ITB Americas 2026 opened at Expo Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Mexico, from November 10 to 12, fully booked with 300 exhibiting companies representing over 60 countries and regions. The event attracted qualified buyers from more than 40 countries.
Event Organization and Marketplace Focus
The event was organized by Messe Berlin Americas with Mexico designated as the Official Partner Country. ITB Americas 2026 is designed as a Pan-American B2B marketplace to connect travel markets across North, Central, and South America, as well as the Caribbean, aiming to foster cross-border business and international cooperation within the travel industry.
International Participation from Diverse Travel Sectors
The expo included a wide spectrum of travel industry sectors.
Airlines such as United Airlines, Air Canada, Volaris, and LATAM Airlines participated alongside hospitality groups like Accor, Wyndham, Hilton, RIU, Hard Rock, Velas, Brisas, and Grupo Presidente. Travel companies exhibited as well, including Price Travel, Miki Travel, and Mega Travel. The exhibitor countries spanned destinations across the Americas including Mexico, Brazil, Peru, United States, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Nicaragua, plus global participants from Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, China, New Zealand, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, and Slovenia.
Buyer Program and Profiles
The event featured a qualified Hosted Buyer Program facilitating direct meetings between exhibitors and buyers. Approximately
80% of buyers originated from the Americas, with the remaining 20% from outside the region. Among buyers, 75% specialized in leisure travel, 15% in meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE), and 10% in corporate travel. More than 95% of these buyers were decision-makers. High-profile buyer representatives included companies such as G Adventures, Trip.com, and Viajes El Corte Inglés.
ITB Americas Conference and Industry Insights
The accompanying conference featured over 100 speakers across 40 sessions under the theme “Travel Forward: Navigate What’s Next.” Speakers included representatives from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Netflix, Expedia Group, and Amadeus, discussing trends such as artificial intelligence, distribution models,
destination marketing, sustainability, and traveler behavior within the Americas. Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of WTTC, provided insights on the tourism sector’s state in the Americas.
Official Perspectives and Market Trends
David Ruetz, Senior Vice President at Messe Berlin, recognized the fully booked event as an indicator of strong industry interest, emphasizing the goal of establishing a lasting marketplace for long-term regional travel development. Olivier Ponti from Amadeus highlighted data showing increased travel demand from Latin American countries Brazil (+25%), Colombia (+22%), and Mexico (+15%), alongside growth in airline capacity and Caribbean destination demand.
Mexico’s Role and Guadalajara as Host City
Mexico’s position as Official Partner Country underlined its importance as an
international tourism destination in the Americas, with offerings ranging from cultural heritage and nature experiences to luxury and business travel. Hosting the event at Expo Guadalajara positioned the city as a key venue for international tourism trade, bringing together industry leaders in one of Mexico’s major business centers.
Industry Associations and Global Partnerships
ITB Americas 2026 was supported by industry organizations including the Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO), the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), and the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA). Messe Berlin Americas’ involvement as a Regional Member of the WTTC and Associate Member of UN Tourism reflects its commitment to international
collaboration in the travel industry’s development.
Travel Technology Highlights
Travel technology providers at the event included Amadeus, SiteMinder, and RoomPriceGenie, showcasing innovations in hospitality technology, distribution, payment systems, and digital customer experience. Their presence highlighted the increasing role of digital transformation in the travel sector’s competitiveness and operational efficiency.
