🏢 Where to go for a conference: exhibition calendar for 2026-2027

Online meetings save time, but they don't replace in-person networking. At conferences and trade shows, you can meet investors, partners, and clients in a couple of days that you would never find through email or messaging.

Choosing the right event is everything. You can spend the same amount of time meeting the right people or wandering through a crowd without a single useful contact. We've put together six conferences and trade shows in six cities across Europe and Turkey.

For each event below, we've listed its profile, the nearest dates for 2026 and 2027, and who will get the most value from attending. Ticket prices change every season, so check them on the organizer's official website.

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How to choose a conference or trade show

💡 In short:

Define your goal for the trip: sales, investment, knowledge, or hiring.
Check the dates and city on the organizer's website before buying a ticket.
Book your hotel right after buying your ticket, before prices go up.
Dates and venues: 09/2026, verified against organizer websites.

First, decide what you want to get out of the event. Conferences for investors and trade shows for buyers solve different problems, and mixing them up is costly. Below is a comparison by dates, cities, and profile.

Event	City	When	Profile	Website
Women in Tech Global Conference	Amsterdam	May 2027	IT and hiring	womentech.net
Bits & Pretzels	Munich	September 28-30, 2026	startups and investment	bitsandpretzels.com
Global Fashion Management Conference	Milan	check the year	fashion and management	gfmcproceedings.net
ITB Berlin	Berlin	March 16-18, 2027	tourism	itb.com
World News Media Congress	Stockholm	2027	media	wan-ifra.org
UN Climate Change Conference (COP31)	Antalya	November 9-20, 2026	climate and environment	en.wikipedia.org

1. Women in tech global conference in Amsterdam

The WomenTech Network runs this conference annually, and the seventh edition took place on May 12-15, 2026 (according to WomenTech Network, 09/2026). It brings together women in tech and their allies.

Sunny Amsterdam canal with boats and trees

The format is hybrid. The main program runs online, while Amsterdam and other cities host offline satellite events. You can check out the technology expo or sign up for a short session with a career coach.

The first day wraps up with a corporate reception. It's a convenient setting to meet employers and peers in the industry. The next conference returns in May 2027, with exact dates available on the organizer's website.

Who it's for: women in IT and telecom, HR managers, recruiters.
Not for: if you need buyers and sales, see ITB Berlin below.
Where to stay: hotels in Amsterdam on Trip.com.

2. Bits & Pretzels in Munich

Bits & Pretzels is a festival for founders and investors, not a classic conference. Over three days, from September 28 to 30, 2026, it brings together around 7,500 participants (according to the organizers, 09/2026).

Panorama of Munich with the New Town Hall and Frauenkirche

Digital health is among the main topics, so the hall is full of investors, doctors, and pharma representatives. They are looking for technologies that can be implemented in clinics and insurance companies.

Everyone has different goals: find an investor, raise brand awareness, or build a team. The final evening takes place at Oktoberfest, in the beer tents, where you talk with partners in an informal setting.

Who it's for: startup founders, investors, product managers in healthtech.
Not for: if you need a classic B2B booth with samples, ITB Berlin is a closer fit.
Where to stay: hotels in Munich on Trip.com.

3. Global fashion management conference in Milan

This is an academic conference on marketing and management in fashion. It is run by a university network that picks a new fashion capital each time. London, Florence, Vienna, Paris, Seoul, and Milan have already hosted participants (according to the organizers, 09/2026).

Milan Cathedral and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

In 2024, the venue was the University of Milan. The room is filled with researchers, educators, and fashion business practitioners, not tourists. Session topics cover digital transformation of fashion brands and sales analytics.

The organizers announce the exact dates of the next edition in advance, so you confirm the year and month on their website. Book your Milan hotel early: during fashion week season, prices in the center go up.

Who it's for: fashion researchers, brand managers, master's students.
Not for: if you need fabric sourcing and factory contracts, that is a different trade show.
Where to stay: hotels in Milan on Trip.com.

4. ITB Berlin in Berlin

ITB Berlin is the world's leading travel industry trade show, running since 1966. The sixtieth edition took place on March 3-5, 2026, and the next one is scheduled for March 16-18, 2027 (according to ITB Berlin, 09/2026).

