Industry guides
Lifestyle and tourism events in the United States in 2026–27: the B2B calendar
The 2026–27 US travel, hospitality and consumer trade show calendar: IPW, IMEX America, ALIS, HITEC, the wholesale markets and how to choose.
By the atndr teamPublished 7 min read
The short answer
The key lifestyle and tourism business events in the United States in 2026–27 are IPW in New Orleans (2–6 May 2027) for inbound travel, IMEX America in Las Vegas (September 2027) for meetings and incentives, ALIS in Los Angeles (25–27 January 2027) for hotel investment and HITEC in Orlando (28 June–1 July 2027) for hotel technology. Consumer wholesale markets for gift, home, fashion, beauty and pets peak from January to March in Atlanta, Dallas, New York, Las Vegas and Orlando.
Key takeaways
- January to March is the busiest stretch: Atlanta Market, Dallas Total Home & Gift, NY NOW, MAGIC, Toy Fair and Global Pet Expo all fall in it.
- Travel trade buyers meet US destinations at IPW, which U.S. Travel runs on pre-scheduled one-to-one appointments; the 2027 edition is in New Orleans on 2–6 May.
- Hotel owners, lenders and brands meet three times a year: ALIS (January, Los Angeles), the NYU hospitality investment forum (June, New York) and Phocuswright for travel distribution (November, Florida).
- Most wholesale markets are trade-only: register with proof that you own or buy for a store, design firm or business.
- Las Vegas and Orlando host the most shows in this category, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Mandalay Bay and the Orange County Convention Center.
On this page
- What counts as a lifestyle and tourism event in the US?
- Which travel and hospitality events matter most?
- Which consumer lifestyle trade shows should retailers and brands attend?
- Trade show, marketplace or summit: which format fits?
- How do you register, and what does it cost?
- Where are the main venues?
- Frequently asked questions
What counts as a lifestyle and tourism event in the US?
In atndr's catalogue, lifestyle and tourism covers two groups of business events: the travel and hospitality trade (destinations, hotels, cruise, meetings and events, travel technology) and the consumer lifestyle wholesale markets (gift, home, fashion, beauty, toys, pets, jewelry and sporting goods). Both are B2B: they are for people who buy, sell, invest or plan, not for consumers.
The US calendar for both groups runs all year, but it has a clear rhythm. Wholesale markets bunch in January to March, when retailers place orders for spring and summer, and come back in late summer and autumn for holiday buying. Travel and hospitality events spread more evenly, with investment summits in January and June, the inbound travel marketplace in May, hotel technology in summer and the meetings industry in September.
The full, live list is on atndr's lifestyle and tourism events in the United States page.
Which travel and hospitality events matter most?
For travel and hospitality professionals, the events that matter most are IPW, IMEX America, ALIS, HITEC and Seatrade Cruise Global, each covering one part of the trade.
| Event | Dates | City | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Phocuswright Conference 2026 | 17–19 Nov 2026 | Hollywood, Florida | Airlines, hotels, OTAs, travel tech and investors |
| ALIS 2027 | 25–27 Jan 2027 | Los Angeles | Hotel owners, investors, lenders, developers |
| Seatrade Cruise Global 2027 | 5–8 Apr 2027 | Miami Beach | Cruise lines, ports, destinations, suppliers |
| IPW 2027 | 2–6 May 2027 | New Orleans | International tour operators and media meeting US destinations |
| HD Expo + Conference 2027 | 4–5 May 2027 | Las Vegas | Hotel and restaurant designers and their suppliers |
| NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum 2027 | 6–8 Jun 2027 | New York | Hotel owners, brands, lenders |
| HITEC Orlando 2027 | 28 Jun–1 Jul 2027 | Orlando | Hotel IT, revenue and operations teams |
| IMEX America 2027 | 28–30 Sep 2027 | Las Vegas | Meeting, event and incentive planners |
IPW is U.S. Travel's inbound travel marketplace. Its official site describes it as built around pre-scheduled face-to-face appointments between international buyers and media and US suppliers, with 40 or more appointments per participant. ALIS expects about 3,000 hotel industry leaders, including investors, lenders, developers and owners, according to its organiser. IMEX America runs 28–30 September 2027 at Mandalay Bay, preceded by Smart Monday, an education day powered by MPI, on 27 September.
Business aviation has its own convention, NBAA-BACE 2026 (Las Vegas, 20–22 October 2026), and cruise ship outfitters meet at Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Americas 2027 in Miami Beach on 23–24 June 2027.
Which consumer lifestyle trade shows should retailers and brands attend?
Retail buyers should plan around the January to March wholesale season, then pick the specialist show for their category.
Gift and home
Atlanta Market January 2027 (12–17 January, AmericasMart), Total Home & Gift Market January 2027 (6–12 January, Dallas Market Center) and NY NOW Winter Market 2027 (31 January–2 February, Javits Center) are the three big winter gift and home markets. Furniture buyers go to High Point Market Spring 2027 (10–14 April) and High Point Market Fall 2027 (23–27 October) in North Carolina. Housewares buyers meet at The Inspired Home Show 2027 in Chicago on 9–11 March.
