The FIEXPO Opening Session Powered by ICCA will mark the beginning of the academic program of FIEXPO Latin America 2026, under the central concept:

Connect to Evolve
From Global Industry Challenges to Conversations That Convert into Sales

This session will open a strategic conversation on the current moment of the global meetings industry, in a context shaped by geopolitical, economic, technological, and social transformations that directly impact how destinations compete, how associations connect, how events generate value, and how professionals build business opportunities.

The opening will combine global vision, strategic perspective, and practical application, connecting the industry’s major challenges with an essential question for all FIEXPO Latin America participants:

How can we transform every conversation, every meeting, and every connection into a real opportunity for evolution, collaboration, and business?

Participants

• Senthil Gopinath
  CEO, ICCA
• Michael Blackman
  Managing Director, Integrated Systems Events
• María Eugenia Oriani
  MICE Director, PROCOLOMBIA
  ICCA Latin America Chapter Chair
• Dennis Speet
  Managing Director, Amsterdam Convention Bureau
  Former Interim CEO, ICCA
• Christoph Tessmar
  Director, Barcelona Convention Bureau
• Arnaldo Nardone
  Director, FIEXPO Exhibitions Group
  Session Moderator

General Agenda

8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.

Institutional Welcome

Official opening of the academic program of FIEXPO Latin America 2026.

This block will welcome participants and present the conceptual framework of the session: Connect to Evolve, an invitation to understand the global challenges of the industry and translate them into concrete conversations, decisions, and business opportunities.

8:45 a.m. – 9:10 a.m.

State of the Global Meetings Industry

A Strategic Perspective from ICCA

Special intervention by Senthil Gopinath, CEO of ICCA, to present a high-level vision of the current state of the global meetings industry in the face of major international challenges.

The intervention will address how the geopolitical context, global conflicts, trade tensions, economic uncertainty, international mobility, and changes in global collaboration are impacting associations, destinations, and international events.

It will also provide an opportunity to reflect on what the industry is doing — and what it must continue doing — to remain resilient, relevant, and capable of generating value in an increasingly complex world.

9:10 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Global Leaders Panel

How Destinations, Platforms, and Business Opportunities Are Evolving

A conversation moderated by Arnaldo Nardone with international leaders from the meetings industry.

The panel will connect the global vision presented by ICCA with the concrete experience of leaders working across different fronts of the industry: major international platforms, convention bureaux, destinations, associations, and event attraction ecosystems.

The conversation will address topics such as:

• The main challenges destinations face today in competing globally.
  • The evolution of the role of convention bureaux and promotion entities.
  • The relationship between international events, economic development, and territorial impact.
  • The new expectations of associations, organizers, and buyers.
  • The need to move from traditional promotion to more strategic value propositions.
  • The role of collaboration, market intelligence, and long-term vision.
  • How to better prepare teams to generate conversations that become real opportunities.

10:00 a.m. – 10:25 a.m.

From Conversation to Sale

How to Win Clients and Convert Connections into Opportunities

Final block designed to connect the strategic vision of the opening with the commercial action that defines the FIEXPO Latin America experience.

This space will focus on one central idea:

A trade show is not won only at the stand. It is won before, during, and after every conversation.

Participants will receive a practical perspective on how to better prepare for their meetings, understand the client, communicate value with greater precision, sustain more relevant conversations, and transform connections into business opportunities.

The objective will be to activate participants so they begin FIEXPO Latin America with focus, commercial judgment, and a results-oriented mindset.

10:25 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Session Closing

Final conclusions and transition into the rest of the academic and business program of FIEXPO Latin America 2026.

The closing will reinforce the central message of the opening: in an industry shaped by global change, the ability to connect intelligently, evolve with purpose, and convert conversations into opportunities will be a decisive advantage for destinations, organizations, and professionals.

Expected Outcomes

By the end of the FIEXPO Opening Session Powered by ICCA, participants will have explored:

• A strategic reading of the global context impacting the meetings industry.
  • The main challenges and opportunities for destinations, associations, and international platforms.
  • The evolution of the role of convention bureaux and event attraction strategies.
  • The importance of connecting global vision with concrete commercial action.
  • Conceptual tools to transform conversations into business opportunities.
  • A renewed perspective on the value of FIEXPO Latin America as a platform for connection, learning, positioning, and business generation.

