The Esri User Conference 2026 is the world’s largest GIS conference, returning to the San Diego Convention Center from July 13 to 17. Hosted by Esri, it gathers more than 18,000 attendees from over 100 countries.
This year’s theme is “GIS, Creating a More Intelligent World.” The programme spans a landmark Plenary Session, over 150 technical sessions, a 200-plus organisation Expo, and the Map Gallery.
Mon, Jul 13 – Fri, Jul 17, 2026 | Hybrid (In-person + Virtual), San Diego, USA | Hosted by Esri
About The Event
The Esri User Conference is the flagship annual gathering for the global geographic information system (GIS) community. It is hosted by Esri, the market leader in GIS software, location intelligence, and mapping technology.
The conference dates back to 1981, when it began at Esri’s Redlands headquarters with just 15 users. It later moved to Palm Springs and has settled permanently in San Diego since 1997.
The 2026 edition centres on the theme “GIS, Creating a More Intelligent World.” It emphasises how GIS turns the science of where into shared understanding and coordinated action. More than 18,000 attendees from over 100 countries are expected in person, with thousands more joining virtually.
The week combines a landmark Plenary Session with hundreds of technical sessions and user presentations. An Expo connects attendees with more than 200 organisations, and the Map Gallery showcases hundreds of maps. Attendees range from GIS beginners to enterprise architects running location intelligence at national scale.
What Usually Happens At Esri User Conference?
The conference opens with a multi-part Plenary Session. Esri President and Founder Jack Dangermond shares his vision for GIS technology, joined by a keynote speaker. Real-world case studies show organisations using geospatial tools across government, energy, transportation, and education.
The week then moves into hundreds of technical sessions, user presentations, and training opportunities. These span every skill level, from GIS beginners to advanced enterprise architects.
The Expo runs across the conference, connecting attendees with 200-plus organisations and Esri’s own product experts. The Map Gallery stays open all week in the Sails Pavilion, alongside a Monday night reception. Networking, fitness activities, family programming, and the Thursday Night Party round out the week.
When Is Esri User Conference 2026 Taking Place?
Esri User Conference 2026 runs July 13 to 17, 2026, at the San Diego Convention Center. The address is 111 W Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101. In-person and digital registration are both open on the official registration page.
Esri User Conference 2026 Latest Updates
The 2026 programme, theme, and keynote speakers are confirmed. Everything below is drawn directly from esri.com and the official Esri newsroom announcement.
Theme And Keynote Speakers Announced June 25, 2026
Esri officially announced the 2026 theme and speakers on June 25, 2026. Jack Dangermond of Esri and Kristine Tompkins of Tompkins Conservation will keynote the Plenary Session. The theme is “GIS, Creating a More Intelligent World.”
Kristine Tompkins Confirmed As Featured Keynote
Kristine Tompkins, President and Co-founder of Tompkins Conservation, joins the Plenary Session. She will share her mission to create a more wild, beautiful, and equitable world. Her talk brings a conservation and rewilding perspective to the conference’s GIS and AI programming.
18,000-Plus Attendees Expected From Over 100 Countries
Esri’s press release confirms more than 18,000 in-person attendees from over 100 countries. Thousands more will join as virtual attendees. This continues the conference’s position as the world’s largest GIS event.
Standard Registration Deadline Is May 29, 2026
Standard registration at $2,600 runs through May 29, 2026. After that, Late and On-site registration rises to $2,900. Early Bird registration at $1,900 closed January 16, 2026, and digital access remains available at $99 or no cost for qualifying attendees.
Cancellation Policy Update
Registrants who cancel after June 15, 2026, forfeit 50 percent of their registration fee. Those who cancel or do not participate after June 29, 2026, forfeit the entire fee. Registrations received after that date are not eligible for refunds.
Defense And Intelligence Symposium Confirmed As Co-Located Event
The Defense and Intelligence Symposium runs as a dedicated co-located track within Esri UC 2026. It addresses threat identification, risk prediction, and resilience building. Sessions use real-time mapping and analysis for defense and intelligence audiences.
Esri UC Party Moves To Balboa Park
The 2026 closing celebration, the Esri UC Party, will be held at Balboa Park. It features international cuisine, live entertainment, and family-friendly activities. Registration includes access, with wristbands required and additional guest wristbands available for purchase.
Main Topics At Esri User Conference 2026
The 2026 programme is anchored by the theme “GIS, Creating a More Intelligent World.” A strong emphasis falls on how ArcGIS is being enhanced with AI to accelerate insight and automate workflows.
GIS And AI Convergence
The central technical thread is how ArcGIS is being enhanced with AI. The goal is to accelerate insight, automate workflows, and broaden access to geographic intelligence. This builds on the AI framework, computer vision, and natural language capabilities introduced across ArcGIS at the 2025 conference.
Real-World GIS Success Stories
The Plenary and technical programme showcase real-world success stories from across industries. Organisations demonstrate how they operationalise location intelligence at scale. Examples connect authoritative content with real-time and operational workflows in government, energy, transportation, and education.
