Events like travel trade shows are crucial for tourism professionals. They offer a centralized opportunity to stay informed about industry trends, discover new products, and network extensively. As managers of museums, attractions, or tour companies, participating in these shows can substantially benefit your business.
Key Advantages of Participation
Stay Current with Industry Trends
Trade shows help you stay updated on the latest trends in your specific market and the travel industry as a whole. The travel landscape is constantly evolving, and being well-informed is essential for business success.
Network with Key Industry Players
Networking is a major benefit of attending travel trade shows. These events are attended by travel advisors, agents, and other professionals who influence travel decisions. Building relationships with these individuals can lead to more visitors and expanded business opportunities.
Engage with Travel Influencers
Travel influencers have an increasing impact on shaping travel preferences. Many attend these shows, offering a unique chance to connect and potentially collaborate with them to promote your attractions or services.
Form Valuable Partnerships
Travel trade shows are prime locations to discover new partnership opportunities. You can meet potential business partners, learn about cutting-edge products, and explore collaboration possibilities that can improve your offerings and boost revenue.
Build Connections with Industry Peers
Meeting peers from other travel brands can help mitigate the isolation that sometimes accompanies work in tourism. Sharing experiences and insights in a laid-back, non-competitive environment can increase camaraderie and mutual learning.
Take Time to Relax
These events also provide a chance to relax and have fun with fellow professionals. They often feature activities and social gatherings that allow you to unwind and recharge.
Selecting the Best Trade Show
With numerous shows available, it’s important to strategically decide where to invest your time and money. Consider both your personal and professional objectives. Whether you want to meet a specific vendor or explore a new market, identifying your goals will help you choose the most suitable events.
Investing time and resources to attend travel trade shows can yield significant returns in terms of knowledge, connections, and business growth. Below is a list of our top recommended travel trade shows for 2024-2025. Attending at least one of these events could provide substantial benefits to your business.
Top 5 travel trade shows globally for 2024-2025
There are so many awesome travel trade shows that it’s challenging to narrow down the best of the best, but these are five popular proven events we consistently recommend.
1. BTL
12 - 16 March 2025
Lisbon
Bolsa Turismo Lisboa, or BTL, is one of the most well-known international travel trade shows, hosting nearly 80,000 visitors and 1,500 exhibitors. A whopping 84% of professionals in the travel trade think of BTL as contributing to the projection of tourism at an international level. It’s a lively five days of discussion, networking, and activities.
2. Digital Travel Summit US
7-8 October 2024
Austin, Texas
Billed “the conference destination for digital travel leaders,” this travel trade show is focused on how digital travel brands can do marketing and networking. It welcomes “the top minds from hotels, OTAs, airlines, transportation companies, and everything in between” to help shape and participate in the future of the travel industry.
Keynotes include topics like “Navigating the Modern Roadmap for Data-Driven Personalization” and “Leveraging First-Party Data for Lasting Loyalty & Genuine Traveler Engagement.”
But if that sounds intimidating, know that this travel tourism conference is for everyone, and a variety of presentation formats, from roundtables to panel discussions to ample networking opportunities, mean there truly is an opportunity for all kinds of travel brands.
3. ILTM
2-5 December, 2024
Cannes, France
One of a series of global travel trade shows and conferences, ILTM stands for International Luxury Travel Market, and your next opportunity to join it is this December in France, where travel advisors from all over the world will convene to meet established luxury travel brands. The Cannes event is considered the brand’s “flagship event” — its iconic end-of-year show every luxury travel brand clamors to attend.
4. International Tourism & Travel Show
1-3 November, 2024
Montréal, Canada
Ranked by many as the number one travel and tourism event of the year, this Canadian event features tourism office reps, travel agencies, and tour operators from over 100 countries to get fresh ideas to promote to travelers.
This will be the show’s 34th year and the entertainment alone will be worthy: don’t miss the world cuisine events, and the annual “Industry Day” where travel industry businesses meet to mingle.
5. ITB Berlin 2025
4-6 March, 2025
Berlin, Germany
The 2024 travel trade show in Berlin saw 100,000 attendees from 190+ countries attend over 450 events. With thousands of travel trade exhibitions and nearly as many media representatives, ITB Berlin is typically the place to be in March.
This trade show produces highly convincing metrics about its effectiveness.
For instance, 86% of exhibitors who participate say they expect positive post-trade show business as a result, and 95% of visitors are happy with the offerings.
ITB Berlin is a favorite travel trade show. If you’re in the industry, you’ve probably heard of it already.
Top travel trade shows regionally
If your market is specific to one particular geographic area, consider a more regionally focused trade show like the five below.
The African Market
World Travel Market (WTM) Africa
9-11 April, 2025
Cape Town, South Africa
This April event in Cape Town helps tourism professionals focused on or interested in expanding to the African market get a toehold.
In the past decade, this travel trade show has grown tremendously and increased its exhibitors by nearly 50% — and now represents 99 countries.
The Asia Pacific Market
ITB Asia
23-25 October, 2024
Singapore
Asia’s “largest travel showcase” is an offshoot of ITB Berlin and built on the same remarkable brand. This travel trade show covers leisure travel, corporate travel, travel technology, and more.
It features thousands of exhibitors from all over the world and all industries, including destinations, air travel, hotels and resorts, theme parks and attractions, and more.
The Latin American market
Fitur 2025
22-26 January, 2025
Madrid, Spain
Fitur is the leading trade fair for the Latin American travel market, and in January 2024, this event hosted over 9,000 exhibitors and welcomed 153,000 participants from 152 countries.
Because it happens in January, it’s an important annual kickoff for tourism professionals in both inbound and outbound markets — a five-day celebration where professionals grow their networks, find out about new market trends firsthand, and get inspired by the best of the sector.
The Middle Eastern Market
Arabian Travel Market Dubai
28 April to 1 May, 2025
Dubai, UAE
Welcoming thousands of travel trade visitors and suppliers from all over the world, the Arabian Travel Market, or ATM, bills itself as being “for the true pioneers of progress in travel and tourism.” Set against the backdrop of the cutting-edge city of Dubai, it’s a very exciting show. The 2024 conference held a spotlight on environmental consciousness, featuring entrepreneurs focused on net-zero business models.
The United States Market
Travel Adventure Show
Various locations across the U.S. in the winter and spring of 2025
In the U.S., the Travel Adventure Show is the favorite, bringing together visitors eager to discover new vacation destinations and tourism professionals to connect with that audience. Each year, this established travel trade show welcomes over 150,000 participants to what is essentially a “travel marketplace,” giving travel advisors, tour operators, museum and attraction managers, and suppliers one place to meet up and learn.
More fairs not to miss in 2024:
TTG Rimini (9-11 October): Discover the power of truth at TTG Travel Experience. This year's theme, Veritas, explores the importance of authenticity in an age of misinformation.
WTM London (5-7 November): Connect with the world of travel and tourism at WTM London. This premier event brings together industry leaders to discuss the latest trends and opportunities.
Post-event management and evaluation
Some travel and tourism professionals attend the same event each year. They know what to expect and can cultivate important relationships season after season. If you’re relatively new to attending travel trade shows, it’s important to take the time to evaluate how effective and enriching your experience turns out to be.
After the event, take the time to conduct an audit of how valuable you found the experience, perhaps breaking it down by the list above on why travel trade shows are important to business in the first place. This will help you figure out the best show to attend next.
Good luck, and above all, don’t forget to have fun.
Don’t forget to look for Tiqets at whichever event you decide to attend!
Reach out to your account manager to find out if we’ll be at the same events as you.