The scale is impressive. In 2025, the exhibition drew around 100,000 visitors, and nearly 6,000 companies from 170 countries presented their stands (according to the tourism authority, 09/2026). In one day here, you find hotels, transport providers, and booking systems in a single place.

For buyers and hoteliers, this is the most packed week of the year, and negotiations are scheduled by the hour. Buy a professional ticket in advance, and check the price and entry conditions on the official website.

Who it's for: hoteliers, tour operators, travel technology vendors.
Not for: if you are looking for investment in a startup, Bits & Pretzels is more effective.
Where to stay: hotels in Berlin on Trip.com.

5. World news media congress in Stockholm

The congress is run by the World Association of News Publishers, WAN-IFRA. The seventy-seventh edition took place on June 1-3, 2026 in Marseille, at the Palais du Pharo, together with the French media group CMA Media (according to WAN-IFRA, 09/2026).

Royal Swedish Opera building in Stockholm

The next, seventy-eighth congress, is hosted by Stockholm in 2027. The program is built around topics that affect publishers directly: subscriptions and reader revenue, artificial intelligence in newsrooms, and trust in news.

Tickets here are more expensive than at travel exhibitions, so you plan the trip well in advance. Early registration opens several months before the date, and its prices are lower than in the final weeks.

Who it's for: publishers, editors-in-chief, digital leads.
Not for: if you work in tourism or retail, the congress profile will not suit you.
Where to stay: hotels in Stockholm on Trip.com.

6. UN climate change conference COP31 in Antalya

Turkey hosts the year's main climate event. COP31 takes place from November 9 to 20, 2026 at the Antalya conference center, under the joint presidency of Turkey and Australia (according to UNFCCC, 09/2026).

Yivli Minaret above the rooftops of old Antalya

The agenda covers the same pressure points of the Paris Agreement: limiting global warming, adapting to climate change, and financing these measures. Access is open to accredited delegations, observers, and the press, so you confirm the registration rules in advance.

For business, this is a chance to get into the ESG agenda and find partners for sustainable projects. Plan your trip to Antalya with extra time: during the conference, hotels on the coast get booked quickly.

Who it's for: environmentalists, ESG managers, NGO and business representatives.
Not for: if you need commercial contracts, the COP format does not provide for them.
Where to stay: hotels in Antalya on Trip.com.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

Which event should I attend to find investors?

People most often go to Bits & Pretzels in Munich for investment and partners: thousands of founders, funds, and corporations gather there. If you sell services in tourism, choose ITB Berlin. Media managers should consider the World News Media Congress, and climate and ESG projects should look at COP31.

How much does participation cost and what does the ticket include?

Prices depend on the event and rise closer to the date. ITB Berlin has separate tickets for professionals, and the media congress has a higher rate. Check the exact amounts and what the package includes on the organizer's official website: the numbers change every season.

Can I attend an exhibition without a booth?

Yes. At ITB Berlin and most conferences, a ticket does not require you to have your own booth. A booth is only necessary if you are selling and want your own space. Most attendees come with a visitor ticket and for networking.

When should I book the hotel and tickets?

Book the hotel right after you get your ticket. During major events, hotels in the city center fill up months in advance and prices rise. Tickets are cheaper with early registration, which organizers open several months before the date.

Do I need a visa to travel to these conferences?

EU citizens do not need a visa for Amsterdam, Munich, Milan, Berlin, or Stockholm. All five cities are in the Schengen Area. You can also enter Turkey for COP31 in Antalya without a visa. Check entry rules on embassy websites before your trip.

In short: what to book

A quick matrix so you don't pick the wrong event.

If you're a startup founder looking for funding: Bits & Pretzels.
If you work in tourism and hospitality: ITB Berlin.
If you're in the fashion industry or academia: Global Fashion Management Conference.
If you're a publisher or editor: World News Media Congress.
If climate and ESG are your focus: COP31.
If you're a woman in IT or HR: Women in Tech Global Conference.

Plan your train to Berlin around the ITB dates.

Hotels for your business trip on Trip.com and train tickets will cover the main logistics questions.

Business conferences and exhibitions 2026-2027: 6 events for networking