The FIEXPO Opening Session Powered by ICCA will be the starting point for a week designed to connect, evolve, and turn every encounter into an opportunity for growth for the meetings industry in Latin America and around the world.

La entrada FIEXPO Opening Session se publicó primero en Fiexpo Latin America.

La entrada ICCA Latin America & Caribbean Chapter Meeting se publicó primero en Fiexpo Latin America.

From inclusive discourse to accessible experience

June 8 | 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
FIEXPO Latin America 2026

The Inclusive Legacy Lab is a strategic and participatory laboratory designed to transform the conversation on inclusion into concrete accessibility criteria applied to destinations, hotels, venues, events and experiences.

Under the approach “From inclusive discourse to accessible experience,” this activity proposes analyzing the complete journey of a person with a disability or specific accessibility requirements: from searching for prior information and registering for the event, to arriving at the destination, accommodation, mobility, participation in sessions, networking, food and beverage, social activities, emergency situations and the return to their place of origin.

The laboratory will be based on a central premise:

Accessibility does not begin with the ramp. It begins when we design an event thinking about who might be left out.

The session will combine strategic reflection, real experiences, technical perspectives and collaborative work to identify barriers, recognize good practices, propose applicable solutions and generate inputs that can contribute to a more accessible, competitive and prepared meetings industry for all people.

More than a conversation about inclusion, the Inclusive Legacy Lab will be a space designed to activate learning, commitments and concrete actions that make it possible to move from inclusive discourse to accessible experience.

Purpose of the Laboratory

The true value of the Inclusive Legacy Lab does not lie solely in identifying barriers or sharing experiences, but in converting that knowledge into applicable technical criteria that can improve future events.

Accessibility should not be understood only as a requirement for specialized events or events aimed at people with disabilities. The current challenge for the industry is to ensure that general events are designed from the outset to welcome the greatest possible diversity of participants, exhibitors, buyers, sellers, speakers, collaborators and visitors.

In this sense, the laboratory will seek to generate an initial base of learnings and recommendations that can contribute to moving toward a more inclusive, accessible and prepared FIEXPO Latin America 2027, while also becoming a reference point for the meetings industry in Latin America.

Facilitators and Invited Experts

Mónica Garcia
Association Meetings Manager, Barcelona Convention Bureau

Gladys Díaz
President, Latin American Union of the Blind

Stephanie Sheehy
Executive Director, Costa Rican Accessible Tourism Network

Patricia Puentes
Director, Let’s Meet

Lucio Vaquero
Regional Director, PCMA

Santiago González
Project Development Director, FIEXPO Exhibitions Group

Adjusted Agenda

3:00 p.m. – 3:10 p.m.

Strategic Opening

Accessibility as a condition for quality, competitiveness and genuine hospitality

Welcome and introduction to the purpose of the laboratory.

This block will introduce the central idea of the laboratory: accessibility should not be understood as an additional component, a one-off response or a regulatory obligation, but as an essential element in the design of experiences, destinations, hotels, venues and events.

Based on this vision, the session’s working methodology will be presented, grounded in real experiences that make it possible to identify barriers, recognize good practices and transform learnings into concrete, responsible actions and opportunities for improvement for the industry.

3:10 p.m. – 3:25 p.m.

From Inclusive Discourse to Accessible Experience: Conceptual Framework and Institutional Perspective

This introductory block will establish a shared vision of accessibility and inclusion in the meetings industry.

Through a conversation guided by the facilitators, participants will reflect on why accessibility should not be seen only as a regulatory requirement or a specific adaptation, but as a strategic element that directly influences the participant experience, destination reputation, event competitiveness and the ability to create truly inclusive spaces.

The session will seek to challenge some traditional perceptions, starting from a central idea: complying with regulations does not guarantee an inclusive experience.

An event may have accessible infrastructure and still present barriers in communication, information, service, mobility or participation. Therefore, the objective is not only to eliminate physical obstacles, but to understand accessibility as a condition that allows all people to access, participate, interact and enjoy the experience on equal terms.

This reflection will serve as the basis for case analysis, barrier identification and the construction of improvement proposals during the laboratory.

3:25 p.m. – 4:10 p.m.

Case Studies and Real Learnings

What we are doing, what we are learning and which barriers remain unresolved

Presentation of three real experiences that will allow participants to analyze different dimensions of accessibility applied to events, destinations and services.

Each case will be addressed from four perspectives:

• Barriers encountered before, during and after the event.
• Good practices implemented.
• Challenges or situations that created difficulties.
• Lessons learned that can be applied to other events and destinations.

