The Resort Sales Trade Shows You Cannot Miss in 2026–2027

A successful resort sales strategy is built through more than presentations, appointments and polished collateral. It grows through relationships.

The conversation over coffee with a travel advisor, the introduction to a new tour operator, the meeting planner who remembers how a resort made them feel and the journalist who discovers a story worth sharing can all become the beginning of lasting business.

For resorts, the right events offer direct access to the people who influence where travelers stay, where groups gather and which destinations receive greater visibility. But no hotel needs to attend every trade show. The strongest commercial calendars are selective, balancing leisure travel, luxury consortia, tour operators, group and incentive business, corporate travel and public relations.

We highlight the most valuable events resort commercial teams should consider for the remainder of 2026 and throughout 2027.

Dates marked TBA have not yet been officially announced and should be confirmed directly with the organizer before travel or sponsorship commitments are made.

At a Glance: The Priority Calendar

Remaining Key Events in 2026

1. Luxury Travel and High-End Leisure

Virtuoso Travel Week

2026: August 8–14

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

2027: August 7–13

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

Best for: Luxury resorts, villas, branded residences, wellness retreats and experiential properties

Virtuoso Travel Week remains one of the most influential gatherings in luxury travel. It brings together preferred partners, frontline advisors, agency owners and executives through structured appointments, professional development and relationship-building.

For a luxury resort, participation is about more than introducing accommodations. Advisors need to understand the emotional reason a client should select the property: the sense of place, the service culture, the culinary identity and the experiences that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

The 2026 edition will take place at Bellagio, ARIA, Vdara and The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. The 2027 dates have also been officially confirmed.

FerrConn Insider perspective

Hotels should begin advisor outreach well before the event. Use appointments to deepen existing relationships rather than making every conversation a first introduction. Send a clear post-event offer, advisor toolkit or invitation to a webinar within two weeks.

ILTM North America

2026: September 28–October 1

Location: Baha Mar, The Bahamas

2027: TBA

Best for: Luxury resorts seeking North American travel-advisor production

ILTM North America combines pre-scheduled appointments with a highly curated buyer audience. Its setting encourages the kind of conversations that help luxury advisors understand a resort beyond its room categories and rates.

The event is particularly valuable for properties with strong stories around wellness, gastronomy, design, privacy, celebrations, multigenerational travel and personalized service. The official ILTM calendar confirms the 2026 event at Baha Mar.

ILTM Cannes

2026: November 30–December 3

Location: Cannes, France

2027: TBA

Best for: International luxury distribution and global brand positioning

ILTM Cannes is the flagship year-end gathering for the luxury travel industry. It provides access to influential travel designers and decision-makers from multiple international markets.

Resorts attending Cannes should be ready to discuss more than product. They should have a compelling destination narrative, international market strategy and clear understanding of the guest segments they want to attract.

The 2026 show runs from Monday, November 30 through Thursday, December 3 at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès.

ILTM Latin America

2026: May 4–7 — completed

Location: São Paulo, Brazil

2027: May 3–6

Location: São Paulo, Brazil

Best for: Resorts targeting luxury travelers from Mexico, Brazil and Latin America

Latin American luxury advisors often build their businesses around personal trust and long-term relationships. ILTM Latin America provides a strong platform for resorts that understand the region’s booking patterns, family travel preferences and demand for personalized experiences.

The 2027 dates have already been published for May 3–6 at the Fundação Bienal de São Paulo.

Virtuoso Symposium

2027: May 18–22

Location: Singapore

Best for: Senior leadership, ownership representation and strategic luxury partnerships

Virtuoso Symposium is more executive-focused than a traditional trade show. It is best suited to senior decision-makers who want to strengthen network relationships, understand global luxury demand and participate in strategic industry conversations.

Virtuoso has confirmed Singapore as the 2027 destination.

Virtuoso Impact Summit

2026: February 24–27 — completed

Location: Madrid, Spain

2027: TBA

Best for: Purpose-led resorts, regenerative travel, conservation and community initiatives

This event is especially relevant to properties with credible programs connected to sustainability, cultural preservation, local economic participation and positive destination impact.

