The Latino Travel Fest took place in Chicago this June (2025), and if you weren’t there, you missed one of the most important travel events of the year for Hispanics / Latinos.
Not because it had the flashiest stages or the biggest sponsors. But because it created something that’s still far too rare in this industry: a space where Latinos were not only welcomed but prioritized.
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Before we get into the highlights, here’s what made this event feel different from the start:
- The entire first day was dedicated to creators, with sessions on monetization, pitching, email strategy, and content planning led by successful Latine creatives.
- You didn’t have to explain yourself. Every moment, starting with cafecito from Freysan Coffee in the morning to the final networking hour where we enjoyed Churros from Xurro, reflected our culture. The speakers, the vendors, the music, it all spoke our language without needing translation or explanation.
- The programming didn’t just include us, it was run by us, for us. The schedule was filled with panels led by AfroLatina founders, first-gen travelers, queer creators, and industry pros who didn’t sugarcoat what it takes to thrive in an industry that hasn’t acknowledged us, ever.
- There was a collective understanding that travel isn’t always about luxury or aesthetics because sometimes it’s about survival, traveling back to our parents’ home countries to find healing and legacy, sometimes even guilt but many times simple and unexplainable joy.
Latino Travel Fest 2025
If you’re a traveler, a creator, a brand strategist, or someone who wants to be part of building a more equitable travel industry, here’s why Latino Travel Fest needs to be on your radar before tickets for 2026 are gone!
What Is Latino Travel Fest?
Latino Travel Fest is the only U.S. conference created by and for Latine travelers. It’s a community centered gathering that puts cultural identity and representation at the heart of every panel, workshop, and networking session.
Maybe you’re solo traveling for the first time. Maybe you’re growing your content brand or navigating your place in this industry. It doesn’t matter which path you are on within the travel industry, this is the event where you stop shrinking yourself and start taking up space.
What You Actually Missed in 2025
This year’s fest was celebrated in the Pilsen neighborhood in Chicago. Chicago is a city whose layered neighborhoods, cultural history, and energy made it the perfect host. The city recognizes and celebrates its diversity amongst its 178 different neighborhoods. But it was what happened inside the conference spaces, and during workshops that made this event so powerful.
Panels That Reflected Our Lived Experience
The programming leaned into what it really means to travel as a Latine person across borders, languages, and cultural expectations.
Key sessions included:
- Unlocking the Power of Inclusion in Travel & Tourism Marketing
- Mochilera Con Propósito: Travel Without Breaking the Bank
- Journeys of Healing
- Travel Can Save Your Life and Transform Your Career
These sessions were practical, honest, and often emotional conversations rooted in our experiences..
Workshops That BuilD Skills
Some sessions focused on pitching to brands. Others broke down how to optimize content or use AI to plan more efficiently. Every workshop delivered takeaways that creators could apply right away.
A few standouts:
- How to Get Your Trip Out of the Group Chat
- Pitch Perfect! How to Land Dream Collabs as a Travel Blogger – Con Sazón
- Travel with AI: Plan Smart Vacations in Minutes
- Luxury Travel with Points & Miles
The Community Was the Point
What made this fest unforgettable wasn’t just the content of the fest, it was the people. It was having like minded travelers that understand your goals and your cultural diversity.
First-time solo travelers sat next to full-time creators. Moms brought their daughters. Industry professionals and travel journalists connected with bloggers who use their platforms to uplift the Latino community.
No one had to justify why they belonged or be asked, where are you really from multiple times. That kind of space is still rare and it’s why this fest matters.
Chicago Was Much More Than a Backdrop
I’ve written about Chicago as a solo travel destination because it continues to offer meaningful experiences and connection points for travelers like me. If you’re planning your own visit, check out my full guide to exploring the city solo, which is especially helpful for first-time visitors. Read it here.
Thanks to curated experiences organized by Choose Chicago, CityPass and the Latino Travel Fest team, attendees truly experienced a taste of the city and many said they will be back for more!
Creators visited Pilsen Neighborhood on Friday and got a chance to see the beautiful murals, the delicious food and Latina/ queer owned stores like Mestiza. Others went on a tour of Humboldt neighborhood to experience Puerto Rican culture that the diaspora has created in Chicago.
On a different day, we walked had a walking tour from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial along the Riverwalk, past architectural icons like the Marina Towers and the Carbide & Carbon Building. At Millennium Park, we caught the Chicago Philharmonic rehearsing before exploring the Lurie Garden. Thanks to Choose Chicago for the walking tour! We learned so much more about Chicago’s history.
