ILTM Americas taking place 1 - 3 October 2012 on the Mexican Riviera Maya, will exclusively partner with Mexico’s leading luxury lifestyle magazine Travesias to deliver a dedicated program designed for luxury travel agents from across the Americas.

ILTM Americas’ Opening Forum on Monday 1 October will include a live interview with Claudia Madrazo, founder of Catherwood Travels and The Haciendas – Luxury Collection and renowned local philanthropist and CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg conducting a series of interviews with luxury travel experts from across the world.

Javier Arredondo, founder of Travesias and partner of reputed Mexican luxury travel agency ITG commented: “ILTM Americas will create a truly unique market place in an inspirational location. We have ensured the full on-site program will reflect Travesias’ regional knowledge and connections and ILTM’s reputation, so setting the scene for business success for all involved.”

The invitation only ILTM Americas is already fully booked, profiling 130 high-end international travel suppliers from over 27 countries across the world to inspire a similar number of individually selected, premium travel agents from across North, Central and South America. They include Luxury Lodges of Australia, Wilderness Safaris, The Galapagos Islands’ Pikaia Lodge; La Residence in Franschhoek; The Ritz, London and La Mamounia in Marrakech. Additional seminars on 1 October at ILTM Americas will also focus on ‘The three most mis-used words in travel: Ecotourism, Volunteerism, and Sustainability’; ‘Luxury Tourism Trends between North and Latin America travel’ and ‘The re-bound of the Tourism Market to Mexico’.

Simon Mayle, ILTM Head of Marketing and Buyer Programmes commented: “Javier Arredondo and his incredible team at Travesias have added significant value to the detail involved in ILTM Americas – we are delighted to be working with such a recognised leader in the burgeoning world of Mexican luxury.”

With the Mexican economy growing at its fastest pace in the first quarter of 2012 for more than a year, the Mexico and Riviera Maya Tourism Boards are working closely with ILTM to ensure the destination sets the scene for business success. Celebrations will take place throughout ILTM Americas at destinations including the majestic archaeological park of Xcaret, the authentic Mexican Orient-Express’ Maroma Resort and Spa and the celebrated Fairmont Mayakoba.

Darío Flota Ocampo, Director General of Riviera Maya: “Riviera Maya is all about luxury travel today - the perfect host for ILTM Americas. Very few destinations offer such an overwhelming ‘sense of place’ and the resort is one of a kind, nestled amongst jungle mangroves and lagoons and at one with the natural environment.”