SITE Classic 2026 raises $276,000 for SITE Foundation
Flagship event in Puerto Rico also launches new Impact Report revealing the people, careers and research supported by Foundation investment
SITE Classic 2026 concluded yesterday at El Conquistador Resort in Puerto Rico, bringing together more than 270 senior incentive travel leaders and raising USD $276,000 for the SITE Foundation through their live & silent auctions.
Across four days, buyers, suppliers and C-suite leaders gathered under the theme ‘From Many Shores to One Rhythm’, combining high-impact education and peer-led dialogue with immersive destination discovery. The programme reflected SITE’s pillars of connect, learn, discover and shape, while the setting brought Puerto Rico’s culture, gastronomy, natural beauty and hospitality into the event experience.
During the event, SITE Foundation also unveiled its second annual Impact Report, making a direct connection between the funds raised at SITE Classic and the people, programmes and knowledge they support.
“Puerto Rico gave us a powerful setting for SITE Classic: culturally rich, welcoming and full of energy. More than 270 leaders came together to build relationships, exchange ideas and experience what makes the island such a compelling incentive destination. Just as importantly, the funds raised here will continue working long after the event ends, supporting the people, knowledge and opportunities that move our industry forward,” said Hasan Dinc, President, SITE.
During the event, Mexico’s Riviera Maya was announced as the host for 2027 from 30 August to 2 September.
From fundraising total to human impact
The new report tells the Foundation’s story through both cumulative data and the voices of those whose careers and lives have been influenced by its work. Its central message is simple: every donation is an investment in people; those people strengthen the incentive travel industry; and a stronger industry creates a more sustainable future.
Among the headline measures set out in the report:
- More than USD $10 million invested in incentive travel professionals and the industry since 1987;
- More than USD $2.5 million invested between 2016 and 2026;
- More than 130 projects and initiatives funded, with over 20,000 people directly or indirectly impacted since 2016;
- Nine SITE Global Conference Scholarships offered in 2026, each worth up to USD $6,000; and
- More than 40 SITE chapters supported through grants and fundraising activity.
The numbers are accompanied by personal accounts from scholarship recipients, emerging professionals, educators, chapter leaders and members who received support during periods of hardship. They include:
- Rachel Richards, whose academic scholarship eased the financial pressure of her final year and showed that the industry believed in her future
- Harsh Sodhani, whose Global Conference Scholarship enabled his first international work trip and opened the door to new responsibilities and leadership opportunities
- Liz Akey, who describes the Foundation’s Relief Fund as a vital source of connection and belonging during some of the darkest periods of her life.
“This report makes the connection between fundraising and impact visible. A donation becomes a scholarship, a research project, help for a chapter or a lifeline for a member; behind each of those is a person whose confidence, career or contribution to our industry grows as a result. The $276,000 raised at this year’s SITE Classic is therefore not an end result. It is an investment in people, and those people strengthen our industry and shape its future,” said Jonathan Richards, President, SITE Foundation.
The Impact Report also shows how Foundation investment underpins professional development and the evidence base for incentive travel. This includes support for the development and continued evolution of:
- Certified Incentive Specialist and Certified Incentive Travel Professional credentials
- Incentive Travel Index, produced with the Incentive Research Foundation and Oxford Economics
- Research into the power of incentive travel across generations
- Academic and Global Conference scholarships
- Industry and chapter grants
- The SITE Foundation Relief Fund
- The NextGen Fund.
SITE Classic has combined senior-level connection, learning and destination discovery with fundraising for the SITE Foundation since its launch in 2007. This year’s programme brought that dual purpose to life in Puerto Rico, using cultural storytelling, local expertise and shared experiences to demonstrate how a destination can turn a gathering into a meaningful sense of place.
The 2026 SITE Foundation Impact Report is available at https://siteglobal.com/impact-report. Donations can be made at siteglobal.com/donate.
SITE Classic 2026 was supported by Discover Puerto Rico, El Conquistador Resort, Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Rainforest Beach & Golf Resort.
The Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) is the only global network of incentive travel professionals dedicated to strengthening and supporting the incentive travel industry. SITE serves a worldwide network of professionals committed to delivering exceptional motivational experiences that drive business results. Through advocacy, research, education, and networking opportunities, SITE connects professionals to create better business opportunities, drive corporate success, and promote the long-term value of incentive travel.
For more information, visit www.siteglobal.com
