John Donne famously wrote that “No man is an island.” Neither is the premium cigar industry.
For generations, the United States has rightfully stood as the world’s largest and most influential premium cigar market. It remains, unquestionably, the central mission and strategic priority of the Premium Cigar Association. Our retailers, manufacturers, lounges, distributors and consumers continue to define the commercial and cultural heartbeat of the industry.
Yet most cigars themselves are born far beyond American borders.
From the volcanic valleys of Nicaragua to the rolling tobacco regions of Honduras and the Dominican Republic, premium cigars are born through generations of craftsmanship, agricultural mastery and cultural tradition. That is why the PCA’s expanding international engagement matters so profoundly.
While America remains the unquestioned priority of the Premium Cigar Association, supporting PCA members increasingly requires a global vision. Strong international partnerships help PCA brands expand commercially abroad, strengthen advocacy efforts against harmful regulation, encourage meaningful educational exchange, increase membership and reinforce the health of the broader cigar ecosystem connected to the United States.
The reality is simple: The strength of the American market cannot be separated from the strength of the producing nations and emerging premium markets around the world.
It is with that philosophy that the PCA continues advancing an ambitious international agenda centered around education, advocacy, market development and long-term relationship building.
Recent months alone have demonstrated remarkable momentum.
The PCA proudly maintained an active presence and strategic partnerships at major cigar festivals throughout Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic and Honduras—countries that remain the beating heart of premium tobacco production. These events are far more than celebrations. They provide opportunities to strengthen relationships with growers, manufacturers, retailers, hospitality leaders, distributors, media and consumers while reinforcing the PCA’s commitment to supporting the entire premium cigar value chain internationally.
Particularly meaningful was the PCA’s first engagement at the Honduras Cigar Festival, where the association received distinguished recognition for its growing international educational and advocacy efforts. Meetings with Honduran tourism authorities, including the Minister of Tourism, further highlighted the increasing recognition of premium cigars not simply as products, but as cultural and economic ambassadors capable of elevating luxury tourism, hospitality and international commerce.
Equally exciting is PCA Connect Asia, taking place December 4–6 in Hong Kong. Developed jointly by the PCA, The Cigar Academy and Cigraal Ltd., the initiative represents a fundamentally different vision from the traditional trade show format.
Rather than focusing on exhibition space, PCA Connect Asia has been designed as a highly curated platform centered around executive networking, education, market intelligence, luxury hospitality and meaningful long-term business relationships. Importers, retailers, hospitality executives, duty free operators, media leaders and manufacturers from across the Asia-Pacific region will gather in some of Hong Kong’s most iconic venues for an immersive experience blending commercial development with sophisticated cultural engagement.
Most importantly, education and advocacy remain central pillars of the initiative, with discussions surrounding Asian tobacco regulations, premium market realities and best practices across global cigar markets. The Cigar Academy will also deliver three intensive days of professional education in Macau, prior to heading to Hong Kong.
Similarly transformative is PCA Connect México, taking place August 24–30 across several major Mexican cities.
Conceived not as a conventional trade event but as a relational and experiential platform, PCA Connect México seeks to create meaningful commercial opportunities and long-term market development through carefully curated encounters across Mexico City, Querétaro, Guadalajara, Puebla and Riviera Maya.
Led through the PCA and The Cigar Academy, the initiative will bring together premium cigar brands, importers, distributors, hospitality groups, retailers, private clubs and high-profile consumers in an environment designed around education, executive networking, cultural exchange and luxury experiences. The Cigar Academy’s certification programs will play a central role while simultaneously helping PCA member manufacturers strengthen their presence within one of Latin America’s fastest-growing premium markets.
In May, the PCA’s CEO and The Cigar Academy traveled to Morocco, where educational sessions were delivered in Casablanca. Simultaneously, the PCA accompanied C.L.E. and Asylum during their Arabian Nights Tour and the highly anticipated launch of their newest project in Marrakesh.
One of the PCA’s most strategically important partnerships continues to evolve in Greece through the Greek Cigar Festival, taking place July 3–5 at the Amaronda Resort & Spa in Eretria.
The collaboration between the PCA and 2K Cigars is fundamentally a long-term market development initiative designed to help strengthen and professionalize the Greek premium cigar market while supporting the potential creation of a future Greek Premium Cigar Association aligned with international standards and best practices.
Education stands firmly at the center of this partnership. Through The Cigar Academy, professional seminars and certification courses will be delivered personally by me to help maximize accessibility and local industry growth.
Equally important is the role the festival plays in supporting PCA member brands such as J.C. Newman, Oscar Valladares and Perdomo within an increasingly sophisticated European market eager for deeper cigar knowledge, luxury experiences and meaningful engagement. Beyond the educational component, the festival also integrates advocacy discussions, international networking, cigar awards and high-level hospitality—creating one of the most ambitious cigar festivals currently emerging in Europe.
Finally, among the most exciting emerging projects on the horizon is the first edition of the Costa Rican Puro Vida Cigar Festival, taking place November 21–22, 2026.
As exclusive co-organizers alongside local partners, the PCA and The Cigar Academy will play a central role in shaping the festival’s educational programming, strategic development and international positioning.
Costa Rica occupies a uniquely fascinating position within the premium cigar world. While still emerging internationally as a cigar-producing nation, the country possesses extraordinary agricultural diversity, a flourishing luxury tourism industry and a deeply sophisticated hospitality culture capable of supporting world-class cigar experiences. The cigars themselves are remarkable—elegant, terroir-driven, nuanced and increasingly distinctive.
The PCA’s involvement seeks not only to support the festival itself but to help nurture the long-term development of Costa Rica as a meaningful participant within the global premium cigar conversation. Educational seminars, certification programs, marketing campaigns, international networking initiatives and membership development efforts will all form part of the collaboration.
More importantly, the partnership reflects a broader belief that emerging cigar cultures deserve support, structure, education and international visibility if the premium cigar industry is to continue evolving responsibly and sustainably worldwide.
What unites all of these initiatives is a common philosophy: The PCA’s international efforts are not distractions from the American market. They are investments into strengthening it.
Every educational seminar delivered abroad, every new member signed up, every retailer relationship established, every hospitality partnership cultivated, and every consumer educated ultimately contributes to the long-term resilience and sophistication of the global premium cigar ecosystem.
Because ultimately, a premium cigar may be rolled in one nation, aged in another, sold in another, and enjoyed halfway across the world—yet the experience remains profoundly human, built around craftsmanship, ritual, conversation and shared appreciation.
And that is precisely why the PCA’s expanding international vision matters so deeply.
– Contributed by Ricardo Carioni, Director of International Affairs & Education at the Premium Cigar Association (PCA). You can reach him at ricardo@premiumcigars.org.
This story first appeared in PCA The Magazine, Volume 2, 2026. To receive a copy of this magazine, you must be a current PCA member. Join or renew today.