Case 1 – Barcelona Convention Bureau

Mobility and physical accessibility

This case will analyze learnings related to mobility, infrastructure, circulation, physical accessibility, venues, hotels, transportation and the participant’s urban experience.

Case 2 – Latin American Union of the Blind

Communication and access to information for people with visual disabilities

This case will address barriers related to prior information, websites, forms, signage, materials, orientation, participation in sessions, autonomy and accessible communication.

Case 3 – ASIDOWN Costa Rica

Cognitive accessibility, understanding events and autonomy

This experience will identify learnings related to cognitive accessibility, understanding information, autonomy, support, experience design and process adaptation for people with cognitive disabilities.

4:10 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.

Methodological Transition

From the case study to the complete participant journey

Brief explanation of the participatory dynamic.

Instead of working only by type of disability, participants will be organized according to the different moments of the attendee experience. This will make it possible to analyze accessibility from an integrated, practical and applicable perspective for general events.

The working matrix to be used by the groups will be presented:

Phase 1 = Element – Condition – Identified barrier

Phase 2 = Possible solution – Responsible actor – Requirements

4:20 p.m. – 4:50 p.m.

Barrier Laboratory

Participants will work in the following thematic groups:

Group 1 – Communication

Elements to analyze:

• Pre-trip information
• Pre-registration and on-site registration
• Special requests
• Post-event feedback

Group 2 – Tourism Services

Elements to analyze:

• Arrival at the destination
• Transportation and mobility
• Accommodation
• General orientation within the destination

Group 3 – Event

Elements to analyze:

• Venue
• Entry and circulation
• Participation in sessions
• Participation as an attendee
• Participation as a panelist
• Networking
• Labor inclusion

Group 4 – Social Experience

Elements to analyze:

• Food and beverage
• Social activities
• Emergencies and unexpected situations
• Support and response to unplanned situations

Each group will analyze its thematic area and identify, for each element:

• The barriers that appear at each moment of the experience
• The disability condition affected by the barrier
• Which barrier needs to be solved
• Who is mainly affected

The objective is to identify critical barriers and the people whose access is limited in each case.

4:50 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Short Break

5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Laboratory of Applicable Solutions

From barrier to action

The same groups will work on the identified barriers to transform them into concrete, realistic and applicable solutions.

For each barrier included in the matrix, participants must identify at least one reasonable adjustment, solution or support tool that minimizes the barrier and helps ensure that the element is accessible to all people.

Guiding questions:

• What concrete action can be implemented?
• What could be implemented immediately?
• Which actor should lead the solution?

They will also identify in the matrix:

• What requires budget?
• What requires training?
• What requires operational changes?
• What requires infrastructure?

The dynamic will seek to convert the conversation into an initial base of concrete actions for destinations, hotels, venues, organizers, suppliers, convention bureaus, DMCs, PCOs and public institutions.

5:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.

Plenary Sharing

Learnings for an accessible experience

Brief presentation of the main contributions from each team.

This block will make it possible to build an initial shared base of applicable criteria to improve accessibility in destinations, hotels, venues, events and experiences.

5:45 p.m. – 5:55 p.m.

Accessibility as Real Legacy

Roadmap toward FIEXPO Latin America 2027

Synthesis space to highlight the main learnings from the laboratory and project possible lines of continuity.

Accessibility will be presented as a concrete dimension of legacy: when an event promotes improvements in the way a destination welcomes, guides, communicates, mobilizes and supports its visitors, the destination becomes better prepared for everyone.

5:55 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Institutional Closing

Final conclusions and closing of the activity

The laboratory will conclude by reaffirming that an accessible experience does not benefit only people with disabilities, but elevates the quality of the entire system: it improves hospitality, strengthens competitiveness and expands the capacity of destinations to welcome more people, and welcome them better.

With the special collaboration of:

La entrada Inclusive Legacy Lab – Powered by Let’s Meet se publicó primero en Fiexpo Latin America.

La entrada MPI Event Impact Forum: Preventing Food Waste se publicó primero en Fiexpo Latin America.

SITE South America arrives at FIEXPO Latin America 2026 with an activity designed to connect inspiration, purpose, action, and social responsibility.

The session will begin with an institutional welcome and a special participation by Annette Gregg, CEO of SITE, who will share a global perspective on the evolution of the incentive industry, the value of purposeful experiences, and SITE’s role in strengthening the professional development of the industry.

