With nearly 100 CX conferences in 2026, choosing the right events is tough. Registration ranges from free to $2,999, but total costs easily hit $5,000.
Our team at Thematic attends many of these to understand what CX and Insights leaders need from feedback analytics.
This guide provides verified dates, honest assessments, and practical filtering for your goals: proving ROI, implementing AI, or building peer networks.
These 13 conferences made our must-attend list because they consistently deliver value to CX professionals. They represent a mix of large flagship events (like Qualtrics X4 and Forrester CX Summit) and more intimate gatherings (like CX Retreat and Customer 360 Symposium) to suit different learning styles and networking preferences.
We've included regional options across North America, APAC, and Europe so you can find events that fit your travel constraints.
February 10-12 | Las Vegas, NV | $1,295 (discount rate through Jan 16) / $1,495 standard
Medallia Experience '26 focuses on experience management, featuring customer case studies and product announcements. Pre-conference training labs and an Executive Partner Summit kick things off on day one, followed by main sessions and keynotes.
The agenda covers customer and employee experience, AI and analytics, feedback capture, and experience orchestration. Expect a vendor showcase environment with workshops and labs for solution architects.
Conference bundles with hotel stays at the Wynn range from $1,850 (3 nights) to $2,150 (4 nights).
What to expect: Heavy product focus with breakout sessions, an exhibit hall, and networking events. This is Medallia's premier showcase, so plan for a mix of customer success stories and platform demonstrations.
March 17-19 | Seattle, WA | $1,299 ($999 for groups of 5+)
The premier Experience Management (XM) summit brings together CX, EX, and research professionals for three full days. This year's Qualtrics X4 Summit features expanded Basecamp sessions (now included in your ticket) with hands-on, expert-led workshops you can apply immediately.
Keynote speakers include Mindy Kaling, Andy Cohen, Jay Shetty, and executives from T-Mobile and Stanford Health Care. Sessions cover market research, customer experience, and employee experience with real implementation strategies.
Regional events: Qualtrics typically hosts regional X4 events in cities like Sydney and London. X4 Sydney 2026 hasn't been announced yet, but APAC attendees can sign up for updates to be notified when regional events are confirmed.
What to expect: Over 200 sessions across multiple tracks, a Community Pavilion for sponsor connections, demos, networking events including Braindate and Brunch & Learn sessions, and XM Park for interactive experiences. The Summit Bash celebration caps off day three.
For tips on getting the most out of X4, see our guide to the Qualtrics X4 Summit.
Save money: Group pricing drops the cost to $999 per person for teams of 5 or more. Register by January 30, 2026 to save $400 off the full $1,699 price.
March 31-April 1 | Hunter Valley, NSW | Invitation-only
Now in its 13th year, the Customer 360 Symposium brings together 150+ senior CX and Customer Insights leaders from Australia and New Zealand.
The two-day retreat in the Hunter Valley wine region offers something most conferences can't: real distance from daily distractions. International keynote Anne-Kathrine Nissen (CX Design Lead at H&M Sweden) headlines a program crafted by an advisory board of influential CX leaders from Telstra, Qantas Loyalty, HSBC, and Woolworths.
Sessions dive deeper into customer strategy than typical conferences, with candid discussions about industry challenges.
What to expect: Small-group discussions, 12+ hours of structured networking, golf outings, wine tasting, and opportunities to connect with peers facing similar challenges. This is an invitation-only event for qualifying client-side leaders.
April 19-22 | Las Vegas, NV | $1,995 (Advance rate, Jan 1-Feb 13) / $2,195 (Standard)
Adobe's digital experience conference runs four days at the Venetian Convention and Expo Center, with preconference training on April 19 and main sessions April 20-22.
The Adobe Summit focuses on digital customer experience, data-driven marketing, AI-enabled content operations, and commerce. With over 200 sessions and hands-on labs across 13 tracks, you'll find content on analytics, B2B marketing, commerce, generative AI, and campaign management.
Keynotes feature Adobe leadership including CEO Shantanu Narayen and guest speakers from Coca-Cola, Eli Lilly, JPMorganChase, and Marriott International.
What to expect: Large-scale event (approximately 12,000 attendees) with extensive product demonstrations, certification opportunities (included in your pass), and the Summit Bash celebration. Hotel rates at the Venetian are $394/night (plus resort fees) through the conference booking system.
