The ITB Americas Conference 2026 convened in Guadalajara, Mexico from November 10 to 12 at Expo Guadalajara. The event ran alongside the ITB Americas trade show, serving as its knowledge hub for strategic dialogue, industry insights, and international exchange in the travel sector.
Over 90 speakers participated in more than 40 sessions and ten keynote presentations across six thematic tracks. The conference theme, “Travel Forward: Navigate What’s Next,” framed discussions on trends influencing the Americas and global travel markets.
Notable Speakers and Participating Organizations
Keynotes included Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council, who opened with a focus on the
state of tourism in the Americas. Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, Secretary of Tourism of Mexico, presented on Mexico’s regional tourism policy. Marcus Lee, CEO of China Travel Online, addressed the Chinese outbound travel market in the Americas.
Other notable speakers were Carlos Cendra Cruz of The Data Appeal Company on AI for destination management, Enrique Perrella from Business Traveler on AI in aviation, and Daniel Price, co-founder of WeatherPromise, who spoke on weather uncertainty in travel. Senior representatives from Expedia Group, Accor, Tripadvisor, Netflix, Deloitte, GetYourGuide, Mindtrip, and Green Destinations also took part.
Conference Thematic Tracks and Session Topics
The conference was structured along six thematic tracks:
Future, Technology & Innovation; Marketing, Distribution & Growth; Destinations & Public Sector; Experiences, Hospitality & Value Creation; Mobility, Aviation & Connectivity; and Sustainability, Talent & Responsible Travel.
Sessions covered AI’s impact on travel commerce infrastructure with companies like Zatlas, Airwallex, and Amadeus; shifts in distribution by Expedia Group, Accor, and Tripadvisor executives; and responsible tourism marketing to avoid greenwashing. Destination competitiveness sessions included filmmaking’s role in driving awareness, featuring Netflix and Deloitte.
Discussions on traveler expectations involved Forbes Travel Guide and IGLTA focusing on luxury and LGBTQ+ travel safety. Aviation policy impacts were analyzed by Aeroméxico and the WTTC. Cruise
industry opportunities involved Century Cruises and Transcend Cruises. Environmental topics included climate adaptation strategies from the Colorado Tourism Office and social responsibility panels with ECPAT Mexico and UNICEF.
Pan-American and International Industry Collaboration
The event attracted participants from North, Central, and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Michelle Fridman, Secretary of Tourism for Jalisco State, contributed to sessions on inclusive LGBTQ+ tourism. Representatives from El Salvador, Thailand, the Dominican Republic, the United States, Colorado, PromPerú, Mato Grosso do Sul, Costa Rica, and several tourism boards shared approaches to destination diversification, responsible tourism, and adventure travel.
This wide participation emphasized cross-regional knowledge exchange to
foster strategies relevant to diverse markets.
Event Features and Accessibility
The conference program comprised keynote speeches, panels, fireside chats, interviews, a film screening, and an awards ceremony. Sessions were conducted in English with simultaneous Spanish translation. An official event platform opened before the conference for attendee networking and business meeting preparation.
Media accreditation granted complimentary access to the full conference program.
ITB Americas Conference 2026 positioned itself as a central knowledge platform supporting industry leaders in adapting to technological developments, public policy shifts, and evolving traveler expectations across the Americas and global tourism markets.
