GainingEdge to Expand Latin American Advisory Services
Destinations and venues can expect new business development support as the firm hires an affiliate consultant.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in People
Live Poll
Do you believe professional consultants improve the competitiveness of local business events in your area?
Consultancy firm GainingEdge will appoint Ligia Gonzalez Padilla as Affiliate Consultant for Mexico and Latin America starting November 1, 2026. This move aims to bolster the company's advisory services for destinations and convention venues seeking to capture business event market share in the region.
Why it matters
The appointment signals an intent to scale regional business development efforts by leveraging localized expertise in international meetings and conventions. For operators of venues and destination bureaus, this shift underscores the increasing competitive push to attract corporate events across Latin American markets.
Ligia Gonzalez Padilla brings over 15 years of experience in the business events sector to her new role at GainingEdge. The firm is currently scaling its advisory presence to support destinations and convention bureaux across Mexico and Latin America.
The players
GainingEdge
A global consultancy firm that provides destination advisory, business development, and international meetings services.
Ligia Gonzalez Padilla
An industry veteran with 15 years of experience previously holding leadership roles at the Guadalajara Convention & Visitors Bureau and Expo Guadalajara.
The details
GainingEdge provides specialized destination advisory and business development services for the international meetings industry. By hiring Gonzalez Padilla, the firm intends to streamline how it supports regional venues in navigating the complexities of attracting and managing high-value corporate event business. This includes providing the strategic framework necessary for local convention bureaux to compete for international event bids.
Timeline
1 November 2026: Ligia Gonzalez Padilla officially begins her role at GainingEdge.
8-11 November 2026: Ligia Gonzalez Padilla will attend the ICCA Congress in Panama City.
Market Landscape
This strategic expansion follows the industry trend of leveraging regional destination expertise to secure international convention contracts, mirroring the collaborative model established by the BestCities Global Alliance. It marks a push to professionalize business development for venues in emerging markets.
Operators in the events space should monitor how GainingEdge scales its advisory support for Latin American venues. Businesses competing for the same international corporate event market should evaluate their current regional partnerships to ensure they remain competitive against expanding consultancies.
The takeaway
The firm is prioritizing localized expertise to capture regional meeting market share ahead of the ICCA Congress in November 2026. Venue owners should track how consultancy-led advisory services influence event bidding processes in their specific market in the coming year.
Further reading
For more on shifts in industry leadership, visit our People section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TravelDailyNews International.
Live Poll
Do you believe professional consultants improve the competitiveness of local business events in your area?
