IPW 2026 Takes Over Fort Lauderdale: Travel, Connections and Adventure
08 Sep 2026
The Atlantic was doing its best to steal the show. With the sun shining over Fort Lauderdale Beach, warm ocean air drifting across the sand and the sound of live music mixing with conversation, it was hard to imagine a better setting for thousands of people whose business is travel. Plates were filled, drinks were raised, and people from around the world gathered beneath the South Florida sky.
That was the opening celebration of IPW 2026, and it set the tone for several busy days in Fort Lauderdale. For me, this was my fourth IPW, following San Antonio in 2023, Los Angeles in 2024, and Chicago in 2025. Each city has brought its own personality to the event, but Fort Lauderdale offered something particularly memorable: a mix of serious travel business, international connections, and a distinctly South Florida sense of fun.
Where the World Meets U.S. Travel
Organized by the U.S. Travel Association, IPW is the leading international inbound travel trade show in the United States. Since 1969, the event has moved from city to city, bringing together the people who sell, promote, report on, and experience American travel.
At its heart, IPW is about connections. International buyers meet U.S. destinations, hotels, attractions, and travel companies ready to do business. For media, it provides access to destination representatives, tourism leaders, emerging travel trends and experiences that can become stories long after the convention doors close.
The numbers give some sense of its scale. IPW 2026 brought nearly 5,000 attendees from more than 60 countries to the Broward County Convention Center, including more than 1,400 international and domestic buyers and media professionals. The event generated a projected $26.1 billion in future travel to the United States over the next three years.
For a travel writer, though, the value isn’t found only in statistics. It’s in the conversations happening across a crowded convention floor.
From Destination Briefings to Big Travel News
The appointment schedule wasn’t the only way to connect with the people shaping U.S. tourism. Throughout IPW 2026, several destinations and tourism organizations hosted press conferences, offering journalists a closer look at new developments, upcoming attractions and the stories they hope will draw international travellers in the years ahead.
The series kicked off with the U.S. Travel Association and continued with briefings from Las Vegas, Boston, Visit California, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Washington, D.C., Utah, and New York. Each brought its own perspective and priorities to the table, making the press conferences a valuable complement to the one-on-one meetings happening across the convention floor.
The final press conference carried a special sense of anticipation, as New Orleans took the spotlight as the host city for IPW 2027. After hearing about what awaits in the Big Easy, the next chapter of IPW already felt a little closer. With Fort Lauderdale having provided such a memorable setting for this year’s event, I left curious to see how New Orleans will make its turn in the spotlight.
A Marathon of Travel Conversations
My IPW schedule was packed with more than 40 pre-scheduled, face-to-face appointments with destination marketing organizations. Sitting across from representatives and hearing what destinations are planning, what experiences are evolving, and what stories they hope to share is one of my favourite parts of IPW.
There is something refreshingly direct about those meetings. Fifteen or twenty minutes can introduce an entirely new destination, spark an article idea, or lead to a future press trip. A conversation that begins at a small table inside a convention centre can eventually turn into a story read by travellers thousands of kilometres away.
And then there are the hallway conversations.
Some of the most useful moments at IPW happen between appointments, during receptions or while grabbing a quick coffee. Travel professionals are constantly moving, yet there is always time for a quick introduction, a familiar face or an unexpected conversation.
For journalists, IPW 2026 also had an enormous media footprint. More than 550 journalists and influencers were on-site, with coverage reaching more than 30 countries and major media outlets. Thousands of stories, features and social posts helped put U.S. destinations in front of audiences around the world.
Fort Lauderdale Beyond the Convention Centre
One of the pleasures of attending IPW is that the host destination becomes part of the experience. Fort Lauderdale made sure there was plenty to discover beyond the convention centre.
I stayed at the Omni Fort Lauderdale, which provided a comfortable home base during an extremely busy few days. After long stretches of meetings, having somewhere inviting to return to was appreciated.
The city’s Water Taxi was another highlight. Getting around by water changes the perspective completely. Instead of sitting in traffic, I could watch Fort Lauderdale’s waterfront slide past, with boats, palm trees and impressive homes providing a very different view of the city.
Then came my day tour into the Florida Everglades.
Into the Everglades
My guided airboat tour with Sawgrass Recreation Park offered a welcome change of pace from the convention schedule.
The airboat skimmed across the Everglades as the landscape opened up around us. The experience was a reminder that Fort Lauderdale isn’t simply about beaches, restaurants, and waterfront living. One of South Florida’s most remarkable natural environments is close enough to make a memorable day trip.
After several days spent discussing destinations and travel products in conference rooms, being outside in the open landscape felt particularly refreshing. The rumble of the airboat, the warm breeze, and the vast horizon provided a welcome dose of adventure.
A Beach Celebration to Remember
The opening celebration on Fort Lauderdale Beach was everything a Florida event should be. The weather was hot and beautiful, the beach was lively, and food and entertainment stretched across the gathering.
After the formality of registration and appointments, it was nice to see the travel industry simply enjoying itself. Conversations continued, but the setting encouraged people to relax. Shoes came off, cameras came out, and the Atlantic provided the backdrop.
The closing celebration brought everyone back together in front of the Broward County Convention Center. There was plenty of food, a live DJ, and carnival rides, giving the evening a playful send-off after several intense days of meetings and networking.
It was a fitting way to finish an event built around bringing people together.
Looking Ahead to New Orleans
Every IPW leaves me thinking about the places and people I’ve encountered, but it also creates anticipation for what comes next.
The next stop is New Orleans, Louisiana, from May 2 to 6, 2027. After experiencing IPW in San Antonio, Los Angeles, Chicago, and now Fort Lauderdale, I’m already looking forward to seeing how the Big Easy puts its own stamp on the event.
IPW has a remarkable ability to compress the enormous U.S. travel industry into a few intense days of meetings, experiences, and conversations. One minute I’m discussing a destination across a conference table, and the next I’m riding an airboat through the Everglades or watching the sun settle over Fort Lauderdale Beach.
That’s what keeps me coming back.
Fort Lauderdale gave IPW 2026 a particularly memorable backdrop, combining the energy of an international business gathering with the easygoing appeal of South Florida. I arrived ready for meetings and left with new story ideas, new connections, and plenty of reasons to keep exploring.
Now, the countdown to New Orleans begins. The Big Easy has a tough act to follow, but after four IPWs, I’ve learned one thing: every host city has a story waiting to be discovered.
Craig Silva
Craig is a passionate and seasoned travel, food, and lifestyle writer, whose words paint vivid pictures of the world's most captivating destinations. His work not only inspires others to embark on their own adventures but also fosters a deep appreciation for the beauty and diversity of our world. He captures the essence of each locale, offering readers a glimpse into the cultures, landscapes, cuisine, and experiences that make travel so enriching. Craig is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Travel Writers Alliance (ITWA). If you are a PR agency or brand and would like Craig to review a travel destination, vehicle, restaurant, product or service, please send him an email.
