Destination California 2026 will take place from August 30 to September 1, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport in Burlingame, California. Organised by Northstar Meetings Group, the three-day hosted-buyer event focuses on meetings, conferences and incentive travel business within California. It connects qualified meeting and incentive planners with hotels, convention and visitor bureaus, destination management companies, venues, tourism organisations and other suppliers from across the state. Unlike a conventional open trade exhibition, the event uses a curated buyer-supplier format centred on pre-scheduled business appointments and destination experiences.
The event is designed for meeting planners and incentive professionals actively sourcing venues, accommodation, destinations and services for future programmes in California. Participating suppliers include hotels and resorts, convention centres, tourism boards, destination marketing organisations, entertainment venues, transportation providers and other companies supporting corporate meetings and incentive travel. Qualified hosted buyers take part in structured one-to-one appointments with suppliers, allowing both sides to discuss upcoming programmes, venue requirements and potential partnerships in a focused business environment.
The 2026 agenda combines supplier meetings with education, networking and destination experiences. Activities begin with registration, a hotel site tour and an opening reception at Filoli, followed by networking breakfasts, educational sessions and scheduled buyer-supplier appointments. Featured programme content includes sessions on performance under pressure and practical applications of artificial intelligence for event professionals. Additional site visits and hosted activities provide planners with direct exposure to hospitality and meeting facilities in the San Francisco Peninsula area. Destination California therefore combines destination sourcing, professional education and relationship-building for the meetings and incentive travel sector.
