ITB Americas 2026 opened its inaugural event fully booked at Expo Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Mexico, from November 10 to 12. Organized by Messe Berlin Americas, the trade show brought together 300 exhibiting companies representing more than 60 countries and regions.
Exhibitors and Buyers Statistics
The exhibition showcased qualified buyers from over 40 countries, with 80% hailing from the Americas and the remaining 20% from outside the region. Buyers specialized primarily in leisure travel (75%), followed by MICE (15%) and corporate travel (10%). More than 95% of participating buyers held decision-making positions.
Event Components and Industry Participation
The three-day event featured an extensive conference program including over 100 speakers across
40 sessions under the theme “Travel Forward: Navigate What’s Next.” Alongside the exhibition and conference, a Hosted Buyer Program facilitated business meetings between exhibitors and qualified buyers to foster international partnerships.
Exhibitors spanned airlines, hospitality brands, travel companies, and technology providers. Key airlines included United Airlines, Air Canada, Volaris, and LATAM Airlines. Hospitality groups present were Accor, Wyndham, Hilton, RIU, Hard Rock, Velas, Brisas, and Grupo Presidente. Travel companies such as Price Travel, Miki Travel, and Mega Travel also participated, while technology providers included Amadeus, SiteMinder, and RoomPriceGenie.
Official Statements and Market Insights
David Ruetz, Senior Vice President at Messe Berlin, emphasized the goal of
establishing ITB Americas as a lasting marketplace promoting cross-border collaboration and long-term industry development. Olivier Ponti from Amadeus provided a market outlook highlighting increased air connectivity and rising travel demand across Latin America, with growth rates in Brazil (+25%), Colombia (+22%), and Mexico (+15%).
Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), contributed insights into the tourism sector’s status in the Americas during the conference sessions.
Geographic Reach and Conference Themes
The event featured representation from destinations across the Americas—including Mexico, Brazil, Peru, the United States, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Nicaragua. International participants from Europe, Africa,
and Asia included Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Slovenia, Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, China, and New Zealand.
The conference explored emerging industry trends like artificial intelligence, evolving distribution models, sustainability, destination marketing, and traveler expectations. Partners supporting the program included industry associations such as the Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO), American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), and Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA).
