Gran Canaria Tourism participated in the Travel Agent Forum Las Vegas, held at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, from March 30th to April 2nd, 2025. Organized by Travel Show Marketing Group (TravelSMG), this event is one of the most prominent professional gatherings for travel agents in North America, bringing together hundreds of industry professionals from the United States and Canada.
During the forum, Gran Canaria's Tourism Representative in the United States, Pedro Pérez, gave an extensive presentation to more than 300 travel agents, highlighting the destination's main strengths, from its excellent air connectivity to the diversity and quality of its accommodation offerings, as well as its renowned cuisine and the wide variety of tourist experiences available on the island. One of the highlights of the presentation was the announcement that Gran Canaria will host the next European Travel Agent Forum, which will take place from October 6 to 9, 2025. This confirmation generated significant interest among the agents in attendance, who particularly valued the opportunity to experience firsthand a destination that stands out for its diversity, connectivity, and organizational capacity. The news reinforced the island's position as an international benchmark in tourism promotion and the hosting of top-level professional meetings.
Participation in the Travel Agent Forum provided Gran Canaria with the opportunity to establish direct contact with travel agents interested in adding the island to their destination portfolio. During the fair, numerous meetings were held, both scheduled and spontaneous, with industry professionals, focusing on segments such as active, culinary, cultural, and luxury tourism. Many agents expressed their desire to participate in the European Travel Agent Forum in Gran Canaria, requested additional information, and expressed interest in learning about the island's tourism offerings firsthand.
The Travel Agent Forum Las Vegas is held annually and is considered a key platform for promoting European destinations in the US market. Its focus on training, networking, and business opportunities make it a must-attend event for tourism professionals.
Gran Canaria's participation in this event is part of its strategy to diversify its source markets and attract a visitor profile interested in authentic destinations with a multi-product offering. The combination of promotional activities in the United States and the upcoming hosting of the European Travel Agent Forum on the island strengthen our destination's position in the North American market.
The island's promotional agency's assessment of participation in this meeting is very positive given the results obtained and reaffirms its commitment to continue attending this North American forum. Work is already underway to prepare for the European Travel Agents Forum in October 2025, an event that will place the island at the center of attention in the international tourism sector.
It's worth noting that attending this event has made it possible to increase the destination's awareness and visibility in a priority market characterized by longer stays and higher average spending. It has also served to strengthen professional ties with agents specializing in European destinations, with the potential to generate tourist flow to the island; pave the way for the European Travel Agent Forum in Gran Canaria, maximizing synergies between the two events; and identify opportunities to adapt Gran Canaria's tourism offering to the specific preferences of this market.