Save money: Register by February 13 for the $1,995 Advance rate. Group pricing (3+ attendees) is $1,795 per person (Jan 1-Feb 13) or $1,895 (Feb 14-Apr 22). Government, education, and non-profit passes are $1,595 with promotional codes.
April 27-29 | Toronto, Canada
The Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA) annual gathering combines the CX Leaders Advance conference with Women in CX (WiCX) programming.
CXPA CX Leaders Advance brings together CX professionals for peer learning, networking, and professional development.
What to expect: Multi-day program with keynotes, breakout sessions, and dedicated WiCX networking opportunities. CXPA events emphasize community building and knowledge sharing among CX practitioners rather than vendor pitches.
June 8-10 | Orlando, FL | $1,450 (early bird until April 2)
NiCE World (formerly Interactions) unites the customer experience, contact center, and AI communities at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort.
The NiCE World 2026 is a three-day conference focusing on CX operations, cloud migration, generative AI in contact centers, and workforce engagement.
Groundbreaking keynote announcements about NiCE's platform and AI capabilities headline the event. Hands-on technical sessions, customer-focused EDU training, and customized learning paths serve everyone from new users to seasoned experts.
What to expect: Direct access to NiCE experts, executives, and partners. The conference features a reimagined show floor with live demos and innovation showcases. EDU sessions are included in all registration types.
Save money: Early bird rate is $1,450 through April 2. Standard rate jumps to $1,850 from April 3-June 8.
June 16-19 | Singapore
The leading CX event in the APAC region brings together regional and global CX leaders for four days.
The Customer Experience Asia Week addresses the unique challenges and opportunities facing customer experience professionals in Asian markets.
What to expect: Regional case studies and strategies relevant to APAC businesses, networking with CX leaders across diverse Asian markets, and discussions on adapting global CX trends to regional contexts.
June 22-25 | Las Vegas, NV | $2,999 standard (bundle pricing available)
Customer Contact Week Las Vegas is often described as the world's largest customer contact event. With over 20 years of history, CCW has evolved alongside the industry to cover call center optimization, digital transformation, AI-driven omnichannel customer experience, and contact center technology.
The four-day event at Caesars Forum attracts thousands of contact center executives, operations leaders, technology buyers, and analysts. The agenda blends strategic leadership content with practical operational sessions and a large, diverse technology exhibition.
What to expect: Thought-provoking keynotes, interactive workshops, and engaging think tanks. The Expo Hall offers live demos, one-on-one meetings with exhibitors specializing in AI, analytics, and CX management. CCWomen Summit runs alongside the main event for women and allies in customer contact roles.
Save money: Bundle passes offer significant savings. The "Buy One Get Two" bundle provides three passes for the price of one $2,999 standard pass ($999.67 per pass) through February 13, 2026. This discount applies to end users only.
CX Forum East: June 16-17 | New York City
CX Forum West: June 29-30 | San Francisco
Forrester's CX Summit North America has evolved into two intimate regional forums. These smaller events — capped at fewer than 400 delegates each — are designed for candid conversations, hands-on learning, and quality time with Forrester analysts.
Both forums focus on practical guidance, proven strategies, and frameworks you can apply immediately. Whether you're shaping customer experiences, leading digital transformation, or driving marketing innovation, you'll leave with tools and a clear plan to deliver measurable business impact.
What to expect: Research-driven, analyst-backed insights without vendor pitches. Intimate setting for more one-on-one time with analysts than large conferences allow.
Who should attend: CX professionals developing retention strategies, digital leaders harnessing AI for customer acquisition, B2C marketers cultivating loyalty, and executive leadership driving strategic outcomes.
October 8-9 | Mornington Peninsula, VIC | Invitation-only
Following the success of the inaugural event, this two-day, two-night retreat-style gathering brings together 80 of Victoria's most senior CX leaders. Set at RACV Cape Schanck Resort on the Mornington Peninsula, the CX Retreat offers 18 hours of meticulously designed networking.
International keynote Tim Stierman (Digital Product Leader at Inter IKEA Group) leads a program featuring local case studies, thought-provoking panels, and Think Tank discussions. The agenda provides time and space for meaningful conversations away from the daily grind.
What to expect: Intimate setting for genuine peer discussions, golf outings for deeper conversations, wine tasting in a beautiful setting far from office distractions, and carefully curated content from an advisory board of CX leaders from Dulux, Sportsbet, Aware Super, ANZ, AGL, NAB, Bunnings, and MYER.
Who attends: Chief Customer Officers, GM Customer Experience, Heads of CX, Directors of Customer Insight, Heads of Customer Intelligence, and similar senior roles. Qualifying client-side leaders may attend as guests.
