Travel Trade Shows in the US, Canada and Latin America 2026–2027

Cover image: The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans (file photo) — photo by Barry Bahler, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

This page tracks 35 travel trade shows in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America, 34 of them checked against the organisers' own websites, with the tables updated weekly. Around them we explain which shows sell a country to overseas buyers and which sell the world to local agents, plus US conferences, group-travel and specialist shows, and entry rules. Every region is in our full travel trade shows calendar.

The short answer: buyers packaging North America need IPW for the United States, Rendez-vous Canada for Canada and Tianguis Turístico for Mexico. Destinations selling into Latin America need Vitrina Turística ANATO, WTM Latin America, ABAV Expo and FIT. Meetings specialists have IMEX America, cruise suppliers Seatrade Cruise Global and corporate-travel sellers the GBTA Convention.

Last updated: 1 November 2026. The tables below are rebuilt weekly from dates checked on organisers' own websites; shows drop off once they have taken place. For every show see our travel trade shows calendar, and the India travel trade shows, Asia-Pacific travel trade shows, Middle East and Africa travel trade shows.

Jump to: October 2026 · November 2026 · February 2027 · March 2027 · April 2027 · May 2027 · June 2027 · July 2027 · August 2027 · September 2027 · October 2027 · January 2028 · Dates not yet announced

Upcoming travel trade shows in the Americas

October 2026

November 2026

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

July 2027

August 2027

September 2027

October 2027

January 2028

Dates not yet announced

These organisers had not published their next dates when we last checked. The first column shows when the show was last held; we add the new dates once the organiser publishes them.

Inbound marts and outbound fairs: two different markets

Inbound marts sell one country to the buyers who package it. At IPW, the U.S. Travel Association's marketplace, US destinations, hotels and attractions meet international and domestic buyers and media in pre-scheduled appointments, which the organiser says turn into bookings two to three years later. Rendez-vous Canada, Destination Canada's marketplace, managed for it by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC), is by invitation only: buyers must purchase Canadian packages or their components for resale, and sellers are approved by national, provincial or territorial representatives and must meet the Export READI criteria. Mexico's tourism ministry, SECTUR, changes the host destination of Tianguis Turístico between editions; its 2026 buyer badges cost US$50 to US$200 plus tax, and its pages describe no hosted-buyer programme. TravelMart LatinAmerica applies the model to Central and South America; its 2026 buyer fee of US$245, or US$195 for early registrants, included three hotel nights.

Outbound fairs work the other way: destinations, airlines and hotels, from abroad and at home, take space to reach a country's own travel agents. Vitrina Turística ANATO, run in Bogotá by Colombia's travel agency association, is closed to the public; foreign exhibitors pay USD 387 per square metre plus 19% VAT, and professional visitors from abroad pay USD 80. ABAV Expo, run by Brazil's travel agents' association, calls itself a B2B fair for travel agents, with an international area for destinations and airlines seeking the Brazilian market. FIT in Buenos Aires mixes the models: its two weekend days admit the paying public alongside the trade, the last two days are for professionals only, and its business rounds match Argentine sellers with overseas tour operators invited by INPROTUR, Argentina's tourism promotion body. WTM Latin America in São Paulo is multi-destination; RX says 94% of its visitors come from Latin America.

Latin America's outbound fairs cluster from February to April and again from September to November, while Rendez-vous Canada and IPW run in spring or early summer, back to back in the next cycle.

US industry conferences: Phocuswright, GBTA, Skift and ASTA

Conferences sell a ticket to a programme rather than an appointment diary. The Phocuswright Conference, run by the research firm owned by Northstar Travel Group, covers travel technology and distribution. Its general ticket reached US$4,199 at the final 2026 rate, startups pay less by application, and the Launch stage gives new products a pitch slot before an audience the organiser says is 65% C-level or vice president.

