ITB Americas, New Travel Trade Show Heading to Mexico in 2026

On Wednesday, Messe Berlin announced ITB Americas, an annual three-day travel trade show, that it is planning to debut in November 2026 in Guadalajara, Mexico.

ITB Americas will be the latest in the ITB brand expansion that, in addition to the flagship ITB Berlin show, currently includes ITB China, ITB India, and ITB Asia.

"The launch of ITB Americas represents a continuation of our successful international strategy," says Dr Mario Tobias, CEO of Messe Berlin. "Having previously focused on Asia, for us it is now 'ITB goes West.'”

The timing of the ITB Americas announcement comes as global trade dynamics continue to evolve as a result of the Trump administration imposing a 25% tariff on Mexico on March 4. Two days later, Trump announced he is suspending tariffs on most imports from Mexico until April 2. 

Messe Berlin signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Mexican ambassador in Berlin and representatives of the State of Jalisco at ITB Berlin, which is currently taking place featuring 5,800 national and international exhibitors from more than 170 countries and regions.

Guadalajara Takes the Spotlight

Expo Guadalajara, Mexico’s largest event venue with 1.2 million square feet of space, will host the inaugural edition.

The launch comes as Guadalajara will be in the spotlight in 2026, with the city hosting four FIFA World Cup games.

The company expects ITB Americas to feature 80% of exhibitors from North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean and 20% from the rest of the world. Exhibitors will cover all segments of the travel industry, including adventure and responsible tourism, business travel and technology, with global market leaders represented joined by startups.

Vicente Salas Hesselbach, who was employed by the Mexico Tourism Board between 2011 and 2019, has been hired and named managing director of ITB Americas.

Also at ITB Berlin, IPK International released its latest findings on travel trends in the Americas in 2024. Among the data, IPK revealed that outbound travel from Mexico increased 16% in 2024 compared to the previous year, while travel to Mexico increased by 8% and has already significantly exceeded 2019 levels.