Then, Kike Ramírez will deliver his keynote “Challenge Your Destiny”, a high-impact conference designed to challenge, focus, and inspire industry professionals to become a more strategic, prepared, and conscious version of themselves.

The gathering will conclude with a social responsibility activity, reinforcing SITE South America and FIEXPO Latin America’s commitment to positive impact, human connection, and legacy.

Special Participation

• Annette Gregg
  CEO, SITE — Society for Incentive Travel Excellence
• Keynote Speaker
• Kike Ramírez
  International speaker, consultant, and specialist in neurosales, leadership, and applied inspiration

General Agenda

2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Institutional Opening and SITE Welcome

Welcome remarks and words from authorities

The activity will begin with welcome remarks from the authorities present, highlighting the strategic value of SITE South America within the FIEXPO Latin America 2026 program and its contribution to the development of the meetings and incentives industry in the region.

This block will include a special participation by Annette Gregg, CEO of SITE, who will share a global perspective on the incentive industry, purposeful experiences, and SITE’s role in building stronger, more connected professional communities prepared to respond to the market’s new challenges.

3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

Keynote: Challenge Your Destiny

Led by Kike Ramírez

This is the point where everything begins to make sense.

It is the natural connection between what you learn to win clients and what you build to create purposeful events. A conference that takes this reflection to a deeper level: personal preparation, professional execution, and the coherence with which each person chooses to move toward their highest potential.

Challenge Your Destiny is a high-impact experience that invites participants to review the way they think, sell, lead, and act.

Buyers and sellers will sit in the same room. And something that almost never happens will take place: standards will be elevated, expectations will be aligned, and real respect will be built.

This keynote seeks to shake, focus, and activate participants. Attendees will leave with proven tools that can be applied immediately, but also with something more important: a new way to stand, think, and decide.

Because the next level does not depend on luck.
It depends on how you prepare, how you execute, and how you honor your word.

4:15 p.m. – 5:40 p.m.

Social Responsibility Activity

Purpose, Connection, and Positive Impact

After the keynote, participants will take part in a social responsibility activity designed to transform inspiration into concrete action.

This space will seek to connect attendees with the human value of the meetings and incentives industry, promoting an experience of collaboration, commitment, and positive contribution.

The activity will reinforce the importance of creating purposeful events that can generate impact beyond the room and leave a meaningful footprint in the community.

5:40 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

SITE South America Closing

From Purpose to Action

Institutional closing of the activity, integrating the main learnings of the day and highlighting SITE South America’s role as a space for connection, professional development, and impact generation.

The session will conclude with an action-oriented message: challenging one’s own destiny means preparing better, executing with greater awareness, building higher-value relationships, and embracing purpose as an essential part of professional growth.

Expected Outcomes

By the end of the activity, participants will have experienced a program designed to:

• Connect inspiration, commercial strategy, and purpose.
• Understand the importance of raising standards between buyers and sellers.
• Incorporate practical tools for professional action.
• Reflect on preparation, execution, and personal coherence.
• Participate in a social responsibility activity with positive impact.
• Reinforce the value of events as platforms for transformation and legacy.

SITE South America: Challenge Your Destiny will be an experience designed to challenge, inspire, and connect professionals from the meetings and incentives industry with their next level.

La entrada SITE South America se publicó primero en Fiexpo Latin America.

The NextGen Summit is a space designed to inspire, train, and activate the new generations of the meetings industry.

Aimed at final-year students from careers related to tourism, events, hospitality, and related fields, as well as young professionals with less than five years of experience in the sector, this program seeks to help participants quickly understand how the industry works, identify real opportunities for professional development, and strengthen key skills to build a career with greater clarity, leadership, and projection.

The activity will combine industry vision, leadership, personal branding, LinkedIn, teamwork, an applied challenge, and a special participation by IAPCO, which will present a unique opportunity for Emerging Leaders in Latin America.

Activity Leaders

• Álvaro Rojas
  General Manager, Costa Rica Convention Center
• José Alberto Quan
  Meetings industry, LinkedIn, and personal branding specialist
• Macarena Murillo
  Guest facilitator
• Andrés Castro
  Guest facilitator
• Natalia Roblero
  Guest facilitator

Special Participation

IAPCO — International Association of Professional Congress Organisers

IAPCO will have a special space within the program to present a new regional opportunity aimed at the next generations of professionals in the meetings industry.