Enterprise GIS At Scale
Sessions address enterprise-wide GIS strategy for organisations moving beyond static mapping tools. The focus is the shift toward cross-functional data platforms. Topics cover cloud migration, data standardisation, and change management challenges that enterprise GIS teams face.
Geospatial Learning Across Skill Levels
The conference offers immersive learning tailored to every skill level. Expert-led technical sessions let attendees explore new tools and techniques. User presentations add practical insights shared directly by peers, from first-time users to advanced strategists.
Conservation, Climate And Global Challenges
With Kristine Tompkins joining the Plenary, conservation and rewilding join the programme. Environmental resilience features alongside the conference’s coverage of climate change and urban forestry. GIS applications for redevelopment and infrastructure services also feature.
Featured Speakers
Esri User Conference 2026 has confirmed its Plenary Session keynote speakers. Additional Plenary presenters, user speakers, and technical session leaders are confirmed on a rolling basis. Full details are on the official Plenary page.
| Speaker | Role | Organisation |
|---|---|---|
| Jack Dangermond | President and Founder | Esri |
| Kristine Tompkins | President and Co-founder | Tompkins Conservation |
Additional speakers will be announced closer to the conference on esri.com.
Event Experiences
Esri User Conference 2026 runs across five days at the San Diego Convention Center. It combines a landmark Plenary Session with technical training, an expansive Expo, family programming, and a full week of networking.
Plenary Session
The Plenary Session is the conference’s centrepiece. Jack Dangermond shares his vision for creating a more intelligent world, alongside keynote speaker Kristine Tompkins. Real-world case studies show organisations using geospatial tools to address local and global challenges.
Technical Sessions And Training
Over 150 technical sessions give in-person attendees the latest tools and practical tips. These insights apply directly to attendees’ own projects. Digital access includes 75-plus live-streamed sessions, with more than 100 recordings available for replay in August 2026.
Expo And Esri Showcase
The Expo connects attendees with more than 200 organisations showcasing GIS-powered products and services. The Esri Showcase gives attendees one-on-one access to Esri product, service, and industry experts.
Map Gallery
The Map Gallery features hundreds of printed and digital map displays. It opens during the Monday night reception and runs all week in the Sails Pavilion. The gallery celebrates the most compelling GIS storytelling from the global user community.
Defense And Intelligence Symposium
The Defense and Intelligence Symposium is a dedicated co-located event within Esri UC 2026. It focuses on threat identification, risk prediction, and resilience building. Sessions serve defense and intelligence professionals using real-time mapping and analysis.
Health, Fitness And Family Programming
The Esri 5K Fun Run/Walk and morning yoga sessions run throughout the week for attendees aged 18 and over. The Esri Kids Fair, themed Continents for 2026, runs July 14 to 16 for children aged 5 to 14. KiddieCorp childcare services support younger children.
Thursday Night Party At Balboa Park
The week closes with the Esri UC Party at Balboa Park. It features international cuisine, live entertainment, and activities for the whole family. Entry is included with conference registration, with wristbands required.
Why Esri User Conference 2026 Matters
Esri User Conference is the definitive annual gathering for the global GIS and location intelligence community. It draws more attendees than any other geospatial event in the world.
The 2026 edition arrives as AI capabilities are being built directly into the ArcGIS platform. That makes it a critical checkpoint for how spatial intelligence and AI are converging across every location-dependent industry.
For GIS Professionals And Analysts
Technical sessions span every skill level, from introductory training to advanced enterprise architecture. They give GIS professionals a direct path to deepen expertise across the full ArcGIS platform. Attendees leave with practical tips they can apply immediately to their own projects.
For Enterprise And Government Technology Leaders
Real-world case studies cover government, energy, transportation, and infrastructure. They show enterprise and government leaders how top organisations operationalise location intelligence at scale. Cloud migration and data standardisation strategies feature throughout.
For Defense And Intelligence Professionals
The dedicated Defense and Intelligence Symposium gives this audience a focused track. It covers threat identification, risk prediction, and resilience building through real-time geospatial analysis. The programme runs separate from the general conference sessions.
For AI And Data Teams
Spatial intelligence is becoming inseparable from AI. Sessions on the ArcGIS AI framework, computer vision, and natural language interfaces show how location context is built into AI systems. This gives AI and data teams a direct view of geographic intelligence in agents.
For Solution Providers And Technology Vendors
The Expo hosts more than 200 participating organisations. It gives solution providers and vendors direct access to a concentrated audience of active GIS decision-makers. Attendees are practitioners actively evaluating new tools and partnerships.
Venue
San Diego Convention Center, 111 W Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
The San Diego Convention Center sits directly on San Diego’s waterfront. It is within walking distance of the Gaslamp Quarter and several conference hotels.
Nearby hotels including the Hilton San Diego Bayfront and the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina host conference activities during the week.
