Attire: Business Casual

We are offering site visits of hotels and venues throughout Lisbon. This walking site visit (weather permitting) will focus on some key MICE hotels and venues within walking distance of the hotel. A light lunch will be available prior to the site. You will need to register for the site visit in advance. Full descriptions of the venues can be found here.

-    InterContinental Lisbon (5*) 
-    Estufa Fria 
-    Pavilhão Carlos Lopes
-    Epic Sana Marquês Hotel (5*)

Attire: Casual, jeans and walking shoes acceptable.

Spend some time with your GDP Global Advisor before Connection kicks off! If this is your first time attending Connection, have no fear! We'll have some fun activations that will allow you to forge new connections and meet your Connection Buddy.

Attire: Business Casual.  Nux, Castanea, Oliva, Quercus, Laurus, Suber

• Chris/Maxine – Laurus (1 Floor)
• Shelley – Suber (1 Floor)
• Dawn – Castanea (1 Floor)
• Riley – Oliva (1 Floor)
• Benoit – Quercus (1 Floor)
• Sebastian - Nux (1 Floor)

Connection will start with us coming together to welcome everyone to Lisbon and to set the stage for what you can expect. We’ll provide an overview of all the DMCs/destinations, partners, and sponsors with whom you will be able to meet during your time in Lisbon. 

Attire: Business Casual

Georg Garnitschnig, Certified Sound Healer

This 45-minute-long session is open to all, regardless of age or experience Floor. Participants will find the guided instructions easy to follow and deeply relaxing. Just bring an open mind and a willingness to receive the holistic benefits of guided meditation and sound. Tibetan singing bowls, a gong and other musical instruments will be used to stimulate deep relaxation and promote overall well-being.

Towels will be provided, comfortable and casual attire

Catherine Chaulet, President & CEO of Global DMC Partners, with your GDP Global Advisors as Panelists

What’s next for global business events and travel? Catherine Chaulet opens this panel session with an overview of the macro trends shaping the MICE industry, including economic shifts, budget pressures, safety and security concerns, changing attendee expectations, generational differences and evolving destination and venue trends. Then, a panel of your GDP Global Advisors will share the trends they are seeing and hearing from you, providing real-life examples of how we can all work together for successful programs. Bring your questions for the panel and walk away with the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions to ensure your events stay relevant, resilient and ahead of the curve.

Attire: Business Casual

Inspire your next event with a fast-paced, high-energy session designed to ignite creativity and drive innovation for meeting planners. This dynamic presentation is packed with fresh, actionable ideas contributed by Connection attendees during registration. These could include show-stopping décor concepts, unique incentive ideas, engaging activations, cutting-edge F&B trends, creative solutions for attendee engagement, and meaningful CSR and sustainability initiatives. Our goal is that you leave this session inspired by your peers’ ideas and equipped with some new ways to create unforgettable experiences.

Sheri Moore, MCC Destination Management & Anne-Marie Enns, Applied AI Association

AI is rapidly transforming the landscape for destination and event professionals, streamlining tasks and enabling new possibilities. In this interactive session, explore practical, beginner-friendly ways to use AI, from planning to execution, through live demonstrations, collaborative scenario labs, and peer discussions. Discover real-world strategies to address current industry challenges, like maximizing budgets, adapting to changing attendee needs and delivering memorable experiences worldwide. You’ll have the opportunity to test AI tools for planning, communications, analytics and personalization.  This session will be guided by industry experts and informed by input from fellow participants. 

Join us to build skills, exchange insights and leave with actionable takeaways you can immediately use in your work with destinations and events. Content will be shaped by attendee interests and hot topics, ensuring this session is timely and tailored to your needs.

The one-on-one appointments are a key highlight of Connection, offering meeting planners a valuable opportunity to connect directly with DMCs and Sponsors. Clients may schedule up to six personalized appointments per day during registration. These focused sessions are the perfect platform to discover new destinations and unique local offerings, and uncover partners or places you may not have previously considered. 

We are offering three peer-to-peer learning hubs during a 90-minute block, and you will rotate them so you won’t miss out! During registration you’ll select two sessions from the below options that you’d be interested in attending. These hubs are designed to be interactive; the real value comes from audience participation. Come ready to exchange ideas, share experiences and learn from your peers!

