The ITB Americas event took place from 10 to 12 November 2026 in Guadalajara, Mexico, with 70% of its exhibition space already reserved. The inaugural edition attracted highly qualified buyers from over 30 countries spanning all five continents, establishing the event as a major Pan-American B2B travel marketplace.
Hosted Buyer Program Draws Leading Travel Professionals
The ITB Americas Hosted Buyer Program successfully engaged senior decision-makers whose purchasing profiles aligned closely with exhibitor goals. Confirmed buyer categories included outbound travel agencies, tour operators, online travel agencies (OTAs), incentive travel agencies, travel advisors, corporate travel managers, group travel organizers, FIT specialists, adventure travel providers, and luxury travel operators.
Premier Buyer Network Expands Reach
Designed
to generate measurable business opportunities, the Hosted Buyer Program was supported by the Premier Buyer Network. This alliance includes prominent partners such as the Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO), Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), ASTA NY Metro Chapter, IGLTA, Expo Mayoristas, SITE Mexico, Evintra, AMDEMAC, ASTA Suncoast Metro Chapter, and GETLATAM. These collaborations expanded international buyer participation while securing senior leadership representation from multiple travel sectors.
Diverse Exhibitors and Conference Sessions
With 70% of exhibition space booked, participants included destinations, hotel groups, airlines, travel technology firms, and tourism organizations from across the Americas and beyond. Concurrently, the ITB Americas Conference featured more than 40
sessions across six tracks and two stages, covering key travel topics such as artificial intelligence, distribution, aviation, sustainability, destination competitiveness, hospitality, luxury travel, and emerging technologies.
Industry Leadership Emphasizes Business Focus
Vicente Salas Hesselbach, Vice President and Managing Director Americas at Messe Berlin, highlighted the crucial role of the Hosted Buyer Program. He stated, “The response to our Hosted Buyer Program confirms that the industry is looking for a Pan-American business platform focused on meaningful connections and measurable business opportunities.” He added, “We are bringing together highly qualified buyers whose profiles closely align with the commercial objectives of our exhibitors, creating valuable business opportunities from
the very first edition of ITB Americas.”
Registration and Attendance Expectations
Trade visitor registration for ITB Americas 2026 remained open, anticipating attendance exceeding 5,000 travel professionals worldwide. Approximately 80% of participants originated from the Americas region, while 20% represented international markets. This distribution reinforces ITB Americas’ position as a gateway linking the Americas with global travel industry players.
