The convergence of major professional events in September 2026 will turn **Las Palmas into the Atlantic capital of debate on the tourism industry, cruise shipping and marine sustainability**. The simultaneous coincidence of Seatrade Cruise Med, the Overbooking Gran Canaria & Hosteltur Summit 2026 and the Atlantic–WestMED Conference 2026 will place significant pressure on institutional and corporate agendas in the city. The concentration of senior executives, public authorities, shipowners, innovation experts and European Union representatives will force industry stakeholders to increase their presence between the port complex and the island’s main convention centers to avoid being left out of decisions that will shape the development of the blue economy and tourism in the region.
Seatrade Cruise Med: The Crossroads of the Cruise Market
The nautical tourism sector will focus its attention on Seatrade Cruise Med, an event set to address **the profound transformation underway in cruise traffic across the Mediterranean and Macaronesia**. With the aim of raising expectations in a constantly changing market and defining the keys to preserving the region’s competitive appeal, the program will begin on Wednesday, September 16, with a high-level strategic analysis panel moderated by Mary Bond, the group’s portfolio director.
The session will bring together leading figures from cruise lines and international associations. Speakers include Steffi Heinicke, senior vice president of Guest Experience and Onboard Revenue at AIDA Cruises; Leonardo Massa, vice president for Southern Europe in MSC Group’s Cruise Division; Nikos Mertzanidis, executive director for Europe at the International Association of Cruise Lines (CLIA); Teodora Riga, president of MedCruise; Samantha Stimpson, managing director of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines; and Chris Theophilides, chief executive officer of Celestyal Cruises. Discussions will delve into **the operational capacity of port infrastructure, passenger-flow management and the decarbonization requirements imposed by European Union regulations**.
Hosteltur Summit: Technology and Commercial Sustainability
In parallel, attention on the tourism business model will shift to the Overbooking Gran Canaria & Hosteltur Summit 2026, an event designed to address destination management from the perspectives of marketing, traveler biases and artificial intelligence. The day will begin with a presentation by Marcus Hurst, co-founder of El Extraordinario and co-director of Simulacro, focused on tourism storytelling under the title ‘Finite Destination, Infinite Stories’. Pablo Llinares, managing director of Turismo de Gran Canaria, and Paula Schlueter, head of Branding at the same organization, will then analyze the strategic adaptation of promotional messages through the island campaign ‘An Island Without a Script’.
Consumer behavior will be analyzed by Juan de Rus, CEO of Neovantas, with a presentation on **the emotional processes involved in visitors’ purchasing decisions**. In the area of balanced management, the debate will bring together Juan Félix Fernández, director of the Silken Villa de Laguardia, and José Antonio Donaire, commissioner for Sustainable Tourism Management of Barcelona. After the break, brand communication as a driver of leadership will be the focus of an interview between Manuel Molina and Miguel Mirones, president of the ICTE and Relais Termal.
The morning session will be rounded out by a presentation from María González Jover, director of Public Administration and Business Development at BlaBlaCar, focused on new shared-mobility models, and a series of presentations by technology startups led by Andrés Martínez (iUrban), Ignacio Sanabria (Delaight) and Miguel Peñate (Reply Next). The technical program will conclude with a master class by Rafael de Jorge, founder of GrowTur, focused on **the market’s forward-looking evolution toward 2027**.
Atlantic–WestMED Conference 2026: Strengthening the Blue Economy
Completing this events program, Forum Oceano — in its capacity as Portugal’s National Center — is promoting the Atlantic–WestMED Conference 2026 on September 15 and 16. The forum will bring together policymakers, researchers, investors and nongovernmental organizations to structure **technical cooperation and sustainable investment projects in the Atlantic and western Mediterranean basins**.
The event will go beyond traditional presentations by incorporating participatory workshops and blue economy hackathons focused on coastal resilience, marine renewable energy development, professional skills, skilled job creation and maritime transport decarbonization. The event will also host a showcase of innovative projects and present the Atlantic–WestMED Awards alongside the prizes for the Blue Challenge youth competition, consolidating **the Gran Canaria capital as the hub of Europe’s marine strategy during the final part of the year**.
The article Las Palmas Events Calendar to Overlap with Seatrade Cruise Med in September was first published on canarymaritime.com.