Lunch at Roanoke gave us time to connect over delicious food. Later an architecture boat tour aboard the First Lady added even more historical and architectural context to the city’s skyline.
Post-tour we enjoyed frosés at the Chicago Brewhouse and then mocktails at 360 Chicago’s CloudBar which gave us skyline views—and a moment to pause and still connect with other attendees.
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Each location we visited revealed something deeper about this beautiful city. We learned about its history, its contradictions, and its effort to welcome communities like ours.
Why More Latinos Need to Attend and Support The Latino Travel Fest
We Latinos are a driving force in the travel economy, but most of that power goes unrecognized because we don’t see ourselves reflected in the industry. Not in ads. Not in partnerships. Not on speaker lineups. We are a huge untapped potential market that spends a large amount on leisure travel each year and yet we are still unseen and not even thought of in marketing campaigns.
The Latino Travel Fest is changing that but it can’t do it alone.
Here’s why your presence matters At The Latino Travel Fest::
- We move money: Latino travelers in the U.S. spend over $114 billion on domestic travel every year according to MMGY Global’s Vistas Latinas research. Our visibility should reflect that. And that’s just domestic travel. Add international travel, and the impact is even greater.
- Representation creates opportunity: When we show up in rooms built for us by us, we don’t just inspire others, we also open doors and pave the way for others.
- Support sends a signal: Every ticket bought, every post shared, and every panel attended strengthens the foundation of a more equitable travel ecosystem. There needs to be more conversation and action for Latinos in the travel industry.
- We build better when we build together: This fest isn’t about gatekeeping. At the Latino Travel Fest, Latinos have the mic and share strategies so we can all grow.
Other Key Takeaways
- Hispanics are planning more and longer trips: 72% plan two or more vacations per year, and 55% take trips that last five nights or more—outpacing non-Hispanic travelers in both categories (Univision + Media Predict).
Source: Overview of the Hispanic Travel Market, Kay Saffari, 2019. Data compiled from Univision and Media Predict’s “Summer 2017 Cruise Research.” - Many of us travel with family, across generations: 70% of Latinos travel with children or younger generations, and 60% bring older relatives.
- We want representation that reflects us: Expedia’s 2024 Inclusion in Travel Study found that more than half of Latino travelers are more likely to book with brands that show inclusion—and less likely to support brands that don’t.
- We’re driving travel trends, but brands haven’t caught up: U.S. Hispanic international travel grew by 40% between 2013–2017, more than double the growth rate of non-Hispanics. Still, campaigns rarely target us directly.
Is This Event for You?
If you’re still wondering whether this fest is meant for you, ask yourself this:
Are you tired of being the only one explaining your culture at conferences?
Are you looking for a space that respects your culture and lived experiences?
Do you want community, strategy, and joy in one place?
If the answer is yes to even one of those, then yes—this event is for you.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner, an industry vet, or someone quietly building something special. There’s a seat for you at the Latino Travel Fest.
In summary, we don’t need to wait for an invitation to a table because we’re building our own tables.
But If we don’t invest in our own spaces, who else will?
Final Thoughts
Latino Travel Fest is a whole movement!! And if we want the travel industry to take us seriously, we have to show up for each other first.
This conference is where we gather, learn, plan, and build. It’s where we stop being sidelined and start shaping the industry with us in mind!
So if you missed 2025, let that be your reason to commit to 2026. Because this fest is about building power, visibility, and legacy.
And you’re not only invited, you are welcome to La Casa!
Resource List
How to Be Ready for Latino Travel Fest in 2026 and Beyond!
Tickets will go even faster next year. So don’t miss out!
To stay in the loop:
- Join the Latino Travel Fest newsletter
- Follow @latinotravelfest for announcements and early access. There is currently a promo code that will give you 50% off the Latino Travel Fest.
- Start planning now!! It’s so worth it!
- Join the Latino Travel Fest Membership. The first 50 people to sign up will get 50% off their membership FOR LIFE!! Use promo code FIRST50 from a desktop to obtain the discount.
PLEASE NOTE: If you don’t see the discount in your cart, then the first 50 people have signed up and the promotion is over. - If you are unsure as to why we need more Latina/o/x/es at conferences, make sure to read this post.
- If you are interested in other Travel Conferences you should attend, see this post.
Better yet? Bring a friend. The people you bring into this space could leave transformed.
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