IPW 2026 officially began its activities in Fort Lauderdale with a full day of business meetings, international tourism promotion, and networking between destinations, operators, and media representatives from around the world.

One of the main highlights of the opening day was the traditional Media Marketplace, held on the third floor of the renovated Broward County Convention Center, where more than 500 journalists, communicators, content creators, and travel influencers took part in one-on-one meetings with tourism boards, hotels, attractions, and travel companies from the United States and international markets.

Organized by the U.S. Travel Association, IPW is considered the largest inbound travel trade marketplace in the United States. The 2026 edition brings together more than 5,200 delegates from over 70 countries and features more than 100,000 pre-scheduled business appointments between international buyers, tour operators, destinations, airlines, hotels, and travel industry stakeholders.

The official opening of the exhibition halls marked the start of an intense agenda of commercial negotiations and networking activities aimed at strengthening inbound tourism to the United States in the years ahead.

Throughout the day, leading U.S. destinations presented updates on infrastructure development, air connectivity, new hotel openings, culinary experiences, theme parks, cruise offerings, and luxury and entertainment travel products.

Fort Lauderdale’s international profile

For the first time, Greater Fort Lauderdale is serving as the host city of IPW, reinforcing its position in the global travel and tourism market.

The destination used the event to showcase its identity, defined by beaches, boating culture, waterways, gastronomy, and strong regional connectivity across South Florida.

One of the key moments of the day was an outdoor lunch held alongside the marina and canal area of the convention center, offering a different experience compared to the traditional indoor gatherings of previous IPW editions.

The setting allowed international participants to experience firsthand Fort Lauderdale’s signature atmosphere, widely known as the “Venice of America” and the “Yachting Capital of the World.”