The 10 most influential tourism events in the world

If you are a small, medium or large tour/activity operator, hotel, technology company or airline, this list will show you the events you should attend
Read it and plan what to look forward to.

We recommend booking your tickets on time, as some events only allow a limited number of people.

1 – ITB

ITB Berlin is the first event that can be written at the top of each list in the tourism industry. Providers from 180 countries use this leading B2B platform to present their latest products and services to the world. The show hosts over 180,000 visitors that enjoy events, exhibitions and exciting offers. ITB Berlin is a unique opportunity to explore cultures, destinations and professional practices within a few days. It is the best business platform to visit if you are looking to network with specialists from all over the world. You will learn the latest travel industry trends, establish important business contacts, or even plan your next big trip. ITB also organizes events in countries such as India, China and Singapore.

2 – OTM Mumbai

With over 30,000 trade visitors, OTM is an exclusive 3-day B2B travel mart and the “leading travel show in Asia Pacific”. It is the largest and most international gathering of travel trade buyers and professionals in India. Visitors will also get access to great insights about one of the fastest growing travel markets in the world! Indians took approximately 1.8 billion trips, with both domestic and international travel growing 8% over the last three years. More than 1,100+ exhibitors from 55+ countries will participate at OTM Mumbai, including 880+ top buyers and 400+ hosted buyers, supported by the trade’s strong hosted-buyer program.

3 – Travel Tech Show

Travel Technology Europe has been running for 20 years as a face-to face exhibition based in various venues around London, UK. Over this time, the event has established a niche platform to provide European marketing, digital and commercial technology specialists in the travel industry with the relevant software to enhance business efficiency and improve business performance.

4 – GBTA Conference

GBTA Conference is one of the travel conferences for B2B exposure, named the world’s largest business travel conference. It will help you learn about the latest trends in tourism, and make valuable new connections. At the GBTA Conference, you will meet over 400 exhibiting companies to find sustainable solutions for your business. You will also get the chance to get your brand seen and evaluated by expert professionals from within the field.

5 – WTM

WTM London is a conference that introduces the world’s 5000 largest destinations and brands. It is also a center of modern travel ideas and insight that shares industry forecasts and research data. The conference will be an inspiring experience for business owners and professionals looking for new ideas. The best motivational speakers, entrepreneurs and leading names from various sectors will be there to meet visitors and share their experiences. The company also organizes events in LATAM and South Africa.

6 – The Phocuswright Conference

The Phocuswright Conference is the largest congregation of the travel CEOs, executives, investors and start-ups. For almost 30 years it has been the go-to event for all of the top players on the market. It is also the perfect platform for the new companies to share their visions with the community and get feedback on their ideas. Apart from the main event, that takes place in the United States of America, an additional conference, Phocuswright Europe, takes place on the Old Continent each year.

7 – FITUR

The Tourism Trade Fair – FITUR is a global gathering of the travel industry professionals and a principal trade for the LATAM markets. It takes place annually in Madrid, Spain. Every year thousands of companies from over 150 countries exhibitions their products and services at the fair. At the same time over 200,000 participants, journalists and visitors can visit those exhibitions, interact with each other, access trade information regarding the tourist market, get networking opportunities and arrange business meetings.

8 – BIT Milano

At the beginning of February, the BIT International Travel Exhibition takes places in Milan. Recently a new format of the exhibition was made official. The first day of the event will now be open to the public, while the next days the industry professionals and buyers only will have the access to the venue. For nearly forty years BIT was one of the largest travel exhibitions in Italy. IT creates the perfect environment for the industry experts, representatives of companies and buyers to meet, exchange ideas and close substantial deals. The buyers are carefully selected and profiled. An event is also the place of many conferences and seminars. During hours of speakers, people from all sectors of the industry discuss current
trends in travel.

9 – Uzakrota Summits

The largest edition of the Uzakrota event, which is organized in cities such as Berlin, Belgrade, Baku, is organized in Istanbul. At the Uzakrota Travel Summit, more than 10,000 industry professionals have the chance to listen to 150 speakers speak about current issues in the travel industry in 5 different halls. They also ensure that the largest companies in the region meet with the large expo area in the event area. Topics covered at the conference include the state of the different branches of the industry, observed trends, PR and Marketing, globalization, technology, AI and, of course, online platforms. It is one of the largest travel summits in this part of the world.

10 – Skift Forum

We cannot mention the travel industry events without mentioning Skift Global Forum. It is not so much an event for the hoteliers and traders or buyers, as it is the go-to place for the marketing specialists within the industry. Skift is one of the most popular media companies providing information and research of the travel industry. The Skift conferences are the most important events with the main focus on Marketers and Strategists. It offers various networking sessions, panels and workshops to the professionals interested in the current trends within the market.

Bonus

Le Miami

“More than a tradeshow”, L.E/Miami is a movement based on mindset. It’s a curated collective of contemporary travel’s leading luxury lifestyle & hospitality brands and senior-level buyers: those who cater to the world’s most affluent and discerning creativeclass travellers. The annual flagship event on Miami’s South Beach unites travel’s top decision-makers for four days of business, networking and immersive lifestyle experiences. The focus is quality over quantity: The event carefully vets every delegate based on what they bring to the scene, then matches them up for pre-scheduled meetings and delivers lasting relationships through unique networking opportunities throughout the week.