As we look towards a promising year in the travel industry, it's time for tour operators, event coordinators, and activity providers to gear up for a year filled with opportunities.
We've carefully crafted this guide to make sure you know everything you need to know about upcoming travel shows and conferences. Find out about the latest marketing trends, innovative ways to grow your business, and ways to expand your network by attending travel trade shows, and conferences.
There are going to be a lot of great events in the travel industry in 2024, each offering learning, networking, and growth opportunities. Mark your calendars well in advance with this blog so you don't miss any big events.
Every event is a chance to explore new possibilities, from the bustling streets in Madrid at FITUR to the innovative talks at the Travel Tech Show in London. Here's what the travel and tourism world has in store for us in 2024.
January 2024 Events
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FITUR, Madrid
- Location: Madrid, Spain
- Date: January 24-28, 2024
- Details: A global hub for tourism professionals, FITUR is vital for exposure to Latin American markets and networking with global tourism leaders.
Hike, Backpack & Urban Walks Summit
- Location: Seattle
- Date: January 6, 2024
- Details: Focuses on outdoor activities like hiking and urban walks, critical for operators in these niches.
YMCA Mid America Camping Conference
- Location: Brookston
- Date: January 9-12, 2024
- Details: A gathering of YMCA Camping professionals, great for educational and networking opportunities in outdoor recreation.
UKinbound Webinar | The US Consumer
- Location: Webinar
- Date: January 16, 2024
- Details: Douglas Quinby, CEO of Arival, will talk about the latest U.S. travel trends, tours, and activities. According to a survey of 1,000 travelers, he'll talk about what they want, how they book and discover activities, what influences their decisions, and what to expect in 2024 in terms of demand.
Enter24 e-Tourism Conference
- Location: Izmir, Türkiye
- Date: January 17- 19, 2024
- Details: Focuses on tourism marketing and sustainability, a vital area for modern tour operators.
TravMedia's International Media Marketplace - IMM NYC
- Location: Javits Center, New York
- Date: January 24-25, 2024
- Details: Connects the travel industry with journalists and influencers, a crucial event for media exposure.
2024 Insider Pro Meetup
- Location: Not specified
- Date: January 25, 2024
- Details: Peter Brown will talk about his extensive tourism career in the "Operator Spotlight" session, highlighting its evolution, the different roles he's played, and the lessons he's learned along the way. There will be direct insights and strategies from an industry veteran, offering inspiration and knowledge to both new and old professionals.
Know more. (Open to all Arival Insider Pro members, RSVP required.)
North of Boston Tourism Summit
- Location: Boston Marriott Peabody
- Date: January 26, 2024
- Details: Daylong networking event for tourism professionals, specifically lodging, dining, attractions, chambers, destination marketing organizations.
Marketing Outlook Forum (MOF)
- Location: Houston, Texas
- Date: January 29-31, 2024
- Details: An insightful event focusing on future tourism marketing strategies. Learn from cutting-edge data, invaluable insights, and powerful tools that can help your business strategize the right way.
February 2024 Events
SYTA Summit
- Location: Orlando
- Date: February 2-5, 2024
- Details: Students & Youth Travel Association started this summit in 2021, inspiring more than 900 people with great ideas, trends, and real-world scenarios with peer engagement. The goal is to find solutions tours and activities can use to prepare themselves for the future.
West Country Tourism Conference
- Location: West Point, East Devon
- Date: February 6-7, 2024
- Details: Focuses on tourism marketing and social media strategies, essential in today's digital era. This conference is for everyone working in tourism across Devon, Somerset, Dorset, and Cornwall in the West Country.
International Inbound Travel Association Summit (IITA Summit)
- Location: Memphis
- Date: February 11-14, 2024
- Details: A nonprofit trade platform for international inbound travel to the United States. This year's theme, "Navigating Tomorrow: Tourism’s Changing Environment", aims to help tour and activity operators complete a fresh tour program catering to the changing landscape of tourism.
Women’s Travel Fest
- Location: Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
- Date: February 16-19, 2024
- Details: Dedicated to women who love to travel, featuring inspiring female speakers. For over a decade, Alexandra Jimenez, Travel Fashion Girl's founder, has helped thousands of women travel safely and confidently.
March 2024 Events
ITB Berlin
- Location: Berlin Exhibition Grounds, Berlin, Germany
- Date: March 5-7, 2024
- Details: The world's biggest travel trade fair, ITB Berlin is a must-attend for brand-building, networking, and gaining industry insights.
Arival 360 | Berlin 2024
- Location: Berlin
- Date: March 2-4, 2024
- Details: It's a networking event for professionals in the tourism industry, including strategists, marketers, technologists, and product innovators from attractions like amusement parks, museums, zoos, and cultural sites.
April 2024 Events
CTC Corporate Travel Summit Asia, Singapore
- Location: Singapore
- Date: April 25, 2024
- Details: This summit focuses on corporate travel, big data, and networking. This year's theme is introducing CTC's new Corporate Branches format, designed to include a full range of corporate travel aspects.
May 2024 Events
TravelCon
- Location: Portland, OR, USA
- Date: May 15-17, 2024
- Details: For travel creators, focusing on blogging, content creation, and business development, ideal for bloggers and content creators. The summit's goal is to help creators create and manage better content, get more traffic using advanced SEO, ads, & email marketing. Learn how to monetize your content, such as affiliate marketing and collaborations. Discover creator tools and services to streamline your workflow.
IPW
- Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
- Date: May 3-7, 2024
- Details: Create networking opportunities where you can promote your product and negotiate deals with international suppliers.