The event brings Virtuoso partners, advisors and industry thought leaders together around purpose-driven travel.

2. Travel Advisors, Host Agencies and Consortia

ASTA Travel Advisor Conference

2026: May 27–29 — completed

Location: San Diego, California

2027: May 4–6

Location: Orlando, Florida

Best for: Broad travel-advisor reach, education and agency relationships

ASTA’s flagship advisor conference is one of the most important events for resorts building a long-term presence in the United States.

It combines education, networking and supplier engagement and draws professionals from across the travel-advisor community. The 2026 conference welcomed nearly 1,500 travel-industry professionals. ASTA has listed the 2027 event for May 4–6 in Orlando.

ASTA Caribbean Showcase

2026: August 22–25

Location: St. Kitts

2027: TBA

Best for: Caribbean resorts, destinations and regional tourism partners

The showcase connects U.S. travel advisors with Caribbean destinations and suppliers through appointments, destination experiences and education.

This is particularly valuable for resorts that need advisors to experience the destination firsthand before they can confidently recommend it to their clients.

ASTA Travel Masters

2026: September 15–18

Location: Adare Manor, Ireland

2027: TBA

Best for: Invitation-only luxury networking and senior advisor relationships

Travel Masters offers an intimate setting for high-level relationship building. Because it is invitation-only, it is best suited to hotels with a clear luxury proposition and a focused list of agency partners.

ASTA has confirmed the 2026 dates at Adare Manor.

ASTA The Summit

2026: October 14–16

Location: Denver, Colorado

2027: TBA

Best for: Senior travel-industry executives and strategic partnerships

The Summit is designed for influential industry leaders rather than mass-market trade-show participation. Resort executives should consider it when their objective is strengthening corporate relationships, understanding policy and distribution trends or engaging senior decision-makers.

ASTA describes the event as an exclusive leadership gathering and has confirmed the Sheraton Downtown Denver as the 2026 venue.

ASTA Chapter Trade Shows

2026 examples:

• Southern New England “Meet Your Rep”: May 20 — completed
• Northern New England Annual Fall Trade Show: September 29
• Houston, Austin, Central New York, South Florida, Great Lakes and other chapter events: Dates vary
• 2027 schedules: TBA by each chapter

Local ASTA events can produce excellent returns because they provide repeated, regional contact with advisors. They are especially effective when combined with sales calls, private lunches, agent presentations and a follow-up webinar.

Unlike national conferences, chapter calendars are published independently. Hotels should confirm each date directly with the chapter before including it in the annual budget. ASTA has confirmed, for example, the Northern New England show for September 29, 2026, in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Travel Leaders Network EDGE

2026: May 3–6 — completed

Location: San Diego, California

2027: May 19–22

Location: Moon Palace Cancun, Mexico

Best for: Leisure advisors, luxury sellers, groups and agency owners

EDGE gives resort partners access to one of North America’s largest advisor networks. The format combines education, supplier engagement, networking and business development.

The 2027 conference will be especially important for Mexican and Caribbean resorts because it will be the first EDGE held outside the United States. Travel Leaders Network has confirmed Moon Palace Cancun for May 19–22, 2027.

Ensemble Horizons

2026: May 4–6 — completed

Location: Resorts World Las Vegas

2027: TBA

Best for: U.S. and Canadian travel advisors, luxury and preferred partnerships

Horizons is Ensemble’s flagship conference, bringing together advisors, agency leadership and preferred partners.

For hotels, the value lies in combining one-to-one networking with consortium-level brand visibility. The 2026 edition attracted close to 1,000 members and partners.

Nexion Conference

2026: Organizer calendar should be confirmed

2027: TBA

Best for: Independent advisors and hosted-agency production

Nexion’s network includes independent travel professionals selling leisure, luxury, cruise, groups and destination travel. Resort participation should include educational content advisors can immediately use in their sales process.

Dates should be contracted directly through Nexion because partner events, regional meetings and the annual conference may be announced through member and supplier channels.