This intervention will bring participants closer to the international standards of professionalization, quality, and talent development promoted by IAPCO globally.

In addition, the IAPCO representative may participate, together with the activity coordinators, in the selection process of the winners of the final challenge.

General Agenda

3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

Welcome and Introduction to NextGen

Opening of the activity and presentation of the program’s purpose: to help new generations understand the industry, develop key skills, and begin building their place within the professional meetings ecosystem.

3:15 p.m. – 3:35 p.m.

Understanding the Meetings Industry

Where You Stand and Where You Can Grow

A quick and clear immersion into the world of the meetings industry: destinations, convention bureaux, PCOs, DMCs, hotels, venues, associations, organizers, suppliers, buyers, and international organizations.

The objective will be for each participant to understand that the meetings industry is not only about event organization, but also a platform for economic development, knowledge, networking, impact, business, and destination positioning.

3:35 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

Leading Before Having a Title

Led by Álvaro Rojas

An inspiring and practical space on early leadership, professional purpose, and the development of human skills.

The session will focus on one central idea: leadership does not begin when a person receives a formal title, but when they develop judgment, responsibility, the ability to learn, a service attitude, and a commitment to generating value.

Participants will reflect on how to stand out in the first years of their career, how to build trust, how to adapt to change, and how to prepare to grow in an increasingly demanding, international, and dynamic industry.

4:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

IAPCO Opportunity for Emerging Leaders

A Unique Initiative for Latin America

Special presentation by IAPCO on the opportunity being developed for young talent in the meetings industry across the region.

This block will highlight the importance of professionalizing from the early stages, connecting with international standards, and opening new pathways for training, mentoring, and professional development.

4:30 p.m. – 5:10 p.m.

LinkedIn and Personal Branding for Young Professionals

Led by José Alberto Quan

A practical workshop to strengthen professional presence on LinkedIn and learn how to communicate personal value more effectively.

The focus will not be a generic social media workshop, but rather a session applied to young professionals who are beginning their careers in the meetings industry and need to build visibility, credibility, and relevant connections.

The session will work on how to improve a professional profile, how to communicate who you are even with limited experience, how to transform studies, internships, volunteer work, and projects into professional value, how to publish with purpose, and how to connect with leaders and organizations in the industry.

5:10 p.m. – 5:40 p.m.

Applied Challenge

My First Impact Project for the Industry

Participants will work in teams to solve a practical challenge linked to the future of talent in the meetings industry.

The challenge will be to design an initiative that helps bring more young people closer to the industry, showing its professional opportunities, its impact on destinations, and its value for community development.

Each team must build a brief, clear, and applicable proposal, considering the problem it seeks to solve, the target audience, the main action, the necessary allies, the communication approach, and its possible implementation within 90 days.

5:40 p.m. – 5:55 p.m.

Proposal Presentations and Selection of Winners

Teams will present their proposals before the facilitators and the IAPCO representative.

The selection will consider the clarity of the idea, its real applicability, connection with the meetings industry, creativity, impact potential, quality of communication, and short-term feasibility.

5:55 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Closing

From Participant to Protagonist

The activity will close with an action-oriented message, inviting young participants to stop seeing themselves as observers of the industry and begin positioning themselves as protagonists of their own professional development.

The meetings industry does not need young people waiting for their turn. It needs young people who are prepared, visible, connected, and ready to contribute today.

Expected Outcomes

By the end of the NextGen Leaders Lab, participants will have achieved the following:

• Quickly understand how the meetings industry works.
  • Identify real career opportunities within the ecosystem.
  • Develop an initial perspective on professional leadership.
  • Strengthen personal branding and LinkedIn positioning criteria.
  • Learn about the regional opportunity promoted together with IAPCO.
  • Work as a team on a practical impact challenge.
  • Leave with concrete tools to apply in their daily professional life.

The NextGen Leaders Lab will be an experience designed for new generations to understand the industry, develop skills, build professional visibility, and begin occupying their place in the future of the meetings industry.

La entrada NEXT GENERATION SUMMIT se publicó primero en Fiexpo Latin America.

The Latin American Meetings and Professional Events Industry Forum emerges as the natural evolution of the Convention Bureau Challenge, consolidating a space for strategic dialogue, regional collaboration, and concrete action for destinations, convention bureaux, DMOs, venues, hotels, associations, public institutions, and key stakeholders across the value chain.

