The VIII Pacific Alliance Tourism Business Roundtable will promote the marketing of sustainable destinations as part of the bloc’s Capacity-Building Program for the Sustainable Internationalization of Tourist Destinations, led by the Promotion Agencies Technical Group (GTAP).
February 26, 2026.- Armenia, Colombia, will host the VIII Pacific Alliance Tourism Business Roundtable on April 23–24, 2026. The event is the premier tourism business platform of the regional bloc comprising Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru, and will bring together approximately 100 inbound operators (25 per country) and 50 international buyers, including 40 outbound operators from Alliance member countries and 10 from China, a priority long-haul market within the bloc’s joint international tourism promotion strategy.
The announcement was made at Colombia Travel Mart 2026, held at Corferias as part of the ANATO 2026 Tourism Showcase. The event featured participation from representatives of the Mexican Government—currently holding the Pacific Alliance pro tempore presidency—as well as the Quindío Convention Bureau and ProColombia.
“The Pacific Alliance Tourism Business Roundtable is a strategic platform for our business leaders to forge high-impact partnerships and showcase an increasingly sustainable offering. After eight years, this gathering returns to an in-person format in Armenia—a direct response to our business community’s need to connect face-to-face to strengthen the region. This is the ideal stage to demonstrate the power of integration and jointly promote the richness of our ‘World Treasure’ to priority markets like China,” said Carmen Caballero, President of ProColombia.
Armenia previously hosted the event July 11–13, 2018, generating an estimated US$22.2 million in multi-destination business. That tourism roundtable drew approximately 194 industry professionals from Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, China, and the United States, with nearly 1,772 one-on-one business meetings held between outbound and inbound operators.
The selection of Armenia as the host city reflects the consolidation of the Coffee Cultural Landscape as an international showcase for nature, wellness, and cultural tourism. The destination stands out for its strong sustainability credentials and its potential for attracting Asian travelers. The region has diversified its tourism offering to include meetings and events (MICE) at both modern and traditional venues, as well as romance tourism and destination weddings. Quindío also has infrastructure for sports tourism in mountain settings and theme parks, complementing its biodiversity and traditional cultural heritage.
“By hosting the Pacific Alliance Tourism Business Roundtable in Armenia and Quindío, we continue to prove that our destination is a world-class option within Colombia’s Coffee Cultural Landscape—distinguished by its infrastructure, service quality, and differentiated experiences for the meetings and events industry, corporate segments, and traditional tourism, both at the national and international level,” said José Manuel Cimadevilla, Director of the Quindío Convention Bureau.
The event is part of the Pacific Alliance’s Capacity-Building Program for the Sustainable Internationalization of Tourist Destinations, an initiative funded through the bloc’s Cooperation Fund and implemented by the Promotion Agencies Technical Group (GTAP)—comprising Chile’s National Tourism Service (SERNATUR), Mexico’s Tourism Ministry (SECTUR), PROMPERÚ, and ProColombia.
Over its seven previous events, the Business Roundtable has brought together more than 600 inbound operators from within the bloc and nearly 300 outbound operators from nine international markets, with estimated business exceeding US$75 million. This year, participants will hold 20-minute one-on-one meetings to present their offerings in cultural, gastronomic, nature and adventure, and wellness tourism.
Sustainable Internationalization as a Strategic Priority
Ahead of the Business Roundtable, the program includes a training component designed to strengthen the participating companies’ technical capabilities in sustainability. In April 2026, five virtual sessions will be held, including an open introductory webinar on sustainable tourism and an analysis of current dynamics in international tourism—addressing challenges such as overtourism, the erosion of authenticity, and the growing social backlash in saturated destinations.
This will be complemented by four specialized master classes for the 100 companies participating in the Business Roundtable. Topics will include creating and marketing sustainable products, responsible internationalization practices, the use of technology and data analytics to boost competitiveness, and specific strategies for attracting and retaining Chinese travelers.
China and Multi-Destination Promotion
The program renews the bloc’s joint outreach strategy toward third-party markets, with a particular focus on China—one of the world’s largest outbound tourism markets, known for high-spending travelers who typically include multiple countries in a single itinerary. The participation of 10 Chinese outbound operators at the Business Roundtable is an opportunity to promote multi-destination packages within the Pacific Alliance, deepen regional integration, and extend the bloc’s international reach.
The focus on China reflects a deliberate positioning strategy with the world’s largest source of outbound tourists and a key partner for the bloc’s multi-destination promotion. Chinese tourists continue to represent the highest-value segment for Pacific Alliance destinations, with average per capita spending exceeding $2,800 in 2025, and the total expenditure of this market reaching a historic $459 billion.
Voices from the Region’s Tourism Leaders
Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism, said: “Within the Pacific Alliance, we are building a strong regional narrative in which Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru present themselves to the world as a diverse, authentic, and competitive multi-destination experience. This Tourism Business Roundtable in Armenia reaffirms our commitment to responsible promotion based on sustainability, innovation, and the smart cultivation of key outbound markets for tourism growth in the region.”
Cristóbal Benítez Villafranca, National Director of Chile’s National Tourism Service (SERNATUR), noted: “At SERNATUR, we firmly believe in the importance of driving promotional initiatives like this one, born from the collaborative work of the promotion agencies of the Pacific Alliance member countries. This joint effort strengthens intra-regional tourism while simultaneously opening doors to long-haul markets such as China.”
Ricardo Limo, Executive President of PROMPERÚ, added: “The Pacific Alliance Tourism Business Roundtable is a key platform for strengthening regional integration and building strategic partnerships between public and private stakeholders with the goal of driving tourism to member countries. At PROMPERÚ, we support these kinds of platforms that allow us to take on new challenges, grow together, and promote sustainable, responsible tourism experiences.”