“MPI 2026: This Is Where Events Come Alive,” the printed billboard read, a nod to both the show and to the host city. The key to making these demonstrations of appreciation most effective is a strong partnership between the event-planning team and the DMO. An example of this from the 2026 MPI WEC was a block of concurrent sessions held at the Aztec Theater not far from the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. “It read ‘San Antonio and the Aztec Theater welcome WEC attendees.’ The bottom line: “Whenever you kick off your discussion of event strategy and goals, always include your host city’s DMO,” Daigle noted.