AZA, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, will hold its 2026 Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon, from 26 September to 1 October.
The event will gather around 2,800 professionals from fields such as animal care, conservation, education, guest experience, operations, design, development, marketing, and public engagement—many of the key disciplines influencing the broader attractions industry.
Attendees can explore, share ideas, and discuss best practices through over 150 education program sessions, poster presentations, and round table discussions.
The AZA Annual Conference brings together professionals from across the zoo and aquarium sector for education sessions, networking, and moreImage courtesy of AZA
The conference sessions will highlight technological trends, a deeper analysis of visitor behaviour, renewed attention to earned revenue, and continued initiatives to connect compelling guest experiences with measurable conservation impact.
Agenda highlights
Artificial intelligence will be explored in sessions like AI Without the Hype: What Zoos and Aquariums Need to Know Now; Entering the AI Era: Data, Decisions and the Future of Zoos and Aquariums; Smarter Engagement: How Zoos Are Using AI to Transform Marketing, Websites, and Paid Media; and What Your Board Is About to Ask You: Creating an AI Strategy for Your Zoo or Aquarium.
These sessions will examine governance, ethics, decision-making, and practical implementation.
Visitor data and audience behaviour will be central. Achieving Membership Growth Through a Connected Visitor Journey explores how Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance used an insight-driven approach to boost membership. To Visit, or Not to Visit, That is the Question examines consumer decisions behind destination visits.
Other sessions will look at how CRM, research, and visitor studies can turn visits into deeper learning and support.
The AZA Annual Conference agenda will cover technological trends, visitor behaviour, revenue, guest experiences, conservation, and moreImage courtesy of AZA
Sessions like Stretching Your Storytelling: How to Do More with the Video You Have; Deep Currents: Unlocking the Power of Email Marketing; Marketing, PR & Government Affairs Rapid Fire; and Elevating Leadership: Strategies for Visibility, Voice, and Influence will examine how zoos and aquariums build trust, extend content across platforms, and position leaders as credible voices.
There are also revenue-focused sessions, including From Data to Dollars: Using the AZA Earned Revenue Survey, Internal KPIs, and AI to Advance Earned Income; Reimagining Legacy Events: From Tradition to Transformation; and Pushing Boundaries: New Audiences, New Revenues, Enhanced Mission-Delivery.
These will offer operators, suppliers and designers insight into how to grow revenue while strengthening mission, community relevance and the overall guest experience.
General Sessions and conservation leadership
The 2026 Annual Conference will feature General Sessions and the Honors & Awards Lunch.
The opening on Tuesday, September 29, will include Amy Bowers Cordalis, executive director of Ridges to Riffles Indigenous Conservation Group. She is a Yurok Nation member and former General Counsel, author of The Water Remembers.
Her work in Indigenous sovereignty and resource protection, including the Klamath River undamming, will inspire and inform the week.
Exhibitors and EXPO LIVE
The exhibit hall will showcase over 200 exhibitors from the zoo and aquarium sector.
Among them are Immotion and SimEx-Iwerks, known for immersive technology and attraction experiences, as well as Gateway Ticketing Systems and accesso, which provide ticketing, CRM, operations, and revenue solutions.
Design and construction specialists such as COST of Wisconsin will offer insight into habitat design, themed environments and specialist fabrication, while other exhibitors represent the operational systems that support animal care and aquarium environments.
The AZA Annual Conference is an opportunity to meet with peers and discover the latest research and developmentsImage courtesy of AZA
Conservation and storytelling partners will also exhibit and share their initiatives.
There will be presentations by Event Network, SSA Group, and others in the AZA Expo LIVE show theatre, with 30-minute talks from the AZA Commercial Member Engagement Council on topics like retail trends, guest relations, sustainability, and conservation.
Meet the hosts
Sessions will be held at the Oregon Convention Center, with an Icebreaker at OMSI on 28 September, welcoming attendees to the city.
Oregon Zoo in Washington Park will host Zoo Day on 1 October with the theme Together for Wildlife, where attendees can explore the zoo, network, and see conservation work.
Post-conference tours include the Oregon Coast Aquarium, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium.
Proceeds from the SAFE Silent Auction support AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction, involving over 55 species programs worldwide and nearly 90% of AZA members to protect wildlife and habitats.
The 2026 auction aims to boost the JoEllen Doornbos Endowment for SAFE to $10 million by 2029, with donations matched dollar for dollar up to $250,000 annually from 2026-2029.
See also: How AZA SAFE is taking conservation beyond zoo walls
