WTE Miami 2026 brought together more than 5,000 travel trade professionals from 54 countries and territories for two days of business development, supplier connections and industry networking at the Miami Beach Convention Center on October 27–28.
With visitors representing 43 U.S. states, 22 Latin American and Caribbean countries and territories, and six continents, the event underscored its role as a meeting point for the U.S. travel trade and international tourism industry. Nearly eight in 10 visitors were travel agencies or advisors, and 41% were owners, founders, CEOs or presidents, reflecting the business decision-makers represented on the show floor.
The exhibition provided a platform for destinations, tourism boards, hotels, tour operators, cruise lines, and other travel suppliers to connect directly with travel buyers and build new business relationships. 75% of visitors came to source new products and destinations, while 73% sought to meet new suppliers. Hotels and resorts were the most sought-after supplier category, followed by tour operators, tourism boards, and cruise lines.
The event’s conference program further enriched the experience, bringing together industry leaders and subject-matter experts for timely discussions on artificial intelligence and travel technology, emerging destination and experiential travel trends, and strategies for building more profitable travel businesses. Their insights gave attendees practical takeaways and a forward-looking perspective on the opportunities shaping the travel industry.
The opening ceremony and ribbon cutting featured senior public-sector and aviation leaders, including Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava; Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner; Miami International Airport Director and CEO Ralph Cutié; PortMiami Director and CEO Jonathan Daniels; and Danielle Cohen Higgins, Chairwoman of the Aviation and Seaport Committee Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners. The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), WTE Miami’s global partner, also supported the event.
“WTE Miami was a tremendous success this year, doubling attendance and generating overwhelmingly positive feedback from exhibitors, many of whom have already expressed interest in returning next year. The quality of attendees, combined with the caliber of speakers and the emphasis on education, emerging trends and the future of travel and tourism, reinforced WTE’s position at the forefront of an evolving industry. Our mission is to equip and inspire the travel advisor of the future with the knowledge, experience and tools needed to thrive in a changing landscape.
We are also deeply grateful for the support of the key stakeholders across Miami-Dade County and Miami Beach, including the mayors, Miami International Airport (MIA), our official host, and the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), our global partner. Their collaboration was instrumental in bringing this year’s event to life and delivering a successful experience for the travel industry.” – Javier Perez, Founder, WTE Miami
By the Numbers
* 5,000+ travel trade professionals
* 54 countries and territories represented
* 43 U.S. states represented
* 41% of visitors were owners, founders, CEOs or presidents
* 78% were travel agencies or travel advisors
* 75% came to source new products and destinations
* 73% came to meet new suppliers
* 500+ hosted and preferred buyers
Visitor figures are based on badge scans across October 27–28 joined with registration data. Figures exclude exhibitor staff and media; total show attendance was higher.
Key Takeaways
A Strong U.S. Audience with International Reach: Visitors represented 43 U.S. states, with approximately half coming from Florida. International participation spanned 22 Latin American and Caribbean countries and territories, with attendees from 54 countries and territories overall.
A Buyer Audience Focused on Business Growth: 75% of visitors came to find new products and destinations, while 73% sought to meet new suppliers. Hotels and resorts were the leading supplier category visitors wanted to meet (77%), followed by tour operators (70%) and tourism boards and cruise lines (66% each).
Decision-Makers and High-Value Buyers on the Show Floor: Forty-one percent of visitors were owners, founders, CEOs or presidents. Among hosted buyers, 79% were final decision-makers, and 51% reported purchasing more than US$1 million in travel annually.
Opportunities Across Destinations and Travel Segments: Visitors expressed interest in Europe (76%), the United States (71%), the Caribbean (69%) and South America (62%). Their sales focus included group travel (69%), family travel (68%), luxury (67%) and cruises (58%).
Education and Technology Remained Part of the Program: Conference sessions complemented the exhibition with discussions on artificial intelligence, travel technology, destination outlooks, experiential travel and building more profitable travel businesses. A total of 741 visitors attended conference sessions.
B-Roll & Assets
WTE MIAMI – B-roll + Assets
Contacts
On-Site Contact: [email protected]
Media Contact: [email protected]
Quotes
Gary Hendricks – Dominguez, Deputy Director, International Marketing and Promotions for Cayman Islands Department of Tourism:
“It’s been amazing. There are so many travel professionals coming through, and the quality of the meetings has been really strong. We’ve connected with people who are looking for the kind of niche, curated experiences we offer, including one company interested in organizing a group trip for 20 women. Having the opportunity to meet face-to-face, answer their questions, and really bring these experiences to life has been invaluable.”
Nacho Borbolla, Head of Sales, Market Development & Community Partnerships, Delta Air Lines:
“The show floor was amazing. Networking and connectivity is what this industry is about. It helps build the industry, new destinations, help bring different cultures and people together. And having the complexity and mix of both into one is fantastic.”
Karen Ring, Sabre Corp, Senior Director, Marketing:
“The window to get ahead on AI is closing fast. Travelers aren’t waiting for the industry to figure it out. They’re already planning trips with conversational AI assistants, and they want to go right through to booking and payment without leaving the chat. The conversation is becoming the storefront. But a perfect trip that can’t be booked is just a wish list. The winners will be the companies whose AI is connected to real, live travel content, and who pair it with the human expertise that travelers still value.”
Trevor Sookraj, Founder of Trevor’s Tech Talk and co-instructor of the MPI Micro-Certificate: AI for Travel Professionals:
“The travel professionals getting the most out of AI are the ones who give it what they already know: their past itineraries, supplier contracts and client notes. This helps AI work from their own process, and stops them from starting from scratch with every prompt.”
Drew Daly, Dream Vacations, SVP & General Manager:
“WTE Miami gave us a great opportunity to connect with travel advisors who are thinking about what’s next for their business. We had some great conversations at our booth and meet-up about the different paths available to advisors who want to take that next step from travel advisor to business owner. With our $0 franchise offer for qualifying travel advisors, we’re creating another opportunity for experienced advisors to explore franchise ownership and the support, resources and community that can help them grow their business for the long term.”
“Cruise travelers have more choices than ever, and we’re seeing cruise lines respond by investing in new destinations, private islands and beach clubs, while expanding opportunities in areas like luxury, river cruising and shorter Caribbean itineraries. For travel advisors, that creates an incredible opportunity to help clients discover experiences they may not have even known were possible.”
Shayna Zand, Managing Director, Host Agency Reviews:
“The travel advisor landscape is evolving quickly, and what’s exciting is the number of opportunities available to advisors today. From host agencies and franchises to new technology and business tools, advisors have more options than ever to build a business that works for them. But with so many choices, it’s increasingly important to understand what you’re signing up for, ask the right questions, and find the partners and tools that truly support your long-term success.”
Reid Burkett, Fora Travel, Director, Advisor Services & Loyalty:
“Building a travel business is hard, and it’s easier with people in the thick of it alongside you. When you’re choosing a host, franchise or consortium, look for the place where you can ask a question, get unblocked and find inspiration from your community.”