Under the approach “From Conversation to Regional Action,” this activity will bring together Latin American leaders and international experts to analyze the main challenges destinations face in terms of competitiveness, governance, international event attraction, market intelligence, bids, impact, and sustainability.

The session will combine strategic provocations, collaborative teamwork, and an interactive dynamic aimed at transforming common challenges into action priorities for the region.

Facilitator

• Juan José García
  Managing Director, Bco Congresos
• International Guests
• Annette Gregg
  CEO, SITE — Society for Incentive Travel Excellence
• Martin Boyle
  CEO, IAPCO — International Association of Professional Congress Organisers
• Eduardo Chaillo
  Regional Director LATAM, Maritz
  CEO, Global Meetings and Tourism Specialists
• Dennis Speet
  Managing Director, Amsterdam Convention Bureau
• Christoph Tessmar
  Director, Barcelona Convention Bureau

General Agenda

3:00 p.m. – 3:10 p.m.

Strategic Opening

Welcome and introduction to the purpose of the forum as a new regional working platform to strengthen Latin America’s competitiveness in the global meetings industry.

3:10 p.m. – 3:20 p.m.

How We Will Work

Presentation of the session methodology by Juan José García.

The forum will not be a traditional conference, but a participatory dynamic where attendees will work in teams, accompanied by international experts.

3:20 p.m. – 3:35 p.m.

Pulse of Latin American Destinations 2026

Executive presentation of the main findings from the pre-event survey conducted among destinations, convention bureaux, DMOs, and strategic stakeholders from the region.

This block will make it possible to identify common challenges related to governance, event attraction, bidding, market intelligence, ambassador programs, public-private coordination, and impact measurement.

3:35 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Strategic Provocation Circle

Brief conversation with the international guests to open a reflection on the main transformations facing destinations and the meetings industry.

Each expert will share their perspective on competitiveness, collaboration, new models, the strategic value of the industry, and opportunities for Latin America.

4:00 p.m. – 4:35 p.m.

Interactive Challenge: The Meetings Industry Challenge

Participatory team-based dynamic, inspired by a challenge-style format, around five major conversation pillars:

• Change driven by artificial intelligence: redefining business and society
• The future is now
• New business models
• The value of the meetings industry
• Controversies

Teams will work on strategic questions linked to the future of the industry, the impact of artificial intelligence, new business models, value generation, and the main debates shaping the sector.

4:35 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Short Break

4:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Destination Reality Map

Teamwork to identify strengths, weaknesses, and common gaps among Latin American destinations.

Participants will analyze what they are doing well, which barriers limit their competitiveness, and which stakeholders should play a more active role in international event attraction and positioning strategies.

5:15 p.m. – 5:40 p.m.

Governance, Priorities, and Regional Action

Collaborative dynamic to identify the main priorities that should be part of a regional working agenda.

Possible topics will include:

• Public-private governance
• Professionalization of convention bureaux and DMOs
• Market intelligence
• International bids
• Ambassador programs
• Impact measurement
• Sustainability and legacy
• Technology, data, and artificial intelligence
• Cooperation among destinations
• Global positioning of Latin America

5:40 p.m. – 5:55 p.m.

From Gap to Action

Synthesis of the main contributions from the teams and construction of first lines of action to move toward a regional agenda for destinations and the meetings industry.

5:55 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Institutional Closing

Final conclusions and next steps to consolidate this forum as an annual platform for intelligence, collaboration, and action for Latin America.

Expected Outcomes

The forum will seek to deliver an initial working foundation to advance on:

• The Pulse of Latin American Destinations 2026
• A regional map of gaps and opportunities
• A ranking of common priorities
• First lines of action for the next 12 months
• The foundations for a regional agenda promoted by FIEXPO Latin America

More than a conversation session, this forum will be a space designed to activate collaboration, strategic thinking, and concrete action among the main stakeholders of the meetings industry in Latin America.

La entrada Latin American Destinations Forum se publicó primero en Fiexpo Latin America.

Kick off FIEXPO 2026 by connecting, sharing, and celebrating the strength of the Latin American meetings and events industry community. This gathering will bring together MPI members and friends in an ideal setting to strengthen ties, exchange ideas, and learn firsthand about the latest news, initiatives, and developments within the MPI community. Current MPI members are invited to participate and bring a colleague from the industry to join this networking and integration event.

La entrada MPI Regional Meeting se publicó primero en Fiexpo Latin America.

