(NEWS) GENEVA, 2026-Feb-3 — /Travel PR News/ — The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has confirmed that the 2026 World Cargo Symposium (WCS) will take place in Lima, Peru from 10 to 12 March, marking the first time the industry’s flagship air cargo event will be held in South America. Based on details shared in official announcement, the symposium will be hosted by LATAM Cargo under the theme “Advancing Air Cargo in a Dynamic World,” with a focus on shifting trade patterns, regulatory priorities, special cargo and the continued digitalization of the sector.
IATA has framed the 2026 agenda against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty and evolving global trade flows. According to official comments from IATA Director General Willie Walsh, air cargo demand grew by 3.4% in 2025, a trend shaped by tariffs and supply chain realignments that are expected to persist into 2026. The symposium is positioned as a platform for examining how the industry can remain agile as trade lanes shift and the premium placed on speed and reliability continues to rise.
Hosting WCS in Lima reflects South America’s growing role in global air freight. Based on official statements from LATAM Cargo Chief Executive Officer Andres Bianchi, the event underscores the region’s increasing importance in international trade while providing a forum to advance discussions on regulation, digital standards and the evolving requirements of specialized shipments such as perishables, pharmaceuticals and e-commerce goods.
The three-day programme will bring together senior industry figures from airlines, logistics providers, technology firms and government. Confirmed speakers include Peru’s Minister of Trade and Tourism Teresa Mera Gómez, LATAM Airlines Group CEO Roberto Alvo, Amazon Global Air’s Ali Faddis, and IATA’s senior cargo and industry analysis leadership. In addition to the main conference streams covering digitalization, regulation and special cargo, WCS will feature spotlight sessions on sustainability, technology adoption and operational resilience across the air cargo value chain.
A series of workshops and forums will run alongside the main conference. These include IATA’s Future Air Cargo Executives Summit (FACES), sessions on competency-based training, practical demonstrations of the ONE Record data standard, and dedicated forums on e-commerce logistics, unit load device (ULD) innovation and data capture. New for 2026, a Lithium Battery Forum will address safety challenges and introduce IATA’s LAR Verify compliance tool, expanding the event’s focus on high-risk and highly regulated shipments.
With press accreditation available, IATA is positioning WCS 2026 as both a policy-setting and practical exchange, aimed at strengthening collaboration across the air cargo ecosystem at a time of rapid technological and geopolitical change.