MAST Annual Conference and Regional Events

2026: Check the current MAST supplier calendar

2027: TBA

Best for: Midwest travel agencies and repeat regional engagement

MAST provides an important connection to independently owned agencies, particularly in the Midwest. Its annual conference, awards programs, supplier showcases and Sales Sensation events can be integrated into a regional sales-call strategy.

A resort will often generate greater value by combining the conference with agency visits in Chicago, Wisconsin, Missouri, Ohio, Michigan and surrounding markets.

Cruise Planners Annual Convention

2026: TBA through the partner calendar

2027: TBA

Best for: Home-based advisors, cruise sellers expanding into land vacations and groups

Cruise Planners advisors sell more than cruises. Resorts can use the convention to introduce pre- and post-cruise stays, destination weddings, multigenerational vacations and all-inclusive escapes.

Because supplier participation may be invitation- or partnership-based, dates should be obtained directly from the Cruise Planners partnership team.

Travelmation Annual Conference and Regional Events

2026: TBA through supplier relations

2027: TBA

Best for: Leisure advisors, families, celebrations and social-media-driven sales

Travelmation has a highly engaged advisor community. Properties should focus on visually compelling experiences, family travel, honeymoons, celebrations and destination storytelling.

Travelmation also hosts regional and training-focused opportunities throughout the year, making it valuable as an ongoing partnership rather than a single-event investment.

3. Tour Operators and Vacation-Packaging Partners

Vacation Express Events

2026: Multiple regional events; dates vary

2027: TBA

Best for: Mexico and Caribbean package production

Vacation Express is a priority partner for resorts selling packaged leisure travel from U.S. gateways. Its event calendar can include trade shows, seminars, product launches, agency events and destination training.

Hotels should request the full annual calendar directly from Vacation Express because many programs are market-specific and may not be publicly advertised.

The best strategy is to align event participation with airlift, need periods, promotional campaigns and markets where the resort wants to grow production.

ALG Vacations Ascend

2026: Confirm through ALG Vacations

2027: TBA

Best for: Apple Vacations, Funjet Vacations, Travel Impressions, Southwest Vacations and United Vacations distribution

Ascend is one of the most valuable events for resorts with meaningful production through ALG Vacations brands.

Participation gives hotels the opportunity to meet advisors already booking Mexico and the Caribbean while strengthening relationships across the ALG ecosystem. Properties should coordinate attendance with promotional plans, advisor incentives, educational campaigns and tour-operator market managers.

Pleasant Holidays Events

2026: Regional event dates vary

2027: TBA

Best for: West Coast and national leisure distribution

Pleasant Holidays and Journese provide valuable access to advisors selling packaged vacations and luxury travel.

Rather than viewing a Pleasant event as a stand-alone trade show, resorts should connect it to cooperative marketing, advisor education, seasonal offers and regional sales calls.

Delta Vacations University

2026: Confirm through Delta Vacations

2027: TBA

Best for: Air-inclusive vacation packages, U.S. travel advisors and destination training

Delta Vacations University is an important educational marketplace for resort suppliers. It is particularly relevant for properties that benefit from Delta’s U.S. gateways and want to support advisors with product knowledge.

Classic Vacations Events

2026: Partner calendar

2027: TBA

Best for: Luxury and premium travel advisors

Classic Vacations is especially relevant to upscale resorts seeking advisors who sell higher-value personalized travel. Opportunities may include roadshows, preferred-partner events, webinars and agency meetings.

4. Groups, Meetings and Incentive Travel

IMEX America

2026: October 13–15

Smart Monday: October 12

Location: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas

2027: September 28–30

Smart Monday: September 27

Location: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas

Best for: Groups, meetings, incentives, corporate events and international buyers

IMEX America is one of the most important events in the world for resorts pursuing group and incentive business.

The show brings meeting planners, incentive houses, corporate buyers, associations, destinations and hospitality suppliers together under one roof. Resorts should arrive with clearly defined group offers, meeting capacities, destination experiences, air access and examples of programs they can customize.

