The ITB Americas Conference 2026 took place from November 10 to 12 at Expo Guadalajara, Mexico, featuring over 90 speakers and more than 40 sessions across six thematic tracks on two stages. The event convened travel industry leaders for strategic discussions and international collaboration focusing on current and future trends.
Keynotes Spotlight Tourism Trends in Americas and China
Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), delivered the opening keynote on the state of tourism in the Americas. Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism, presented Mexico’s tourism strategy as a regional model. Marcus Lee, CEO of China Travel Online, addressed readiness of
Americas destinations for Chinese outbound travelers. Michelle Fridman, Secretary of Tourism of Jalisco, emphasized inclusive tourism opportunities for LGBTQ+ travelers.
Conference Themes Cover AI, Marketing, Sustainability, and Policy
Sessions examined artificial intelligence’s impact on travel distribution and aviation, with presentations from Carlos Cendra Cruz (The Data Appeal Company) and Enrique Perrella (Business Traveler). Discussions included destination marketing, responsible tourism, sustainable travel, and regional public sector tourism policies. Panels featured adventure tourism topics with Costa Rican Tourism Board, G Adventures, GetYourGuide, and the Adventure Travel Trade Association. Efforts to protect vulnerable communities were highlighted by ECPAT Mexico, RIU Hotels & Resorts, UNICEF, and Riviera Maya Sostenible.
Participation from Major Travel Corporations and Organizations
Executives from Expedia
Group, Accor, Tripadvisor, Deloitte, Netflix, Amadeus, and GetYourGuide engaged in sessions on innovation, market shifts, and AI agents. Representatives from Green Destinations and Mindtrip discussed sustainability and traveler experiences. Filma Jalisco and Nao Travel Collection were also involved in panels addressing regional tourism strategy and inclusive travel.
Pan-American and Global Exchange on Tourism Development
The conference connected stakeholders from North, Central, and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Participants from the State of Jalisco, Costa Rican Tourism Board, Dominican Republic Tourism, PromPerú, Mato Grosso do Sul Tourism Board (Brazil), El Salvador Tourism, Thailand Tourism, United States Tourism, and France Tourism exchanged strategies for destination diversification
and international positioning. The event facilitated knowledge sharing across the region and globally.
Media accreditation provided complimentary access to the full program. Sessions during the conference were conducted in English with simultaneous Spanish translation. The official ITB Americas event platform supported networking and meeting preparation for attendees throughout the event.
