Abra Group announced it will be the official sponsor of the ALTA AGM & Airline Leaders Forum 2027, the leading commercial aviation summit in Latin America and the Caribbean. The 23rd edition will be held on October 17-19, 2027 in San José, Costa Rica, with the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) and the group itself as hosts.
The designation, unveiled at the close of the 2026 edition in Mexico City —which brought together more than 350 delegates and more than 40 CEOs—, puts Costa Rica at the center of the regional aviation debate and consolidates the country as a destination for business tourism and investment. Recent editions were held in Cancún (2023), Nassau (2024), Lima (2025) and Mexico City (2026).
“We are especially pleased that next year’s forum will be held in Costa Rica, a country that is strategically important for Abra. Through Avianca, we have served Costa Rica for more than 80 years, connecting the country with key destinations across the continent and contributing to tourism, trade, investment and economic development. Today, more than 500 Costa Ricans are part of Avianca, and our commitment to the country continues to grow,” said Adrián Neuhauser, CEO of Abra Group.
When and where will the ALTA AGM & Airline Leaders Forum 2027 be held?
It will be held on October 17-19, 2027, in San José, Costa Rica.
Who is sponsoring and hosting the ALTA AGM & Airline Leaders Forum 2027?
Abra Group will be the official sponsor; the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) and the group itself will be hosts, and Avianca will act as the air bridge.
What is the ALTA AGM & Airline Leaders Forum?
It is the leading commercial aviation summit in Latin America and the Caribbean; it combines ALTA’s Annual General Meeting with high-level sessions and an awards gala.
Which awards are presented during the forum?
The Alas de América award and the Periodismo de Altura Award.
Who won the Alas de América award in 2026?
Roberto Alvo, CEO of LATAM Airlines Group, was recognized as Executive of the Year.
What routes will Avianca offer for delegates?
Nonstop routes from San José to Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, Guatemala City, San Salvador, Miami, Mexico City and, seasonally, Washington; through the Bogotá and San Salvador hubs, passengers can connect to more than 75 destinations in the Americas and Europe.
What is ALTA’s passenger traffic goal?
To reach one trip per capita per year over the next decade; the current figure is 0.69, after growth of 36% over the last decade.
Avianca, “Proudly Tica”, as the air bridge
Under the “Proudly Tica” banner, Avianca consolidates its position as the leading operator in the Costa Rican market. In 2025 it offered more than 2.1 million seats and operated more than 11,000 flights to and from the country, with close to 90 weekly nonstop frequencies from Juan Santamaría International Airport. The airline has maintained a continuous presence since 1945 (the legacy of LACSA) and employs more than 500 direct Costa Rican staff.
To make travel easier for delegates, leaders and authorities, Abra Group will make Avianca’s connectivity available, with nonstop routes from San José to Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, Guatemala City, San Salvador, Miami, Mexico City and, seasonally, Washington. Through the Bogotá and San Salvador hubs, attendees will be able to connect to more than 75 destinations in the Americas and Europe (New York, Lima, Quito, Buenos Aires and São Paulo, among others).
Gabriel Oliva, president of Avianca Group, stressed: “Costa Rica is a strategic pillar in Avianca’s network and the natural setting to host the conversation about the future of our industry. Through our historic operation and our connectivity with the main connecting centers of the Americas, we will be the bridge to bring the industry’s leaders together in San José. Abra Group’s backing for this forum shows how our operating scale and our local roots complement each other to boost the competitiveness of the country and of the region”.
Context: ALTA and the industry
Founded in 1980, the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) represents airlines that account for more than 85% of the region’s air traffic and works with its members and strategic partners on safety, operational efficiency, sustainability, regulation and competitiveness, according to the association itself. The forum combines the Annual General Meeting with high-level sessions on financing, fleet, artificial intelligence, cargo, infrastructure and the regulatory framework.
The ALTA AGM & Airline Leaders Forum also hosts the traditional Awards Gala, where two high-profile industry recognitions are presented. The Alas de América award, created in 2017, honors a person or institution (public or private) that has made a significant contribution to the growth and continuous improvement of aviation in Latin America and the Caribbean; at the 2026 edition the honor went to Roberto Alvo, CEO of LATAM Airlines Group, as Executive of the Year.
In parallel, the Periodismo de Altura Award recognizes quality reporting on the impact of the airline industry in the region. In its first edition, held in 2023 in Cancún, Aviacionline won in the ESG – Specialized Press category. Both awards are part of the forum’s official program and consolidate its role not only as a space for business debate, but also as a space for recognizing leadership and journalistic coverage of the sector.
Premio Periodismo de Altura
At the 2026 edition, Peter Cerdá, CEO of ALTA, recalled that regional passenger traffic grew 36% over the last decade versus 14% for the economy, and set the goal of reaching one trip per capita per year (currently 0.69) within the next decade. Achieving it will require infrastructure, smarter regulations and greater competitiveness, in collaboration with governments.
The decision to back the summit in San José reinforces the group’s regional anchoring in Central America and positions Costa Rica —a country with a strong tourism and business profile— as the natural venue for the dialogue on the future of Latin American connectivity.