May 18-20 | National Harbor, MD
GDS hosts intimate, invite-style summits focused on CX innovation and executive networking. The GDS CX Innovation Summit brings together senior CX leaders for focused discussions on emerging strategies and industry challenges.
What to expect: Small-group format emphasizing peer learning and relationship building, with keynotes, roundtable discussions, and one-on-one meetings.
Here's the complete calendar organized by quarter, including dates, locations, and links to official conference pages.
We've verified dates and locations where possible, but always check the official website before booking travel since early bird deadlines and details can change.
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
November
The right conference matches your specific challenges, learning style, budget, and the depth of content you need. Here's how to evaluate each factor.
Start by matching conference content to your actual challenges. Implementing AI in your contact center? Look for NiCE World or CCW Las Vegas with technical sessions. Need to prove ROI to executives? Forrester's research-driven approach provides the frameworks you need.
Large conferences like CCW Las Vegas (thousands of attendees) offer breadth but harder networking. Intimate events like CX Retreat (80 attendees) or Customer 360 Symposium (150 attendees) prioritize depth with real peer discussions.
A $1,500 registration becomes $4,000-5,000 with travel and hotels. Group discounts help. X4 Summit, for one, drops from $1,299 to $999 per person for teams of five.
Generic titles like "The Future of CX" deliver fluff. Look for specific use cases like "Reducing Contact Center Volume by 40%" to know exactly what you'll learn.
Tie your request to specific business outcomes and ROI, not vague professional development. Here's how to frame it.
Instead of "I'll learn about CX trends," try: "I'll bring back three strategies for reducing our contact center volume, which costs us $2.3M annually. A 10% reduction pays for this conference 15 times over."
If you're evaluating new CX platforms (typical investment: $100K-500K annually), spending $4,000 to see multiple solutions and talk to actual users is cheap insurance.
Propose a post-conference workshop to share what you learned with the team. This multiplies the value of your attendance across the organization.
Point out early bird savings. X4 Summit saves $400 per person by registering early. Mention if competitors will be there. Nobody wants to be the only company that missed where everyone else is learning.
For a typical three-day US conference, expect $3,500-5,000 per person all-in. International conferences can hit $6,000-8,000.
Registration ranges from free (X4 Sydney) to $2,999 (CCW Las Vegas). Average: $1,200-1,800.
Flights run $400-600 domestically, $1,200-2,000 internationally. Hotels cost $200-400 per night. Budget $600-1,600 for accommodation. Add $60-100 daily for meals beyond what's provided.
Money-saving tips: Book early to save $300-500 on registration. Coordinate group registration for 20-30% off. Look for bundled hotel packages. Combine trips when cities host multiple conferences. Try free regional events like X4 Sydney.
What you experience depends almost entirely on the conference size: large expos offer breadth and vendor access, mid-sized events go deeper on specific topics, and intimate retreats prioritize peer relationships. Here's what each format delivers.
Massive expo halls with 50-100 vendors, big-name keynotes, and hundreds of networking contacts. You'll get 15-minute booth meetings, not deep implementation discussions. Keynotes inspire but rarely provide step-by-step guidance.
Examples: CCW Las Vegas, Adobe Summit, X4 Seattle.
More targeted content for specific industries. Easier networking with smaller, relevant crowds. Sessions go deeper than expo keynotes. You'll miss out on vendor showcases and session variety, though.
Examples: Forrester CX Summit, NiCE World, Customer Experience Asia Week.
Real peer relationships and candid discussions about what actually works. Quality time with thought leaders. No tech demonstrations or broad topic coverage. These focus purely on peer learning.
Examples: CX Retreat, Customer 360 Symposium, GDS CX Innovation Summit.
See our recap of WICX Unconference Miami 2025 for a look at this format in action.
With more than 110 CX conferences happening this year, you now have the complete picture. You know which events deliver hands-on learning versus inspiration, where to find peer networking versus vendor showcases, and how to build a business case that gets approved.
Registration for major conferences like X4 Seattle and Adobe Summit is already open, with early bird deadlines approaching fast.
Intimate events like Customer 360 Symposium and CX Retreat are invitation-only with limited capacity.
Start planning now. Block out the conferences that match your goals, check early bird deadlines, and get your request to your manager before budgets get tight.
The CX professionals who get the most value from conferences are the ones who plan strategically rather than react to what's left available at the last minute.
Attending a CX conference this year?
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