The 48th edition of the International & French Travel Market (IFTM) opened on 15 September 2026 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles (Hall 1). It runs until 17 September and is the main French B2B travel trade show.Scale and focus
Around 1,650 brands and nearly 180 destinations are exhibiting, with more than 32,000 tourism professionals expected. The official theme is “The Value of Travel”, examining how value is created, managed and shared across the industry.
Uzbekistan is the country of honour, with a large stand, the opening conference and multiple professional sessions designed to raise its profile among French travellers and trade partners. Discussions centre on three major forces reshaping travel:
- Artificial intelligence and digital transformation, aimed at creating smoother journeys before, during and after trips.
- Sustainable travel, with destinations and operators adapting offers so people can continue travelling more responsibly.
- Climate impacts (heatwaves, wildfires, shifting seasons) and geopolitical tensions, particularly the Middle East conflict, which UN Tourism estimates could reduce 2026 international arrival growth by one to two percentage points.
French Tourism Minister Serge Papin opened the event. He told the guests that, despite record global tourism volumes in 2025, the industry is entering a new era as professionals focus on technology, sustainability and adaptability to keep travel viable and valuable amid higher costs, climate pressures and geopolitical uncertainty.
The primary takeaway from the launch of France’s largest B2B travel trade show is the official embracement of its central theme, “The Value of Travel”. This focus challenges businesses to actively measure and deliver economic, human, and sustainable value.
Core Opening Day Highlights & Takeaways
- The Value Over Volume Shift: Opening keynotes and institutional addresses—featuring government officials like Serge Papin—urged the tourism sector to measure success by sustainable, human, and economic impact rather than sheer tourist volume. [1, 2]
- Three Pillars of the 2026 Theme: Discussions centered on balancing economic/territorial growth, human/emotional enrichment, and collective environmental sustainability across leisure, business travel, and MICE sectors.
- Uzbekistan as Country of Honour: The spotlight on Uzbekistan drew heavy interest on Day 1, highlighting its ancient Silk Road heritage, UNESCO sites, and new hospitality infrastructure investments aimed at European tour operators.
- B2B Tech & AI Integration: Early floor sessions and barometers heavily emphasized the acceleration of artificial intelligence in travel planning, automated booking chains, and digital networking tools like the Colleqt QR-code badge system
- The Economic & Tech Track: Discussions focused heavily on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced data analytics are altering traditional business models and streamlining fragmented supply chains.
- Human & Social Dimensions: Industry panels addressed the changing landscape of tourism talent, the digitization of travel jobs, and fostering stronger B2B relationships.
- Expanded Green Focus: The return of the “Village des Initiatives Durables” (Village of Sustainable Initiatives) underscored Day 1. The opening sessions highlighted measurable reporting tools and treating responsible tourism as a metric for competitiveness.
