More than 350 global leaders of the meetings industry will analyze the future of the sector in northern Mexico, with artificial intelligence and the metaverse as the spearhead, during the Amprofec National Congress (CONAM) 2026 in Nuevo León.
The meeting, organized by the Mexican Association of Professionals in Fairs, Exhibitions and Conventions (Amprofec) from January 27 to 29, will be held in the municipalities of Monterrey, San Pedro Garza García and Santiago, and will also address “the legacy that this sector leaves to new generations,” according to the statement.
Among the international speakers announced are Juan Javier Ibarra Pitts, specialist in artificial intelligence; Brenda Belmares, speaker and strategic advisor; the Mexican mentalist Víctor Castañeda; Jahasiel Sevilla, Digital Director at Google Cloud Consulting; the Spanish David de Dios, executive director of 4foreverything; and Maca Riva, content creator and entrepreneur.
In addition, global industry figures such as Vincent Polito, executive director of the Society of Independent Show Organizers, are expected to participate; Nancy Drapeau, vice president of Research and head of the Center for Exhibition Industry Research of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events; and Pauline Teyssedre, president of the Sustainability Committee of the International Federation of Exhibitor Suppliers.
You may find it interesting: Artificial intelligence, with a Latin accent
Julio César Bojórquez Hernández, national president of Amprofec, maintained that the northern Mexican state of Nuevo León, and specifically its capital Monterrey, has conditions for the “four pillars” of the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry, citing hotel infrastructure, connectivity and venues for congresses, exhibitions and corporate events.
Bojórquez Hernández highlighted the economic relevance of the sector: the exhibition industry generates a direct income of 143,000 million pesos (about 7,944 million dollars) and an indirect income of 793,000 million pesos, in addition to 11,294 million pesos (almost 627 million dollars) in accommodation expenses, which represents 46.73% of the income of the MICE sector in that item.
He added that, with data from the Mexican Council of the Meetings Industry (COMIR) and the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), at the end of 2024 the sector represented 1.83% of the GDP, 1.8% of the country’s total employment and 4.2% within the Commerce, Services and Tourism sector; and that Mexico remains in the 22nd global position in organizing conferences.
The organizing committee includes Cintermex, the Monterrey Convention and Visitors Bureau (OCV), Airó-Show Center, Trade Show Factory, Tec Venues and the Monterrey Tourism Cluster, while among the confirmed brands and entities are Centro Expositor Puebla, Expo Guadalajara, Tradex, Global Expo, RX Global and Informa Markets, as well as visitor offices in Torreón, Saltillo, Oaxaca and Guadalajara.
During CONAM 2026, Amprofec will elect its new national president for the period 2026-2028, in a process of renewal of its leadership, the statement indicated.
With information from EFE
Follow the technology information in our specialized section