The GBTA Convention is built for corporate travel. The Global Business Travel Association defines a buyer as someone employed directly by an organisation to manage its own travel or meetings programme. Suppliers pay more, and GBTA's FAQ rules out expo-only passes and guest registration. In the 2026 cycle the buyer member rate rose by more than 70% from the first price tier to the last, so register early. GBTA counted more than 5,500 attendees, almost 1,200 of them buyers, at its latest convention.

Skift Global Forum, at the North Javits Center in New York, is a paid conference, and ASTA, the American Society of Travel Advisors, holds its Travel Advisor Conference for the advisors it represents.

Group travel: ABA, NTA and USTOA

Group-tour marketplaces turn the usual floor plan around. At ABA Marketplace, run by the American Bus Association, bus and tour operators sit at booths and sellers (destinations, hotels, attractions and receptive operators) move between them for seven-minute appointments. Operators take appointments free if they plan or run group tours or charters, produce at least 24 itineraries a year, have traded for two years and make purchasing decisions; sellers pay US$1,995 as ABA members or US$2,445 otherwise.

NTA Travel Exchange, the National Tour Association's convention, is free for tour operator and travel advisor members who take a full book of pre-scheduled appointments, and qualifying buyers can claim a rebate of up to US$250. Sellers and DMOs pay US$1,595 early-bird or US$1,895 for the 2026 exchange. At both shows an operator that wants to sell its own services pays the seller rate. The USTOA Annual Conference and Marketplace is for members only: tour operators, USTOA's Active Members, meet the suppliers and destinations among its Associate Members one-to-one, in a group the association puts at 800 travel professionals.

MICE, cruise, attractions and luxury

IMEX America in Las Vegas is free to attend and built around hosted buyers. Planners qualify for free accommodation and travel reimbursed up to a limit if they research, organise, influence or make budget decisions for events outside their home country and have three events confirmed or planned in the next three years; in return they book six to eight 30-minute meetings a day. At the latest show 73% of its buyers came from the United States, by the organiser's count.

Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami Beach is trade only, and the cruise lines are the buyers: in 2026 their staff attended free on a Cruise Line Executive pass while an expo pass cost US$179, and ports and destinations get a full day at the World Cruise Tourism Summit. IAAPA Expo in Orlando serves theme parks, water parks and other attractions; its hosted buyers need purchasing authority and proven purchasing intent of US$250,000 or more. The tables also list RX's ILTM North America and ILTM Latin America for luxury travel, and FIEXPO Latin America for meetings and incentives.

Entry rules for trade-show visitors

Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries can visit the United States for business or tourism for up to 90 days without a visa, but need an approved ESTA, which now costs US$40.62 (see our ESTA guide). US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) advises applying as soon as you start planning, and an ESTA does not guarantee entry: CBP officers decide admissibility on arrival. Most other visitors need a B-1 visa, which USCIS says covers negotiating a contract and attending a professional or business convention or conference on specific dates. IMEX America lets registered visitors generate a visa invitation letter, and IAAPA's can be downloaded once registration is paid in full.

For Canadian shows, CBP notes that Canada requires an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) from visa-exempt foreign nationals who fly in, with exceptions including US citizens and travellers holding a valid visa. ABA, which takes Marketplace to Calgary next, refunds no one denied entry. Brazil applies visa reciprocity, its foreign ministry says, and its visa table shows US and Canadian citizens need a visit visa, so check yours before booking a Brazilian show. Dates for every region are on our travel trade shows calendar.

Frequently asked questions

Which travel trade shows are coming up in the Americas?

The next travel trade shows in the Americas in our calendar are VYVA 2026 (30 Oct–1 Nov 2026, Santiago); Festuris 2026 (12–15 Nov 2026, Gramado); Travel Exchange '26 (15–18 Nov 2026, Tulsa); 2026 CONNECT Conference (16–18 Nov 2026, Louisville); IAAPA Expo 2026 (16–20 Nov 2026, Orlando). Dates were checked on each organiser's website and the list is updated weekly; the tables above have the full schedule.