Fashion, jewelry and beauty
MAGIC Las Vegas February 2027 (16–18 February) covers apparel, footwear and accessories. JCK Las Vegas 2027 (4–7 June, The Venetian) is the jewelry and watch trade's main US show. Beauty has two Cosmoprof North America editions, Miami (26–28 January) and Las Vegas (13–15 July), plus salon and spa shows such as Premiere Orlando 2027 and Be+Well New York 2027.
Toys, pets, sport and outdoor
Toy Fair New York 2027 (20–23 February), Global Pet Expo 2027 (17–19 March, Orlando), PGA Show 2027 (26–29 January, Orlando), Outdoor Retailer 2027 (18–20 August, Minneapolis) and the two Surf Expo editions in Orlando (January and September) serve their own retail channels.
Food service and general merchandise
The National Restaurant Association Show 2027 runs 22–25 May at McCormick Place, Chicago. Independent operators also meet at Bar & Restaurant Expo 2027 (Las Vegas, 22–24 March). Discount and general merchandise buyers go to ASD Market Week March 2027 in Las Vegas.
Trade show, marketplace or summit: which format fits?
Choose the format by what you want to leave with: orders, appointments, deals or knowledge.
| Format | Examples | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wholesale market | Atlanta Market, High Point, NY NOW | Permanent showrooms plus temporary booths; buyers place orders | Retailers, interior designers |
| Trade show | MAGIC, JCK, Global Pet Expo, Cosmoprof | Exhibition halls; trade-only registration | Buyers, distributors, brands |
| Appointment marketplace | IPW, IMEX America hosted buyers | Pre-scheduled one-to-one meetings | Tour operators, planners, destinations |
| Investment summit | ALIS, NYU hospitality forum | Conference sessions plus deal meetings | Owners, lenders, brands |
| Expo with conference | HITEC, HD Expo, Seatrade Cruise | Show floor plus education | Operations, design and technology teams |
A wholesale market is different from a trade show. At Atlanta, Dallas and High Point, many brands keep showrooms all year in large buildings and open them to buyers during market weeks. Buyers walk floor by floor and write orders. At a hosted buyer marketplace, qualified buyers may have travel or accommodation covered in return for keeping a set schedule of appointments with exhibitors. Check the event's own rules for who qualifies.
How do you register, and what does it cost?
Most consumer wholesale markets are free or low cost for qualified buyers but trade-only; travel investment summits charge full delegate fees.
- Check trade-only rules. Shows such as MAGIC, Toy Fair, Global Pet Expo and Surf Expo admit only trade visitors. Have a business licence, resale certificate, business card or recent invoice ready.
- Register early. Many shows have pre-registration rates that rise closer to the dates.
- Apply as a hosted buyer if you qualify. IPW and IMEX America run buyer programmes with their own applications and deadlines.
- Budget delegate fees for summits. ALIS, Phocuswright and the NYU forum are paid conferences aimed at senior executives.
- Sort out travel documents. International visitors should check whether they can travel under the Visa Waiver Program with an ESTA or need a business visa, and allow time for a visa interview.
Rates change each edition, so check the official registration page linked from each atndr listing.
Where are the main venues?
Five cities carry most of this calendar: Las Vegas, Orlando, New York, Atlanta and Miami Beach.
| City | Main venues | Events |
|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas | Las Vegas Convention Center, Mandalay Bay, The Venetian | MAGIC, JCK, IMEX America, HD Expo, ASD, Bar & Restaurant Expo, NBAA-BACE |
| Orlando | Orange County Convention Center | HITEC, PGA Show, Global Pet Expo, Surf Expo, Premiere Orlando |
| New York | Javits Center, Marriott Marquis | NY NOW, Toy Fair, Be+Well, NYU hospitality forum |
| Atlanta and Dallas | AmericasMart, Dallas Market Center | Atlanta Market, Total Home & Gift Market |
| Miami Beach | Miami Beach Convention Center | Seatrade Cruise Global, Cosmoprof Miami, Cruise Ship Interiors Expo |
For the busiest destination, see atndr's business events in Las Vegas page.
Frequently asked questions
- What is IPW?
- IPW is the U.S. Travel Association's inbound travel marketplace, where international tour operators and media meet US destinations and travel suppliers in pre-scheduled appointments. IPW 2027 takes place in New Orleans from 2 to 6 May 2027.
- When is IMEX America 2027?
- IMEX America 2027 runs from 28 to 30 September 2027 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Smart Monday, its education day powered by MPI, is on 27 September.
- Can the public attend gift and home markets like Atlanta Market?
- No. Wholesale markets such as Atlanta Market, NY NOW and High Point Market are for retailers, interior designers and other trade buyers, who must register with proof of their business.
- What is the main hotel investment conference in the US?
- ALIS, the Americas Lodging Investment Summit, is held each January in Los Angeles; the 2027 edition runs 25–27 January. The NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum in New York each June is the other main one.
- Which month has the most lifestyle trade shows in the US?
- January, followed by February and March. That is when the winter gift and home markets, PGA Show, Cosmoprof Miami, NY NOW, MAGIC and Toy Fair take place.
- Where is the main US hotel technology show?
- HITEC, run by HFTP, is the hospitality industry's technology exposition. HITEC 2027 is at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando from 28 June to 1 July 2027.
Sources
Written and fact-checked by the atndr team. Dates, venues and organizers are checked against each event’s official website; the figures in “At a glance” come live from the atndr calendar. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
