- The inaugural ITB Americas 2026
- The event took place from 10 to 12 November at Expo Guadalajara
The inaugural ITB Americas in Guadalajara, Mexico, launched as a fully booked, Pan-American B2B travel trade show
- Market intelligence data presented by Amadeus highlighted massive outbound and regional growth projections, led by Brazil (+25%), Colombia (+22%), and Mexico (+15%).
- The event featured 300 exhibiting companies from over 60 countries and regions, with a balanced participation model of roughly 80% from the Americas and 20% from international markets.
- The ITB Americas Conference (featuring 40+ sessions and over 100 speakers) focused heavily on how artificial intelligence is transforming traveler behavior, next-generation distribution models, and dynamic pricing.
- Operating as the first dedicated all-Americas ITB platform spanning North, Central, and South America plus the Caribbean, the event aimed to streamline cross-border commercial ties and reduce the need for long-haul convention travel.
- Mexico anchored the inaugural showcase as the official partner country, leveraging the stage at Expo Guadalajara to promote multi-destination corridors and regional hospitality infrastructure.
South African Tourism has participated in the inaugural ITB Americas 2026, which took place from 10 to 12 November at Expo Guadalajara. The participation forms part of efforts to strengthen South Africa’s presence in the Americas, expand international trade relationships and create new opportunities for the tourism sector. The participation is supported by a strategic collaboration with the South African Embassy in Mexico.
Mexico represents a growing opportunity for South Africa, with arrivals increasing from approximately 4,500 in 2023 to 5,100 in 2025. ITB Americas is expected to attract more than 5,000 industry participants and approximately 300 hosted buyers, providing a platform to connect South African tourism businesses with international distribution networks. At the centre of South Africa’s participation is its international destination campaign, South Africa Awaits – Come Find Your Joy.
Five South African tourism businesses were showcased to international buyers and travel media, highlighting the diversity and depth of the country’s tourism offering. These included Travel and I Africa, Nano Travel, Mbombela Experience, ERM Tours and Safaris and Discover Africa Travel. The collaboration with the South African Embassy in Mexico demonstrates the value of coordinated destination marketing, diplomatic engagement and industry participation in advancing South Africa’s tourism interests.
Ismail Dockrat shared “South African Tourism’s participation at ITB Americas is a deliberate investment in strengthening our international market presence and expanding opportunities for the South African tourism sector. Diversifying our source markets and connecting our tourism businesses with international trade partners are important to growing arrivals and visitor expenditure.”
