PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic — Speaking at MarketHub Americas 2026 in Punta Cana, Nicolas Huss, CEO of HBX Group, highlighted the enormous potential of the Americas as a destination for international events and discussed the key challenges and opportunities facing the global travel industry.

Huss emphasized that the region offers ideal conditions for tourism growth thanks to its strong air connectivity, modern infrastructure, and diverse leisure offerings.

“The Americas are a great place to host events. The region offers easy access, strong infrastructure, and a tourism industry that is well positioned for continued growth,” he said.

The executive also stressed the importance of collaboration across the travel ecosystem to fully capitalize on opportunities in one of the world's most dynamic tourism markets.

“We need to work together to make operators more efficient and develop practical solutions that benefit the entire travel value chain,” Huss noted.

Technology and Artificial Intelligence Take Center Stage

One of the most notable moments of the session was the presentation of survey results collected from attendees through the event’s official app. When asked about the biggest challenge currently facing the travel industry, respondents identified technology as the top concern, followed closely by artificial intelligence.

For Huss, the results came as no surprise.

“There is no way to plan for the future without thinking about technology and artificial intelligence. They will be part of everything we do moving forward,” he said.

According to Huss, technological innovation, enhanced connectivity, and system integration are fundamentally changing how suppliers, distributors, and customers interact across the travel marketplace. He believes the adoption of digital tools should be viewed as an opportunity to streamline processes, improve efficiency, and accelerate market access.

A Growing Industry Facing New Challenges

While describing tourism as one of the world's leading economic growth engines, Huss acknowledged that the sector continues to face significant challenges that require a collective response.

“Connectivity, supplier evolution, and adaptability are essential for future growth. Challenges will always exist, but we need to focus on opportunities and remain united as an industry,” he stated.

Huss concluded by encouraging MarketHub Americas participants to identify and eliminate friction points that still exist within the tourism ecosystem, with the goal of building a more agile, efficient, and future-ready industry.

MarketHub Americas brings together tourism leaders, hoteliers, travel advisors, tour operators, and technology companies in Punta Cana to discuss the trends that are reshaping the global travel industry.