Keynote sponsored by CATA

In a world where artificial intelligence is redefining the way we work, sell, lead, learn, and build professional relationships, human skills are becoming more important than ever.

FIEXPO Connecting Minds: Power Skills in the Age of AI proposes a journey into the present and future of work, exploring the trends that are transforming professional careers in the age of artificial intelligence, innovation, and automation.

This keynote, sponsored by CATA, will provide a practical, inspiring, and highly actionable perspective on the capabilities that professionals in the meetings industry need to develop in order to remain relevant, competitive, and able to lead in an environment of accelerated change.

Keynote Speaker

Borja Castelar
International speaker specialized in Power Skills, artificial intelligence, leadership, and sales.

Borja Castelar is a leading Spanish-speaking expert in human skills, leadership, and digital transformation. He was LinkedIn Director for Europe and Latin America, leading the Talent Solutions division from Ireland and Brazil, and has been a LinkedIn Learning instructor, where his courses on sales, leadership, and communication have inspired more than 500,000 students around the world.

As an international speaker, he has delivered more than 500 conferences in 22 countries and has impacted more than 200,000 people through in-person and virtual audiences.

Keynote Concept

Power Skills in the Age of AI

A conference designed to understand how artificial intelligence is transforming the world of work and which human skills will be decisive to stand out in this new scenario.

The session will address four essential elements:

1. Power Skills

Human skills that will not be replaced by artificial intelligence, such as persuasion, leadership, communication, influence, critical thinking, and the ability to connect with others.

2. Artificial Intelligence

Understanding the impacts of AI, its opportunities, its challenges, and how to navigate a world increasingly dominated by intelligent technologies.

3. Continuous Learning Mindset

The ability to adapt, learn constantly, and reinvent oneself professionally in response to new tools, work models, and ways of generating value.

4. Personal Branding

The importance of communicating one’s own value, building professional positioning, and becoming a reference in an increasingly competitive environment.

These four pillars are part of the bestselling conference “Power Skills in the Age of AI,” focused on the present and future of work, the trends redefining careers, and the skills needed to lead tomorrow.

General Agenda

10:00 a.m. – 10:10 a.m.

Opening of FIEXPO Connecting Minds

Welcome and introduction to the purpose of the session.

This block will open the conversation on the future of talent in the meetings industry and the need to develop new capabilities to lead in an age shaped by artificial intelligence, innovation, and the transformation of work.

10:10 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.

Institutional Presentation by CATA

A space to recognize the keynote sponsor and present the strategic framework connecting this session with regional competitiveness, talent development, and the professional evolution of the industry.

10:20 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.

Keynote: Power Skills in the Age of AI

Led by Borja Castelar

A high-impact conference combining future vision, artificial intelligence, leadership, personal branding, sales, persuasion, and human skills.

The keynote will invite participants to reflect on how to prepare for a professional environment where technology is advancing rapidly, but where differentiation will continue to depend on the human ability to communicate, lead, learn, influence, and build trust.

Attendees will gain practical, inspiring, and highly actionable insights to transform their careers, strengthen their value proposition, and prepare to lead in the new reality of work.

11:20 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Closing and Call to Action

Conceptual closing of the session with an emphasis on the importance of investing in talent today in order to lead tomorrow.

This block will reinforce the central idea of the keynote: knowledge without action is insufficient. True value lies in converting learning into decisions, habits, and behaviors capable of transforming the way we work and position ourselves professionally.

Expected Outcomes

By the end of the session, participants will have explored:

• The main trends redefining the future of work.
  • The impact of artificial intelligence on professional careers.
  • The human skills that will continue to be differentiators in the age of AI.
  • The importance of continuous learning as a competitive advantage.
  • The value of personal branding to better communicate one’s talent.
  • Practical tools to strengthen leadership, influence, communication, and professional positioning.

FIEXPO Connecting Minds: Power Skills in the Age of AI will be a session designed to inspire, provoke action, and prepare meetings industry professionals to lead with intelligence, humanity, and future vision.

La entrada FIEXPO Connecting Minds: Power Skills in the Age of AI se publicó primero en Fiexpo Latin America.

Open to industry professionals. An event designed to highlight the leadership, experiences, and perspectives that are currently transforming the industry, fostering an authentic conversation about professional development, decision-making, and impact.

La entrada Women in the Meetings Industry Forum se publicó primero en Fiexpo Latin America.