm

The Launch: An Industry First, Live On Stage

Every industry has one. Retail has had it for 35 years. Group hospitality never has, until now. Witness an industry first brought to life, featuring a real planner and a real meeting, live on stage: is the space there, does the program fit, at your dates and your price. Answered on the spot instead of a week later. See it work live, with a real planner's real program.

1:20pm - 2:00pm

Ask the Industry Panel Anything

Forty minutes of open Q&A with our founders and an industry panel of experts: explore what you just witnessed, ask what's on your mind, and get the answers that matter most.

2:00pm - 2:15pm

White Elephant Gift Raffle

Eighteen hotels. Eighteen unforgettable gifts. From curated gift baskets to 1-, 2-, and 3-night stays. But can you remember what’s been opened long enough to make the perfect steal when your name is called?

2:15pm

Attendee Departure

Complimentary valet provided. Your follow-up is booked before you leave the table.

2026/27 Schedule of Events

Click on the event below that you would like to register to attend.

Register for MeetingTraveler Los Angeles, October 27, 2026
Register for MeetingTraveler Orange County, October 28, 2026
Register for MeetingTraveler San Diego, October 29, 2026
Register for MeetingTraveler Dallas, November 17, 2026
Register for MeetingTraveler Houston, November 18, 2026
Register for MeetingTraveler Austin, November 19, 2026
Register for MeetingTraveler Boston, December 8, 2026
Register for MeetingTraveler New York City, December 10, 2026
Register for MeetingTraveler Seattle, January 19, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Silicon Valley, January 20, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler San Francisco, January 21, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Washington DC, February 23, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Baltimore, February 24, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Philadelphia, February 25, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Raleigh Durham, March 16, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Charlotte, March 17, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Atlanta, March 18, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Los Angeles, April 13, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Orange County, April 14, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler San Diego, April 15, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Minneapolis, May 18, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Detroit, May 19, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Chicago, May 20, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler New York City, June 15, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler N. New Jersey, June 16, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Boston, June 17, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Seattle, July 20, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Silicon Valley, July 21, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler San Francisco, July 22, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Dallas, August 17, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Houston, August 18, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Austin, August 19, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler St. Louis, October 12, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Kansas City, October 13, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Denver, October 14, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Los Angeles, November 16, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Orange County, November 17, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler Boston, December 7, 2027
Register for MeetingTraveler New York City, December 9, 2027

Supplier Access Is Invite Only

MeetingTraveler™ participation is reserved for invited hotels, resorts, and destinations.
Enter your invitation code to explore available participation options.

Unlock Supplier Access

FAQs

Answers to the questions planners ask us most. If yours isn't covered here, reach out and we'll get you sorted.

What is MeetingTraveler™?
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A half-day industry event coming to cities across North America. Planners register first and name what they're sourcing, so the eighteen luxury hotels in the room are the ones planners asked for. You get ten-minute Validated Buyer Meetings™ held only where real business exists, a four-course inverted working luncheon, and a live look at technology a decade in the making. It's fun, it's productive, and it's built entirely around you.

How do I qualify to attend?
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MeetingTraveler™ is designed for corporate, association, and independent meeting and event planners with a history of sourcing and booking group business. Register for your city, and our team will review and confirm your registration within 48 hours.

Why is there a $25 registration fee?
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Because your seat matters. The eighteen hotels at each event are curated around the planners who register, so every registration shapes the room. The $25 simply confirms you're coming, and the moment you check in, we hand it right back to you as a $25 Amazon gift card. Show up, and the event costs you nothing.

How are the eighteen hotels chosen?
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Backwards, and on purpose. Planners register first; then we curate the eighteen hotels around the programs and destinations the room actually books. You won't wade through properties that don't fit you, and every hotel knows the planners across the table are worth meeting.

What happens during the Validated Buyer Meetings™?
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When you register, you tell us what you're sourcing and which properties, brands, and destinations matter to you. We validate the fit, then build your personal meeting schedule: ten focused minutes per meeting, only with hotels that match your business. No rotations, no chasing, and nothing to pre-schedule. If there's a fit, follow-ups happen on the spot.

Will I meet all eighteen hotels?
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You'll meet the ones that fit, and that's the point. Your meetings are validated against what you're actually sourcing, so no one's time gets spent on courtesy conversations. You'll still share the luncheon, the networking, and the raffle with all eighteen, so the right hallway conversation can always happen.

What exactly is being shown on stage after lunch?
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We can't tell you yet, and that's on purpose. What we can say: our founder spent two quiet years building the technology he'd imagined for a decade, and you'll watch it work live, with a real planner's real meeting. Then you can ask us anything.

Should I bring my active RFPs?
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Yes, please. Between the curated hotels in the room and what we're showing on stage, there's no better place to bring them.

Can I bring a guest or a client?
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This is a working business luncheon, so no personal guests. If your guest is a planner or a client who books meetings, have them register and we'll review their qualifications like everyone else's.

Can more than one planner from my company attend?
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Typically one per company, so more organizations get a seat at the table. Exceptions can be made for planners who run separate programs with separate clients; just note it when you register.

Do I need to stay for the entire event?
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Yes. Every meeting on your schedule exists because a hotel asked to meet you and you asked to meet them. An empty chair breaks a promise both sides made. Besides, dessert comes first, the raffle closes the day, and your $25 comes back at check-in. Leaving early is just bad math.

What should I wear?
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Business attire, and bring your fashion A-game. Cameras will be out all day, from the meetings to the raffle, and you will want these photos. This is an event, not another Tuesday at your desk. Dress like it.

Where do I park?
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With the valet, on us. Complimentary valet parking is provided at every event. One exception: New York City. Who drives in NYC?

Which hotels will be attending?
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They're announced as each event approaches, because the lineup is curated around who registers. Registered planners receive the hotel list before event day.

My city isn't on the schedule. When are you coming?
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The roadshow runs through 2027 and many markets repeat. If you don't see your city yet, reach out and we'll let you know when we're headed your way.

Will MeetingTraveler return in 2028?
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This tour is a limited engagement: 39 cities through December 2027, and when the tour is done, it's done. You may see the MeetingTraveler name again in 2028, in a new form, because what we're building is bigger than one roadshow. But this event, in this format, is a one-time run. The copycats are welcome to the format. We'll be busy.

Jacob Ahrens, founder of MeetingTraveler

About us

MeetingTraveler™ was created by a team that has produced more than 2,000 events for the meetings industry over the past two decades. We know what works, we know what wastes your time, and we built this event to deliver only the former.

Our founder created the SpeedMeetings™ concept for the hospitality industry. The copycats diluted it. So we built something entirely new.

After two quiet years, our founder returned with something he'd been imagining for a decade, and MeetingTraveler is where it comes to life: a roadshow built entirely around planners, where every hotel, every seat, and every minute is intentional.

MeetingTraveler team collaborating on meetings technology strategy at a whiteboard

Team Facts

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Over 2,000 industry events produced

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Two decades of group hospitality experience

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Thousands of planner and hotel relationships

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Technology a decade in the making

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A team built to serve planners first

Get in Touch

Questions about attending, the schedule, or anything else? Send us a note and we'll get back to you.

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Be in the room when everything changes.

One focused half-day, eighteen hotels curated around you, and a live look at what's next for our industry. Your $25 registration comes right back at check-in.

MeetingTraveler event experience