Agenda
Times shown in Pacific Daylight Time (PDT, UTC minus 7). The full detailed agenda is on the official agenda page.
| Date | Programme | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, July 12 | Pre-conference registration and activities; Store opens 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM | San Diego Convention Center |
| Monday, July 13 | Plenary Session with Jack Dangermond and Kristine Tompkins; Map Gallery night reception | San Diego Convention Center, Halls F-H |
| Tuesday, July 14 | Technical sessions; User presentations; Expo opens; Esri Kids Fair begins; Morning fitness | San Diego Convention Center |
| Wednesday, July 15 | Technical sessions; User presentations; Expo; Esri Kids Fair continues; Morning fitness | San Diego Convention Center |
| Thursday, July 16 | Technical sessions; User presentations; Expo closes; Thursday Night Party at Balboa Park | San Diego Convention Center and Balboa Park |
| Friday, July 17 | Final sessions and closing programme | San Diego Convention Center |
The full detailed agenda is on the official agenda page.
Registration And Access
Registration for Esri User Conference 2026 is open on the official registration page. Both in-person and digital access options are available. Rates increase as key deadlines pass, and cancellation penalties apply closer to the event.
| Registration Type | Rate | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Early Bird | $1,900 | January 16, 2026 (closed) |
| Standard | $2,600 | May 29, 2026 |
| Late / On-site | $2,900 | After May 29, 2026 |
| Complimentary | No cost | Subject to org eligibility and approval |
| One Day (Mon to Thu) | $1,300 | No deadline; excludes Thursday Night Party |
| Educational | $600 | No deadline |
| Expo Only (Tue to Thu) | $1,325 | No deadline |
| International Distributor | $800 | May 29, 2026 |
| Digital Access | $99 or No Cost | No deadline; select virtual sessions |
Cancellations after June 15, 2026, forfeit 50 percent of the registration fee. Cancellations or no-shows after June 29, 2026, forfeit the entire fee and are not eligible for refunds.
Recaps: 2025
Esri User Conference has run annually since 1981. It grew from 15 users at Esri’s Redlands headquarters into the world’s largest GIS event. The most recent edition sets the context for the 2026 programme.
Esri User Conference 2025 Recap
Esri User Conference 2025 took place July 14 to 18, 2025, at the San Diego Convention Center. The Plenary Session ran in three parts on Monday, July 14, keynoted by Dr. Kirk Johnson of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Full highlights are in the official 2025 recap StoryMap.
Main highlights included:
- Dr. Kirk Johnson spoke on the shared mission between museums and GIS. He challenged professionals to help close the divide between scientific knowledge and public understanding.
- CAL FIRE presented on real-time wildfire mapping, digitizing fire perimeters mid-flight and transmitting them instantly to incident commanders.
- The new ArcGIS XR Viewer was featured, enabling high-fidelity, game-engine quality immersive experiences that work out of the box.
- ArcGIS Velocity announced a beta for ArcGIS Enterprise, alongside a beta of ArcGIS Data Pipelines, a no-code data engineering tool.
- An AI framework in ArcGIS was introduced as a modular, extensible foundation for integrating AI across the ArcGIS ecosystem.
- Survey123 was enhanced with computer vision, letting AI identify features in an image and automatically complete survey fields.
- Enterprise organisations including KPMG, CVS, and Stripe presented how GIS is evolving into a cross-functional data platform.
- Esri confirmed more than 10 million users across over 700,000 organisations worldwide, supported by more than 3,000 business partners.
FAQs About Esri User Conference 2026
The answers below are drawn from Esri’s official site and newsroom announcements.
What Is Esri User Conference And Who Is It For?
Esri User Conference is the world’s largest GIS conference, hosted by Esri. It is for the global geographic information system community. Attendees range from GIS beginners to enterprise architects, plus government, defense, education, and vendor professionals.
When And Where Does Esri User Conference 2026 Take Place?
It runs July 13 to 17, 2026, at the San Diego Convention Center. The address is 111 W Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101.
How Much Does Registration Cost?
Standard in-person registration is $2,600 through May 29, 2026, rising to $2,900 afterward. One-day, educational, expo-only, and distributor rates are also available. Digital access costs $99 or is free for qualifying attendees.
What Is Included In Digital Access Registration?
Digital access includes 75-plus live-streamed sessions during the conference. More than 100 additional session recordings become available for replay in August 2026.
What Is The Cancellation Policy?
Cancellations after June 15, 2026, forfeit 50 percent of the registration fee. Cancellations or no-shows after June 29, 2026, forfeit the entire fee and are not eligible for refunds.
What Is The Defense And Intelligence Symposium?
It is a dedicated co-located event within Esri UC 2026 for defense and intelligence professionals. Sessions cover threat identification, risk prediction, and resilience building through real-time geospatial analysis.
Where Can I Find The Full Agenda And Registration Details?
The full agenda is on the official agenda page. Registration details and current rates are on the registration page.
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