The Travel Show Marketing firm is holding its main European congress, the European Travel Agent Forum, at Expomeloneras, with the participation of Turismo de Gran Canaria and Lopesan Hotel Group, with the presence of 150 travel advisors from the United States and Canada and 75 European suppliers.
"These advisors directly manage a business volume of more than $250 million, so having them here, practically exclusively and with an extensive program of visits, will allow us to establish direct relationships for new projects of interest to our island," explained Carlos Álamo, Tourism Councilor for the Gran Canaria Island Council.
"Gran Canaria has been increasing its presence and promotion in the North American tourist market for several years, in response to the growing interest in our destination among this high-income segment. This audience seeks landscapes, nature, and unique cultural and gastronomic experiences, and our island is especially attractive due to its multi-product nature," Álamo emphasized.
The advisor inaugurated the European Travel Agent Forum, organized by Travel Show Marketing starting this Tuesday, October 7, at the Expomeloneras Conference Center. The event brings together more than 150 travel advisors from the United States and Canada and 75 European suppliers, including representatives from hotels, tour operators, cruise lines, destinations, and management companies.
This professional meeting—one of the most important for North American clients in Europe—is being held in a B2B format, in collaboration with Turismo de Gran Canaria and Lopesan Hotel Group. The aim is to connect European suppliers with a select group of advisors specializing in European reservations, thereby generating business and cooperation opportunities.
"This is a unique opportunity for our destination, as these agents are on the island to contract projects in Europe. This allows us to promote and position Gran Canaria in a market of great interest due to its purchasing power and preference for multi-product destinations like ours," added Álamo.
For her part, Olga Pons, head of tour operations for Lopesan Hotel Group properties in the Canary Islands, noted that this event is strategic for the company. “We have been immersed in the American market for some time, both in the Canary Islands and in other destinations within the group, such as the Caribbean. It is essential that travel agents know our island, our hotels, and the many attractions we offer to a market accustomed to the sun and sand of the Caribbean, but who discover much more in Gran Canaria: culture, sports, gastronomy… That is our strength,” Pons explained.
The opening ceremony included a presentation of the Gran Canaria tourist destination by Pablo Pérez, representative for the North American market. Also on display were projects from the Lopesan Hotel Group, presented by its commercial director, Guacimara Medina, and the offerings of the airline Binter Canarias. The conference also included an exclusive workshop for local suppliers, designed to facilitate direct contact with the 150 North American representatives.
Travel Show Marketing Group (TSMG), based in Boston, MA, is an independent event and trade show organizer focused on the North American travel agent community. Founded in 2008, it has produced more than 50 events globally and its team has over 60 years of industry experience. With a presence in New York, California, and Poland, the company strengthens its international presence.
Its goal is to educate and connect the North American travel agent community with international suppliers, driving industry growth through immersive events and training programs. Its database currently includes 50.000 agents, 85% of whom are from the U.S. and 15% from Canada.
The congress, which will be held over two days of meetings at Expomeloneras, also includes a program of visits designed by Gran Canaria Tourism, which allowed international representatives to explore various attractions on the island starting last Saturday.
In 2024, Gran Canaria welcomed 19.263 North American tourists, of whom 15.341 came from the United States, representing annual growth of 7%. The Canadian market, meanwhile, grew by 15%. This segment has seen positive growth since 2009, except during the years affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