• Exploring the Future of AI: Artificial Intelligence is transforming the way we work, connect, and innovate, but what aspects of this rapidly evolving field matter most to you? This interactive session will move beyond the hype to dive into the real opportunities and challenges AI presents today. We’ll explore practical applications, ethical considerations, and future trends—but we want your input to guide the conversation.
  • Morus lll + IV (-1 Floor)
     
• Unlocking Creativity in Events: Creativity is the heartbeat of memorable experiences, from designing compelling programs and incentives to curating agendas and choosing destinations. In this session, we’ll go beyond inspiration to explore how creativity can be applied practically and powerfully across your work.
  • Vitis 1 (-1 Floor)
     
• Mastering the Art of Negotiation: Negotiation is a constant in our industry, whether with vendors, clients, hotels, or even internally within your own teams. Knowing what’s truly negotiable versus what’s non-negotiable can make all the difference in building strong partnerships and protecting your bottom line.
  • Vitis IV (-1 Floor)

We are giving everyone extra time to connect with DMCs and sponsors, catch up on work or explore Lisbon through additional site visits.

Closer to the event, you’ll be able to schedule one-on-one time with DMCs or sponsors though the app. If a DMC’s appointment slots are full, these pre-scheduled times are a great opportunity to meet. Need more than 15 minutes to discuss an RFP? This is the perfect chance to dive deeper. Just want to say hello or reconnect? That works too!

We have arranged for more time for you to explore other hotels and venues in the city.  You will need to register for the tour you’d like to attend when you register. We will leave the Epic Sana Lisboa at 4:00 pm from the lobby and the site will end at the dinner venue, so you won’t go back to the hotel between the site and dinner. Full descriptions of the venues can be found here. Attire: Casual

• Site Option 1: Creative & Urban Lisbon: MACAM & Lx Factory - Explore Lisbon’s most dynamic and artistic venues; if you are looking for something out of the ordinary in Lisbon, this is it. 
• Site Option 2: Garden Glamour and River Views – The One Palácio da Anunciada & Vandelli Botanical Garden – This scenic tour highlights two premium venues that combine refined architecture, natural beauty and Lisbon’s stunning riverside charm.
• Site Option 3: Historic Elegance Meets Modern Sophistication – Tivoli Avenida da Liberdade & Convento do Beato – This tour blends Lisbon’s timeless charm with contemporary luxury.

Attire: Casual, Jeans Acceptable

Georg Garnitschnig, Certified Sound Healer

This 45-minute-long session is open to all, regardless of age or experience Floor. Participants will find the guided instructions easy to follow and deeply relaxing. Just bring an open mind and a willingness to receive the holistic benefits of guided meditation and sound. Tibetan singing bowls, a gong and other musical instruments will be used to stimulate deep relaxation and promote overall well-being.

Towels will be provided, comfortable and casual attire. TBD

Tim Hines: Travel, Hospitality & Events Industry Keynote Speaker & Emcee

In an era of shrinking attention spans and endless digital noise, capturing audience interest isn’t enough—you have to keep it. This session unpacks the science and strategy behind attention marketing, offering event marketers a playbook for creating scroll-stopping content, emotionally resonant messaging, and experiential campaigns that transform fleeting moments into meaningful engagement. Learn how to map the modern buyer’s mindset, craft irresistible hooks, and harness behavioral insights to drive conversions and long-term loyalty. Attendees will leave with actionable tactics to elevate their brand presence and build real connections in the chaos.

Takeaways:

• Understand the psychology behind attention and distraction, and how to overcome it
• Build a messaging framework and strategy that stands out and resonates across channels
• Discover creative formats for keeping audiences engaged pre, during, and post-event
   

In this rapid-fire session, you’ll discover new potential MICE destinations in 2nd and 3rd tier markets that offer exceptional value without compromising quality or experiences. This fast-paced session spotlights alternative destinations where your budget stretches further while delivering unique, authentic experiences your attendees will remember. 

Budgets are flat, costs are up 50%, and decisions are happening at the last minute, yet expectations have never been higher. In this candid conversation, planners and DMC leaders share how they're navigating the pressure, protecting creativity, and finding opportunity in constraint. No sugarcoating, just real talk and real solutions.

The one-on-one appointments are a key highlight of the Connection, offering meeting planners a valuable opportunity to connect directly with DMCs and Sponsors. Clients may schedule up to six personalized appointments per day during registration. These focused sessions are the perfect platform to discover new destinations and unique local offerings and uncover partners or places you may not have previously considered. 

We have several different afternoon activities arranged for you to get out and explore Lisbon! Select your activity during registration.

Attire: All activities are casual. As the weather can be unpredictable this time of year, we’d encourage layers and comfortable walking shoes.

• Discovering Lisbon in Tuk Tuk Style
• Tuk Tuk Food Tour
• Traditional Portuguese Cooking Class
• Porto Wine Tasting at Taylor’s
• Historical Shopping Walking Tour
• Alfama/S Vicente Monastery Walking Tour 

Attire: Dressy Fun! Still a casual evening (not a gala/formal dress event), but if you wanted to dress up a little bit more, this would be the night to do it!