On Wednesday, Messer Berlin announced ITB Americas as its annual three-day travel trade show, scheduled to debut in Guadalajara, Mexico in November 2026.
ITB Americas will be the latest in ITB brand expansion, in addition to the flagship ITB Berlin exhibition, currently includes ITB China, ITB India and ITB Asia.
“The launch of ITB Americas represents a continuation of our successful international strategy,” said Dr Mario Tobias, CEO of Messe Berlin. “Previously focused on Asia, for us, now ‘ITB is heading west.’”
The timing of the ITB America announcement comes as the Trump administration imposes 25% tariffs on Mexico on March 4 and global trade momentum continues to develop. Two days later, Trump announced that he would suspend most import duties from Mexico until April 2.
Mess Berlin signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Mexican Ambassador to Berlin and a Memorandum of Understanding at the State of Jalisco, Berlin ITB, where 5,800 national and international exhibitors from more than 170 countries and regions are currently being held.
Guadalajara Focus
Guadalajara, Mexico’s largest event venue, has 1.2 million square feet of space and will host its inaugural edition.
The press conference is the focus of attention in Guadalajara in 2026, with the city hosting four FIFA World Cup matches.
The company expects ITB Americas to have 80% of exhibitors from the North, Central and South America and the Caribbean, as well as 20% of exhibitors from other regions around the world. Exhibitors will cover all segments of the tourism industry, including adventure and responsible travel, business travel and technology, with global market leaders joined by startups.
Vicente Salas Hesselbach was employed by the Mexico Tourism Commission from 2011 to 2019 and was hired and appointed Managing Director of ITB Americas.
Also in ITB Berlin, IPK International released its latest discoveries on travel trends in the Americas in 2024. In the data, IPK shows that outbound travel from Mexico increased by 16% in 2024 compared to the previous year, while travel to Mexico increased by 8%, which has significantly exceeded the 2019 level.