The official IMEX calendar confirms both the 2026 and 2027 dates.

IBTM Americas

2026: August 19–20

Location: Centro Citibanamex, Mexico City

2027: TBA

Best for: Mexico, Latin America, meetings and incentive travel

IBTM Americas is an essential regional event for Mexican and Caribbean resorts pursuing corporate groups, incentives and meetings from Latin America.

It can be especially productive for resorts with strong domestic air access, flexible event spaces, distinctive buyout possibilities and memorable off-property experiences.

IBTM World

2026: November 17–19

Location: Barcelona, Spain

2027: November 16–18

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Best for: International meetings, incentives and global group buyers

IBTM World offers a global platform for business-events suppliers. It is highly relevant to resorts that can accommodate international incentive groups, executive retreats, product launches and destination celebrations.

Both the 2026 and 2027 dates are confirmed by the official organizer.

Northstar Destination Caribbean & Islands

2026: August 2–5

Location: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

2027: TBA

Best for: Caribbean resorts and qualified meeting planners

This appointment-driven event connects Caribbean destinations, resorts and suppliers with planners actively seeking island programs.

Because buyers are already interested in the region, resort presentations can move quickly from destination awareness to specific group opportunities.

Northstar Destination East

2026: July 29–31

Location: New York

2027: TBA

Best for: East Coast meeting planners

Destination East provides access to planners from one of the strongest group-source markets for Mexico and the Caribbean.

Resorts can maximize the trip by adding New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Long Island sales calls around the event.

Northstar Destination Southeast

2026: August 9–11

Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

2027: TBA

Best for: Florida and Southeastern U.S. planners

This is a valuable regional show for Caribbean and Mexican resorts because the Southeast offers strong air connectivity and a large base of corporate, association and incentive buyers.

Northstar Destination California

2026: August 30–September 1

Location: California

2027: TBA

Best for: West Coast groups and incentive buyers

California is a valuable market for incentive travel, wellness retreats, technology-sector meetings and luxury celebrations. Combine participation with Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego or San Francisco sales calls, depending on the program location.

Northstar Destination Midwest

2026: September 22–24

Location: United States

2027: TBA

Best for: Corporate and association planners from the Midwest

The Midwest can be a strong source of group business for warm-weather resorts, particularly during winter and shoulder seasons.

Global Incentive Summit

2026: November 2–5

Location: Madrid, Spain

2027: TBA

Best for: Incentive houses and premium corporate programs

The Global Incentive Summit is designed for high-level conversations around motivational travel and memorable group experiences.

Resorts should focus their presentations on emotional impact: private dining, destination culture, wellness, adventure, recognition ceremonies and one-of-a-kind moments participants will remember.

Luxury Meetings by Northstar

2026: November 17–19

Location: Hawaii

2027: TBA

Best for: Luxury group programs, incentives and executive retreats

This hosted-buyer format is particularly relevant for upscale resorts with excellent service, strong culinary programs and the ability to deliver highly personalized events.

Northstar’s events portfolio provides resort suppliers with direct access to curated buyers through appointment-based formats.

SITE Global Conference

2026: Confirm through SITE

2027: TBA

Best for: Incentive travel specialists

SITE is one of the most important global communities dedicated specifically to incentive travel.

Participation is valuable for resorts that want to understand how incentive planners select destinations, design motivational programs and measure the impact of travel experiences.

MPI World Education Congress

2026: Confirm through MPI

2027: TBA

Best for: Meeting professionals, event planners and education

MPI’s World Education Congress combines industry learning with access to planners and supplier partners. It is especially useful for resort sales leaders who want to strengthen both knowledge and relationships.

PCMA Convening Leaders

2027: January dates to be confirmed by PCMA

Best for: Associations, business events and senior meeting professionals

Convening Leaders is ideal for commercial leaders pursuing association and large-scale business-events relationships. It is more strategic and educational than a traditional resort trade show, making it suitable for directors of sales and senior executives.