What are the main travel trade shows in the Americas?

It depends on which way you are selling. IPW, Rendez-vous Canada and Tianguis Turístico are where US, Canadian and Mexican suppliers meet visiting buyers. Destinations selling into Latin America use Vitrina Turística ANATO, WTM Latin America, ABAV Expo and FIT. Specialist shows include IMEX America for meetings, Seatrade Cruise Global for cruise, the GBTA Convention for corporate travel, ABA Marketplace and NTA Travel Exchange for group tours, and IAAPA Expo for attractions.

Which travel trade shows in the Americas are open to the public?

Few are. FIT in Buenos Aires admits the paying public on its two weekend days, then keeps its last two days for professionals, and Mexico's tourism ministry says the 2027 Tianguis Turístico venue will open to the public at the weekend, although the business forum is trade only. IPW, Rendez-vous Canada, Vitrina Turística ANATO, WTM Latin America, Seatrade Cruise Global, IMEX America, IAAPA Expo and ABA Marketplace have no public days.

Do I need a visa to attend a trade show in the United States?

Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries can attend without a visa for stays of up to 90 days, but need an approved ESTA before travelling. Most other visitors need a B-1 business visitor visa, which USCIS says covers attending a professional or business convention or conference. Neither guarantees entry, because CBP officers decide on arrival. Organisers such as IMEX America and IAAPA provide visa invitation letters to registered attendees.

Which North American trade shows are for group tour operators?

ABA Marketplace, NTA Travel Exchange and the USTOA Annual Conference and Marketplace. At ABA Marketplace, qualifying bus and tour operators take appointments free and sellers pay to meet them. NTA waives the fee for tour operator and travel advisor members with a full appointment book and can rebate part of their travel costs. USTOA's event is for members only, pairing tour operators with supplier and destination members one-to-one.

How do hosted-buyer programmes work at Americas trade shows?

Organisers vet buyers and cover some costs in return for meetings. IMEX America provides accommodation and reimburses travel, up to a limit, for planners booking six to eight meetings a day. WTM Latin America covers three hotel nights and transfers, but not flights, for at least 10 appointments a day. Rendez-vous Canada invites qualified buyers, with priority for Destination Canada's target markets, and IAAPA's Select tier adds capped airfare and up to three hotel nights for 12 appointments.

Sources

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection: Visa Waiver Program and ESTA (business or tourism stays up to 90 days; admissibility decided on arrival; Canada eTA note)
• USCIS: B-1 Temporary Business Visitor (permitted activities and eligibility criteria)
• IMEX America: hosted buyer program (qualification, meetings per day, travel and accommodation)
• FIT, Feria Internacional de Turismo: FAQ (trade and public days, business rounds with INPROTUR-invited tour operators)
• ABAV Expo: homepage (B2B fair for travel agents, international area for destinations and airlines)
• NTA Travel Exchange: registration pricing (free full-appointment buyers, rebate of up to US$250, seller and DMO rates)
• USTOA: Annual Conference & Marketplace (member-only, Active and Associate Members, about 800 professionals)
• Rendez-vous Canada: buyer selection criteria (invitation only, packages for resale, target-market priority)
• Rendez-vous Canada: seller selection criteria (approval by national, provincial or territorial representatives; Export READI required)
• TravelMart LatinAmerica: homepage (Central and South American suppliers, global buyers, 2026 buyer fee US$245 or US$195 early, three hotel nights)
• Federal Register 2026-20185: DHS fiscal 2027 inflation adjustments to HR-1 fees (ESTA US$40.62 from 16 October 2026)
• Brazil Ministry of Foreign Affairs: visas for foreigners travelling to Brazil (visa policy based on reciprocity; visit visa for business and conferences)
• Brazil Ministry of Foreign Affairs: visa regime table (English version updated 7 October 2026; visit visa required for US and Canadian citizens)