Guatemala City. Guatemala will host the 2026 edition of Centroamérica Travel Market (CATM), the region's leading tourism trade fair, bringing together international buyers, wholesalers, tour operators, media outlets, and representatives from the public and private sectors with the goal of strengthening Central America's positioning as a competitive multi-destination on the global stage.

The official launch of the event included the participation of the director general of the Guatemalan Tourism Institute (INGUAT), Harris Whitbeck; the institute's deputy director general, Bianka Espósito; the president of the Guatemalan Chamber of Tourism (CAMTUR), Rolando Schweikert Rozotto; the president of the Federation of Central American Chambers of Tourism (FEDECATUR), Efrén Pérez; the secretary general of the Central American Tourism Promotion Agency (CATA), Boris Iraheta; along with diplomatic representatives, national tourism authorities, and business leaders from across the region.

During the presentation, officials highlighted that Centroamérica Travel Market is the isthmus's premier tourism business gathering, where companies, hotels, operators, travel agencies, and service providers hold business meetings with specialized buyers from the leading tourist source markets in the Americas and Europe.

Guatemala Returns as Host After Several Years

Authorities underscored the significance of the fair's return to Guatemala, the country that hosted the event's earliest editions and now welcomes it back after several years, further cementing its place as one of the region's leading tourist destinations. CATM 2026 will be organized jointly by INGUAT, CAMTUR, FEDECATUR, and CATA, under a public-private cooperation model aimed at strengthening the international promotion of Central America as an integrated destination.

FEDECATUR president Efrén Pérez said the fair represents far more than a commercial event, explaining that each business meeting can translate into new tourism packages, higher hotel occupancy, increased visitor numbers, and greater economic opportunities for communities across the region. He noted that the event's real impact extends well beyond the days of the fair itself, since the business partnerships it generates continue producing results for months and years afterward.

CATA secretary general Boris Iraheta recalled that when Centroamérica Travel Market was founded more than two decades ago, the isthmus received around five million international tourists. Today, he said, Central America surpasses 19 million visitors, a figure that rises to 30.6 million when the Dominican Republic is included in the region's tourism promotion strategy. Iraheta highlighted that the region offers a unique proposition built on diversity of experiences, combining cultural heritage, colonial cities, volcanoes, rainforests, beaches, nature, and adventure tourism, allowing visitors to explore several countries in a single trip.

"We are putting together a true celebration so that those who already know Guatemala fall in love with our country all over again, and those visiting for the first time discover the extraordinary cultural and natural wealth we have to offer. We are convinced that multi-destination tourism is the way to strengthen Central America, because our countries don't compete with one another — they complement each other. When Guatemala does well, our neighbors do well too, and when the region grows, we all grow together," said Guatemala's Minister of Tourism, Harris Whitbeck.

Innovation and Technology

In addition to the traditional Business to Business (B2B) meetings, the 2026 edition will once again feature a space dedicated to innovation and tourism intelligence. New additions include CATAM Tech, a platform for technology companies developing solutions for the tourism industry, along with conferences on digital transformation, market analysis, global trends, and innovation applied to the sector. Organizers believe that tourism competitiveness depends not only on international promotion, but also on adopting new technologies and tools to improve destination marketing.

The fair will welcome international buyers from major source markets, particularly North America and Europe, as well as specialized journalists who will travel to different destinations across the region to experience Central America's tourism offerings firsthand. As is tradition, familiarization trips (fam trips) for tour operators and media will take place both before and after the event, aimed at promoting the multi-destination experience that sets Central America apart.

Organizers expressed confidence that the 2026 edition will give new momentum to regional tourism, strengthening integration among Central American countries, boosting business opportunities, and further establishing Central America as one of the continent's most attractive and competitive tourist destinations.

During the official presentation, Whitbeck noted that Guatemala sees hosting the event as a strategic opportunity to consolidate Central America as an internationally competitive multi-destination. He pointed to improved air connectivity as a sign the region is on the right track, citing Arajet's upcoming flights between Punta Cana and Guatemala City starting in November, as well as TAG Airlines' new route connecting Guatemala and San Salvador. "When we promote Central America as a multi-destination, we are not competing with one another, but complementing each other. The natural, cultural, and gastronomic richness of each country strengthens the visitor experience and makes the entire region far more attractive to the world," he said.