5. Corporate Travel and TMC Business

GBTA Convention

2026: August 3–5

Location: McCormick Place, Chicago

2027: TBA

Best for: Corporate travel buyers, TMCs, mobility and business travel

GBTA Convention brings together thousands of corporate-travel professionals, including buyers, TMCs, suppliers and technology companies.

It is most relevant for resorts with corporate negotiated-rate potential, executive retreats, meetings, extended stays or business-leisure opportunities. The 2026 event expects more than 5,000 professionals.

GBTA Canada Conference

2026: April 27–29 — completed

Location: Toronto

2027: April 19–21

Location: Toronto

Best for: Canadian corporate travel and TMC partnerships

Canada remains an important market for Mexico and Caribbean resorts. This event can support both corporate-travel relationships and broader introductions to Canadian travel-management companies.

GBTA has confirmed the 2027 dates.

TMC Sales Campaigns

TMC outreach should remain part of the resort’s calendar throughout the year, even when no major trade show is scheduled.

Recommended activities include:

• Quarterly LinkedIn campaigns
• TMC account mapping
• Corporate retreat presentations
• Market-specific sales calls
• Webinars for travel counselors
• Negotiated-rate outreach
• Small executive dinners
• Partnerships around bleisure and incentive extensions

A targeted campaign often produces better results than attending a corporate show without a clear account strategy.

6. Public Relations, Media and International Tourism

U.S. Travel Association IPW

2026: May 17–21 — completed

Location: Greater Fort Lauderdale, Florida

2027: May 2–6

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

Best for: International tour operators, media, destinations and inbound travel

IPW is a leading inbound marketplace where tourism suppliers meet international tour operators, buyers and media.

Although the event is U.S.-focused, it is strategically important for hotel groups, destination companies and hospitality brands with U.S. assets or partnerships. It also provides valuable insight into international distribution and media-marketplace strategy.

The 2027 event will include business appointments, educational programming, press activities and a Media Marketplace.

IMM North America by TravMedia

2026: Confirm through TravMedia

2027: TBA

Best for: Travel journalists, editors, broadcasters and content creators

IMM offers pre-scheduled media appointments and is one of the strongest platforms for destinations and hospitality brands seeking editorial coverage.

A resort should arrive with defined story angles rather than a general property presentation. Strong themes may include design, wellness, gastronomy, family travel, romance, sustainability, cultural immersion and new openings.

SATW Annual Convention

2026: Confirm through the Society of American Travel Writers

2027: TBA

Best for: Established travel journalists, photographers and editors

SATW’s community includes experienced travel communicators. Participation is particularly valuable for destinations and resorts able to provide immersive, story-rich experiences.

NATJA Conference

2026: Confirm through the North American Travel Journalists Association

2027: TBA

Best for: Travel media and destination storytelling

NATJA offers opportunities to build relationships with travel writers, photographers and digital publishers.

Travvy Awards

2026: November 5

Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

2027: TBA

Best for: Trade recognition, advisor awareness and public relations

The Travvy Awards recognize travel brands selected by the advisor community. For nominated resorts, the event can strengthen trade credibility and generate content for public relations, advisor communications and social media.

The ceremony is scheduled alongside CruiseWorld, creating an efficient opportunity to combine sales and visibility.

Travel Weekly Events and Awards

2026: Dates vary by program

2027: TBA

Best for: Trade media, advisor engagement and brand recognition

Travel Weekly hosts multiple events and awards programs rather than one universal annual trade show. Hotels should identify the programs that align with their objectives, including leisure, luxury, cruise, groups and recognition opportunities.

TravelPulse and Travel Market Report Partnerships

These media brands offer opportunities beyond physical events, including:

• Sponsored advisor education
• Webinars
• Native content
• Destination guides
• Email campaigns
• Trade interviews
• Resort launches
• Advisor surveys
• Seasonal promotions

For resorts, combining editorial visibility with B2B sales activity can reinforce awareness before and after major trade shows.

7. Additional International Events Worth Considering

FITUR

2027: January dates TBA

Location: Madrid, Spain

Best for: Spain, Latin America, destinations, tour operators and government tourism partners

FITUR is a major global tourism event and a strategic platform for Mexican, Caribbean, Spanish and Latin American business.

