Last updated: 8:00 PM ET, Fri August 7, 2026
WHY IT RATES: Gran Canaria Tourism held 70 meetings at GTM North America 2026, highlighting new direct flights to Canada and promoting the island's diverse offerings to influential North American travel advisors.
Gran Canaria Tourism held 70 professional meetings during GTM North America 2026, an exclusive event that brings together tourism consultants and companies from the United States and Canada.
The new direct connections with Toronto and Montreal sparked particular interest among professionals with a high capacity for marketing in the United States and Canada.
Gran Canaria Tourism participated in GTM North America 2026 (Global Travel Marketplace), held from July 9-11 at the Signia by Hilton Diplomat Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (USA). The event, created in 2013 by Northstar Travel Group, a leading international B2B travel communications and events group and publisher of prestigious publications such as Travel Weekly, TravelAge West, TravelPulse, and Travel Weekly Canada, has over a decade of experience and has established itself as one of the most prestigious and exclusive trade events on the North American travel calendar. This year's edition drew approximately 700 attendees.
GTM North America is an invitation-only event designed to connect some of the most influential travel advisors in the United States and Canada with travel providers worldwide. One of the event's key differentiators is its rigorous buyer selection process. Invited advisors must demonstrate a minimum of one million US dollars in individual annual sales or own multimillion-dollar travel agencies that actively market travel, possess the authority to make decisions regarding products and business partnerships, and have a global business portfolio.
Gran Canaria Tourism held a busy professional agenda with 70 meetings over the two days of the event, including individual meetings with travel agents, specialized consultants, tour operators, and agency managers from the United States and Canada. These meetings provided an opportunity to present the island's tourism offerings in a personalized way, strengthen the destination's reputation among professionals with significant marketing and sales capacity, consolidate existing business relationships, and identify new opportunities for collaboration with companies interested in expanding their programs to Spain and Europe.
During the meetings, the diversity of Gran Canaria's tourism offerings was highlighted, emphasizing its privileged year-round climate, the existence of 14 microclimates, the quality and variety of accommodation options, gastronomy, natural and cultural heritage, as well as the wide range of activities related to nature, active tourism, wellness, and the premium segment. The promotional concept "Gran Canaria, a continent in miniature" once again generated considerable interest among attendees, clearly reflecting the diverse experiences the island offers in a single destination.
One element that generated particular excitement during the meetings was the upcoming launch of new direct flights between Gran Canaria and Canada, scheduled for the 2026-2027 winter season from Toronto and Montreal. This news was enthusiastically received by the professionals present at GTM, as it will significantly facilitate the planning and marketing of the destination in the North American market thanks to the new direct connections from Toronto and Montreal. These new connections reinforce the market diversification strategy promoted by Gran Canaria Tourism and respond to the growing interest in the North American market for European destinations that offer unique experiences during the winter months.
The meetings confirmed that the US and Canadian markets maintain a growing demand for European destinations offering authentic, sustainable, and high-quality experiences, with particular interest in offerings linked to nature, gastronomy, local culture, and outdoor activities. In this context, Gran Canaria was perceived as a highly competitive destination, capable of responding to new market trends thanks to its combination of top-tier tourism infrastructure, safety, air connectivity, and a diversified offering available year-round.
Among the travel agents in attendance, from various states across the United States, a particular interest was detected in Gran Canaria as a sunny and pleasant alternative to the cold winters of much of the United States, as well as for the historical and cultural connection between the Canary Islands and the Hispanic population of the country, a link that opens up new possibilities to bring the destination closer to this segment of the North American market.
In addition to the official meeting agenda, Gran Canaria Tourism participated in various networking activities organized by Northstar Travel Group, including receptions and social gatherings that facilitated the exchange of experiences with buyers and exhibitors in a more relaxed atmosphere. These activities helped strengthen relationships established during individual meetings, expand the professional network, and foster further conversations with agents interested in learning more about the destination, as well as exploring future joint promotional activities, training programs, and familiarization trips.
Furthermore, participation in GTM North America 2026 has strengthened Gran Canaria's position among some of the leading influencers in the North American market, increasing the destination's visibility among professionals with significant sales capacity and consolidating the island's presence at one of the most prestigious B2B events in the US and Canadian tourism sector. At a time when Gran Canaria is preparing to launch new direct air connections with Canada, participation in this event takes on strategic value, particularly relevant for generating business opportunities and leveraging the potential of this new connectivity with the North American market.
SOURCE: Gran Canaria Tourism press release
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