IFTM

TourMaG : How does this 2026 edition, themed “The Value of Travel,” present itself?

Marie Allantaz All systems are green for this 2026 edition. We are aiming for an overall increase of 10 to 15%, returning to 2019 levels. We expect 1,700 brands, including about ten new destinations, and 30 Ministers as well as 25 Ambassadors.

We have observed that exhibitors and visitors have engaged earlier than in previous years. We are experiencing a very encouraging dynamic for Destination France, along with notable growth in the Africa and Europe zones, and the edition is shaping up to be a record for the Business Club. We are also welcoming a new official partner, Revolut Business, joining the venture for this edition.

TourMaG : What new formats will be proposed this year?

Marie Allantaz  : This year we have worked to concretely enrich the salon experience, with several innovations. The most significant concerns the Business Club, with for the first time a matchmaking program built in partnership with the AFTM, GBTA, EPSA, EDV, 1001 Salles and APECA, to offer pre-qualified 1:1 meetings between exhibitors and corporate buyers.

On Thursday, September 17 from 8:30 a.m., travel managers and MICE buyers will be able to undertake 5 to 6 one-on-one interviews of 15 to 20 minutes. Appointments must be booked in advance and accepted by both parties via the Everywhere platform.

At the Village des Initiatives Durables by mN’O, we reinforce the Stand-Up for the Planet, which will be relayed more broadly on social networks, and launch live-recorded podcasts in partnership with (X)périentiel, broadcast subsequently on streaming platforms to amplify the reach of these exchanges: one focusing on Destination France to offer a new lens on the hexagonal offer, the other starting from the Village des Initiatives Durables by mN’O, enabling engagement beyond the Village walls with exhibitors who also have concrete elements to share on this topic.

TourMaG  : And what about the recurring events that have new features for some this year?

Marie Allantaz  : The kickoff will be on Tuesday, September 15 with the Inaugural Conference followed by the International Panorama. For the first time, we will also organize a conference to highlight the tourism strategies of destinations.

We will also bring back the major barometers that are reference points in the profession: the Business Travel Barometer with EPSA, the MICE Barometer with Kactus, and the AI Barometer. This year, we launch a novelty: the Barometer of independent tourism professionals, which will help illuminate the major transformations of the sector.

Always with the aim of showcasing the talents in tourism, we will organize four competitions at the show:

– The Orchestra Start-Up Contest, now in its 3rd edition

– The 2nd edition of La Plume Verte by IFTM x ADONET, which this year will introduce a new distinction, the Prix Special Destinations ADONET.

– The Travel Agents Cup and the Travel Agents Cup Junior will continue to spotlight the current and future talents of the profession.

Finally, the collective intelligence workshops, the “Ruches”, return with more than 20 sessions across four zones of the show: the Village des Initiatives Durables, the Village de l’Attractivité, the Club Affaires and Destination France. They reach eight beyond the show.

TourMaG : The year 2026 was marked by the international context; did it impact the show?

Marie Allantaz  : The international context is obviously something we are watching very closely. Despite geopolitical turbulence, we are recording engagement that is more pronounced earlier than ever. As indicated, the Europe and Africa zones show sustained growth, and, against all odds, signals remain positive for the Middle East.

On the substantive level, the international context directly nourishes our conference program. We address head-on topics such as airline-purchasing strategies in an unstable world, new destination dynamics, and ongoing geographic repositionings.

TourMaG  : Business travel, Travel Tech: what will be the main highlights?

Marie Allantaz  : Business travel occupies a central place in this edition, with a Club Affaires that is taking on a new dimension. In addition to the 1:1 matchmaking program mentioned earlier, the space will host collective intelligence workshops and the AFTM round tables on very concrete topics: AI as a productivity lever, airline-purchasing strategies in an unstable context, electronic invoicing, and the question of MICE intermediation.

The workshop program proposed by GBTA will complement the arrangement in parallel. On the Travel Tech side, the Agora room will be largely dedicated to innovations and digital, with conferences on the AI Barometer, digital strategies in transport, acquisition costs and CRM, and the opening of European rail for OTAs.

The Tech Zone will this year offer an unprecedented immersive journey in several stages, including one step that features an immersive agency installed in a shopping arcade for direct booking of cruise stays, and the possibility of direct matchmaking during the show.

TourMaG : Any innovations on the travel agencies side?

Marie Allantaz  : Travel agencies are once again at the heart of this edition. After an 8% increase in their attendance in 2025, we are working to further enhance their experience at the show.

The Village des Réseaux and the AGV lounge remain their reference spaces for networking and exchanges. The “Conversations” hosted with the HelpDesk of Tourism Pros will offer content to enable travel agents to discuss their daily work and to collectively find solutions to the challenges inherent to their trade.

And of course, the Travel Agents Cup and the Travel Agents Cup Junior remain the essential events to showcase and celebrate the profession.

TourMaG  : Will there be any destination novelties?

Marie Allantaz  : We are seeing new exhibitor destinations arriving, such as Cambodia and Lithuania, and we note returns like Ivory Coast. Uzbekistan will, of course, have a premier place this edition as the Country of Honor 2026.

The French are indeed traveling more and more within the country as its many assets become even more evident. A rich program of animations will be offered in this context.

Destination France receives special attention this year, with a village built in co-construction with Ty-Win and France DMC Alliance, a new visit route, micro-practical trainings such as selling France differently, experiences and offers, a digital catalog, and collective intelligence workshops bringing together receptive partners, distributors and institutions.

Finally, the Africa Convention, with a dedicated hall for two days of conferences and B2B meetings, and the confirmed growth of the Europe region, reflect the new geographic dynamics that the show accompanies and amplifies.