ITB Berlin

2027: March dates TBA

Location: Berlin, Germany

Best for: European tour operators, technology, international distribution and destinations

ITB Berlin is one of the world’s largest tourism-industry gatherings. Resorts should attend with a defined European distribution strategy rather than relying on general brand exposure.

Tianguis Turístico México

2027: Dates and destination TBA

Best for: Mexican tourism, international buyers, tour operators and government relationships

Tianguis Turístico remains a priority event for resorts operating in Mexico. It connects destinations, hotel groups and tourism suppliers with national and international buyers.

Participation should be coordinated with the relevant destination promotion board and state tourism authority.

World Travel Market London

2026: Organizer calendar should be verified

2027: TBA

Location: London, United Kingdom

Best for: United Kingdom and international tour operators

WTM London is important for resorts developing UK and European tour-operator business. The event is most productive when the hotel has confirmed contracting meetings and a follow-up plan with tour operators, airlines and representation companies.

Building the Right Calendar for Your Resort

The best trade-show calendar is not necessarily the longest. It is the one aligned with the property’s commercial priorities.

A leisure-focused all-inclusive resort should prioritize:

• Vacation Express
• ALG Vacations Ascend
• Pleasant Holidays
• Travel Leaders EDGE
• Nexion
• Cruise Planners
• Travelmation
• ASTA national and chapter events
• GTM West
• Travel Agent Forum
• Regional sales calls and lunches

A luxury resort should prioritize:

• Virtuoso Travel Week
• ILTM North America
• ILTM Cannes
• ILTM Latin America
• GTM Luxury
• Ensemble Horizons
• Luxury Meetings by Northstar
• IMM
• Select media and public-relations events

A resort pursuing groups and incentives should prioritize:

• IMEX America
• IBTM Americas
• IBTM World
• Northstar hosted-buyer events
• SITE
• MPI
• PCMA
• HPN Global
• GBTA
• Targeted TMC campaigns

A resort focused on international tour operators should prioritize:

• IPW
• FITUR
• ITB Berlin
• WTM London
• Tianguis Turístico
• Tour-operator conferences
• Airline-partner events
• Destination roadshows

Do Not Forget the Events You Create Yourself

Some of the highest-return B2B activities may never appear on a public trade-show calendar.

Resorts should reserve budget for:

• Sales calls in priority cities
• Advisor breakfasts, lunches and dinners
• Latino travel-agency presentations
• ASTA and PTANA chapter events
• Webinars
• Tour-operator product training
• Agency office visits
• Familiarization trips
• Destination presentations
• Media missions
• Holiday advisor events
• Partner email campaigns
• LinkedIn outreach to consortia and meeting planners

These smaller programs often create greater human connection because there is time to listen, understand the advisor’s business and develop an opportunity together.

A trade show creates the introduction. Consistent follow-up creates the partnership.

Recommendation

Resorts should divide their B2B investment into four complementary areas:

Forty percent: Core national and international events

Choose the shows offering direct access to the resort’s highest-priority buyers.

Twenty-five percent: Regional sales activity

Support trade shows with sales calls, chapter events, lunches and agency presentations.

Twenty percent: Partner marketing

Invest in webinars, advisor education, email campaigns and tour-operator promotions.

Fifteen percent: Familiarization and relationship development

Invite qualified advisors, planners and media to experience the property firsthand.

The goal is not simply to collect business cards or complete a large number of appointments. It is to ensure that the right people understand the resort well enough to recommend it with confidence.

In hospitality, business begins with visibility—but it grows through trust. The events that matter most are the ones that bring the resort closer to the people who will share its story, place it in front of the right clients and return to the relationship year after year.

Editorial Note

Event dates, locations and formats may be updated by organizers. Confirm all information directly with the official event or partner-relations team before purchasing airfare, reserving accommodations, contracting sponsorships or finalizing annual sales budgets.

Events listed as TBA had not published a confirmed 2027 date at the time of publication.