IPW (International Pow-Wow) 2026, the international travel trade show hosted by the US Travel Association in Fort Lauderdale Broward County Convention Center 17-21 May, drew 5,000 attendees from over 60 countries and generated $1bn for the host city over the next three years. And that was only the immediate economic impact, with the long-term value to Broward County and the South Florida hospitality industry expected to be considerably more.
IPW brought more than 600 exhibitors from every corner of the United States and 1,400 international and domestic buyers and media representatives. There were 75,000 pre-scheduled appointments over the course of the five-day event.
Each conference drives nearly 11 million international visitors to the United States over three years, generating an estimated $26.1bn in travel spending. Locally, the long-term economic impact tied to future travel bookings generated through IPW 2026 is estimated at approximately $340m annually, or more than $1bn over the three years following the event.
More than 60% of buyers who attend IPW reported that they plan to book destinations they had not previously considered.
“Hosting IPW 2026 was a defining moment for Greater Fort Lauderdale. This event gave us an unparalleled opportunity to showcase our newly expanded convention centre, our hospitality community, and the experiences that make this destination so special to the global travel industry,” said Stacy Ritter, president and CEO of Visit Lauderdale. “The relationships built and business generated here will create meaningful economic impact for our hotels, restaurants, attractions and local businesses for years to come.”
The Broward County Convention Center in collaboration with Visit Lauderdale hosted IPW’s full slate of daily business sessions, activations, as well as the conference’s opening and closing celebrations.
“From start to finish, our hospitality partners, tourism leaders, local businesses, and community stakeholders played an integral role in delivering a world-class event experience,” said Ron King, general manager of Broward County Convention Center for Legends Global, which manages the venue.
