ITB China 2026 to explore future of travel
The ITB China Conference 2026 will take place from May 26 to 28 in Shanghai, bringing together global and Chinese travel leaders to discuss key industry trends. Featuring over 70 topics and 180 speakers, the conference will focus on AI integration, the evolution of luxury travel toward lifestyle-driven experiences, and shifts in China’s outbound and inbound tourism markets.
The programme includes seven core tracks: outbound travel, inbound travel, luxury travel, themed and customised travel, hospitality, MICE and incentive travel, and travel technology and innovation. These sessions will explore changing traveller behaviour, demand for personalised travel, and the growing role of sustainability and digital transformation.
IBTM Asia Pacific to debut in 2027
IBTM Asia Pacific will launch as a new marketplace for the global business events industry, taking place from June 9 to 10, 2027 at Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre in Bangkok. The event will connect corporate, association and agency buyers from across Asia-Pacific with international destinations, venues, hotels and suppliers, using IBTM’s hosted buyer model and smart matchmaking to drive business opportunities.
Asia-Pacific, now the third-largest business events market, is valued at $231.49 billion in 2026 and expected to grow 12.6 per cent annually through 2029. The event is supported by Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau and will feature conferences, workshops, networking sessions and cultural events, positioning itself as a key platform for industry collaboration and growth in the region, while showcasing Thailand’s strong infrastructure and global connectivity advantages.
Sanya to host PATA Annual Summit 2027
The Pacific Asia Travel Association has announced that the PATA Annual Summit 2027 will be hosted by the Sanya Tourism Board in Sanya from May 17 to 19, 2027. The three-day event will bring together global tourism leaders to discuss key issues shaping the Asia-Pacific travel and tourism sector.
The summit will feature a one-and-a-half-day conference alongside executive board meetings, a youth symposium, chapter meetings and technical tours. Sanya, a leading tropical coastal destination in China’s Hainan Province, offers world-class infrastructure, luxury resorts and diverse tourism experiences spanning culture, wellness and nature.
Select Green Hotels adds Valpas
Valpas and Select Green Hotels have partnered to introduce bed bug-safe certification directly into the hotel booking experience for the first time. Travellers using the platform can now identify hotels with verified Valpas certification before making a reservation, making safety a visible and bookable attribute.
Select Green Hotels, which features over 100 sustainable properties across Europe and Africa, has traditionally focused on environmental criteria such as energy use, waste management and community impact. The addition of Valpas certification expands this approach to include non-toxic, pesticide-free guest room safety.
Travel and tourism hits record $11.6 trillion
Travel and tourism recorded its strongest year in 2025, emerging as the world’s fastest-growing sector, according to World Travel & Tourism Council in partnership with Chase Travel. The sector contributed a record $11.6 trillion to global GDP, accounting for 9.8 per cent of the economy, and grew 4.1 per cent, significantly outpacing overall global economic growth of 2.8 per cent.
It supported 366 million jobs worldwide, representing 10.9 per cent of global employment and one in three new jobs created. International travel also surged, reaching 1.54 billion overnight arrivals globally, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.