By John Tanzella, IGLTA President/CEO, iglta@iglta.org
Here at IGLTA, we are excitedly counting down the days to our 2025 Global Convention in sunny Palm Springs, 21-25 October. Building on our convention’s tremendous success last year in Osaka, we expect this year’s program to facilitate vital conversations and strong connections among global LGBTQ+ travel business and thought leaders.
A cornerstone of the program is our Buyer/Supplier Marketplace, now expanded to two days, and featuring a roster of new luxury buyers, thanks to partnerships with Virtuoso, Signature, and the LGBT Meeting Planners Association. Happening on Tuesday and Wednesday, 21 and 22 October, this powerful event is what many convention participants most look forward to every year. That’s because it consistently delivers real-world business success.
After last year’s convention, our Osaka Marketplace survey found that more than 70 percent of participants expected to generate up to US $100,000 in business within 12 months—all stemming from their marketplace meetings.
For new convention attendees, here’s how it works: The forum hosts buyers (including travel agencies, tour operators, meeting planners) to meet with suppliers (such as hotels/resorts, CVBs, airlines and cruise lines, and attractions) at pre-arranged appointments. Suppliers showcase their specialties at designated tables, while buyers move between brief meetings. During the exchange representatives can share business goals, discuss or lock in collaborations, and plan to connect throughout the convention and beyond. Even with a second marketplace day added for 2025, available buyer slots filled well in advance. (Interested buyers still can join the waitlist by emailing marketplace2025@iglta.org.)
The good news is that some supplier slots are open—at least until registration closes on 5 September or when we reach capacity. Once enrolled, participating suppliers are given several weeks to create their wishlists of preferred buyers to meet with.
After nearly 900 meetings at Osaka 2024, the vast majority of participants reported that they felt confident in business leads generated at the marketplace, and said they would follow up using contact info exchanged there. About 20 percent even closed business on site, with another 23 percent in progress to closing.
The IGLTA Buyer/Supplier Marketplace is produced with the help of UK-based Jacobs Media, Europe’s largest B2B travel and hospitality media firm and the parent company of Travel Weekly. Since IGLTA began hosting the marketplace with Jacobs in 2021, buyer demand has grown stronger than ever. This year we’ll welcome LGBTQ+ friendly buyers from more than a dozen countries, including Brazil, Colombia, India, Italy, Canada, Spain, Germany, and Argentina.
Buyers representing more than US$688 million in annual business joined the Osaka 2024 marketplace. And 2025 should surpass that benchmark, thanks in part to the flourishing relationships with Virtuoso, Signature, and LGBT MPA.
With a powerhouse roster of buyers and all-around enthusiastic convention attendees, there’s never been a better time to make international business connections and invest in the LGBTQ+ travel community.
Register now for the 2025 IGLTA Global Convention in Palm Springs: IGLTAconvention.org