Convention centres have always operated in complex environments. Economic cycles, political uncertainty, changing client expectations and evolving technologies are not new. What is new is the speed and simultaneity of today’s pressures.
Rising operational costs. Workforce shortages. Artificial intelligence reshaping workflows. Sustainability mandates. Increased competition for events. Volatile demand patterns.
In this environment, resilience alone is no longer sufficient.
The centres that will thrive are not necessarily those with the largest budgets or the newest infrastructure. They are those led by teams capable of reframing pressure as possibility: leaders who can connect strategy, culture and innovation into a coherent direction.
This is where the real shift is happening.
Leadership in convention centres is evolving from operational excellence to strategic orchestration. From managing space to shaping ecosystems. From reacting to disruption to designing opportunity.
The AIPC Annual Conference 2026 in Bilbao places this leadership shift at the centre of the conversation.
Across the themes of Innovation & Transformation, People & Hospitality, and Legacy & Community Impact, the programme explores how leaders can:
- Turn constraints into catalysts for innovation
- Embed hospitality as a strategic differentiator
- Navigate technological disruption without losing the human touch
- Strengthen partnerships across hotels, destinations and communities
- Position their venues as anchors within broader urban ecosystems
These conversations will be shaped by a diverse group of international leaders and experts, bringing global perspectives and real-world experience from across the convention centre ecosystem.
Importantly, the Conference does not approach these topics as abstract debates. Through interactive formats, peer exchange and practical workshops, the focus is on translating reflection into action: equipping leaders not just to adapt, but to actively shape the trajectory of their organisations.
Bilbao, internationally recognised for its long-term transformation, offers a fitting context for this discussion. The city’s evolution illustrates what happens when vision, governance and ecosystem collaboration align.
The question for convention centre leaders today is no longer whether change is coming.
- It is whether we are ready to lead it.
