IRF Releases 2026 Trends Report Highlighting Budget Pressure, AI and Geopolitics

Washington, DC (January 21, 2026): The Incentive Research Foundation announces the release of its signature study, the IRF 2026 Trends Report. The incentives industry is entering 2026 amid rising costs, geopolitical uncertainty, and shifting participant expectations. Organizations are nevertheless finding renewed optimism as they embrace innovative, resilient ways to motivate and recognize their people.

“Incentives professionals are navigating significant complexity while simultaneously uncovering new opportunities for innovation, strengthened partnerships, and more meaningful ways to motivate people in 2026,” said Stephanie Harris, President, IRF. “We are seeing optimism in both North America and Europe as organizations embrace the power of incentives to engage and motivate their workforce.”

The top trends for incentive, reward, and recognition programs in 2026 include:

Cuts Over Creativity in Incentive Travel: Rising costs and flat budgets are forcing incentive travel planners to reduce or remove program elements rather than rely on creativity to stretch resources. Organizations are trimming spend by reducing gifting, choosing less expensive or closer destinations, and shortening trip durations.

Geopolitical Environment Impacts Decision Making: International instability is complicating destination selection, slowing decisions, and increasing the need for thorough risk assessment. Even with careful planning, sudden geopolitical or security disruptions are common, making scenario planning essential.

Powerful Partnerships: Incentive programs are becoming more complex, making strong external partner relationships with DMCs, DMOs, and tech providers more essential. High‑performing companies rely heavily on partners for expertise, technology integration, and access to unique destination experiences.

Gift Cards Boost Morale During Tough Times: Gift cards continue to grow in popularity because they offer flexible, practical value during economic uncertainty. Participants increasingly use them for everyday needs or small indulgences, with dining gift cards now surpassing online‑only retailers.

Human Interaction in the Age of AI: Across the incentives industry, AI adoption is high, but professionals are increasingly mindful of maintaining authenticity and trust. While AI provides major efficiency gains, planners are deliberately balancing automation with human touchpoints where personal interaction matters most.

To read the full list of trends, and to view or download a copy of the full report, please visit the IRF 2026 Trends Report webpage.

Thank you to our Research Advocacy Partner

At Brightspot Incentives & Events, we are people people, who empathize with our clients and have a deep care for their programs and participants. Here you’ll find a passion for creativity, transparency, no-red-tape agility, and fanatical customer service. We combine exceptional execution, custom web development, industry-leading creative services, and award-winning incentive designs to drive motivation and real results. We are on a mission to make our clients’ programs more successful, their jobs easier, and make them look good. We aim to be a bright spot for our individual customers and elevate your meetings or events. www.gobrightspot.com