Travel Blogger Exchange (TBEx) Europe
- Location: San Sebastian, Spain
- Date: May 28-31, 2024
- Details: Meet, network, and learn the latest trends, strategies and tactics from world-leading experts and other content creators during multiple conferences and pre-tours.
June 2024 Events
Midwest Travel Network Conference
- Location: Shipshewana, Indiana
- Date: June 13-15, 2024
- Details: In its fifth year, Midwest Travel Network is hosting a conference to bring together both sides of the Midwest tourism industry. Besides offering acclaimed speakers and learning opportunities for bloggers and destinations, Midwest Travel Network Conference is a great networking event for everyone involved in marketing Midwest tourism.
Travel Tech Show
- Location: London
- Date: June 19-20, 2024
- Details: Focuses on digital technology in travel, essential for keeping up with technological advancements. It's more than an expo - it's an opportunity to get a pulse on the latest innovations and trusted names in travel.
Business Travel Show Europe
- Location: London
- Date: June 19-20, 2024
- Details: It's the biggest business travel show in Europe, with tons of info and networking. Discover what's new in the industry, check out the newest innovations, meet the biggest suppliers, learn from the experts, and connect with colleagues across the show.
July 2024 Events
GBTA Atlanta
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Date: July 22-24, 2024
- Details: It's the premier global conference for business travel, where diverse voices come together for a common cause. This is the best event for new industry practices and business growth.
September 2024 Events
SKIFT Global Forum, New York City
- Location: New York City, NY, USA
- Date: September 17-19, 2024
- Details: A premier event in the travel industry where you can take part in discussions, network, and learn about the latest trends at the coolest new New York City event venue. Limited seats left.
Arival 360, San Diego
- Location: San Diego
- Date: 30 September - 3 October 2024
- Details: An event brimming with business-boosting elements: expert-tested strategies, peer-to-peer learning, and a sharp focus on current trends and challenges in the Experiences industry.
October 2024 Events
Adventure Travel World Summit
- Location: Panama
- Date: October 7-10, 2024
- Details: Sponsored by the Adventure Travel Trade Association, this event is vital to adventure travelers. Find out about business solutions, inspiring stories, and ideas that will inspire your journey.
WTE (World Travel Expo) Miami
- Location: Miami Beach
- Date: October 21-23, 2023
- Details: A lot of airlines, airports, tourism bureaus, tour operators, travel agents, and other industry professionals come to this Expo. Investing in sponsorship or exhibiting allows you to make high value connections with national and international travel industry professionals.
November 2024 Events
World Travel Market
- Location: ExCel, London, UK
- Date: November 5-7, 2024
- Details: A leading travel trade show focusing on diversity, inclusivity, technology, and sustainability.
ETOA’s Global European Marketplace (GEM)
- Location: London, UK
- Date: October 31-November 01, 2023
- Details: An exclusive event for ETOA members, offering one-on-one meetings and educational sessions.
Conclusion
And there you have it! We've taken a whirlwind tour through the best travel conferences and events lined up for 2024. From sunny Spain to the heart of London, each event is a golden ticket to new ideas, friends in the industry, and maybe even a few game-changing strategies for your business.
Think of this guide as your personal calendar for the coolest gatherings in the travel world. Whether you're a pro at this or just stepping into the travel scene, these conferences are your chance to learn a thing or two, meet interesting people, and give your business a nice little boost.
So grab your planner, circle those dates, and get ready for an adventure. Who knows what exciting opportunities and stories you'll bring back? We're all ears and can't wait to hear about your travels and triumphs in the amazing world of travel in 2024!
Commonly Asked Questions
What are the Best Travel Forums in 2024?
In 2024, the best travel forums are those that bring together travel professionals from both inbound and outbound markets. Look out for leading trade fair events like the World Travel Market and the Travel and Adventure Show.
These forums are essential for tour operators, travel agents, and all involved in the travel industry. They offer great networking opportunities and insights into emerging trends in smart tourist destinations.
Conference vs. Convention: What's the Difference?
The main difference between a conference and a convention lies in their purpose and audience. Conferences, part of travel conferences 2024, focus on professional development and sharing knowledge.
They're targeted towards specialists like tourism professionals and travel content creators. Conventions are broader, often including trade shows and entertainment, attracting a wider audience from companies in various industries, including the general public.
What is Conference Travel?
Conference travel refers to attending professional events, such press conferences such as travel conferences or trade shows, in different cities or countries. This type of travel is popular among business travelers, including those attending industry events in cities like San Francisco or Las Vegas. It combines attending the conference with exploring new destinations, making it a unique experience for travel professionals.
What Do Travelers Want in 2024?
In 2024, travelers are looking for unique and personalized experiences. They want to explore new and smart tourist destinations responsibly and sustainably.
With advancements in big data, travelers expect personalized services and experiences that cater to their preferences. This shift is driving the travel industry to create more tailored and interesting events and packages.
Summit vs. Conference: What's the Difference?
A summit, like the Travel Summit, is usually a high-level meeting focusing on important decisions and discussions among thought leaders.
It's more exclusive and centered on key topics. A conference, such as ITB Berlin or TBEX Europe, is more about bringing professionals together to learn, network, and share knowledge on specific themes.
Is a Convention Bigger Than a Conference?
Typically, a convention is bigger than a conference. Conventions combine various aspects of an industry, including trade shows, networking events, and sometimes public exhibitions. They attract a larger, more diverse audience.
In contrast, conferences are more focused on business meetings, aimed at professionals for learning and networking, like those in the travel industry attending tourism conferences.
