WTTC brings the global travel industry together in Rome

25-09-25

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has confirmed the first wave of high-profile speakers for its 25th Global Summit, which will take place in Rome from September 28 to 30, 2025. By bringing together leaders from business, government, innovation, and the media, this event is set to become a decisive milestone for the future of global tourism, addressing critical topics such as digital transformation, sustainability, strategic investments, and the role of artificial intelligence in a key sector that accounts for approximately 10% of global GDP.

Hosted at the prestigious Auditorium Parco della Musica—and supported by Italy’s Ministry of Tourism, the national tourism agency ENIT, the City of Rome, and the Lazio Region—the WTTC is preparing an ambitious program in which the Eternal City will not only serve as the venue, but also as a symbolic stage for ideas, alliances, and decisions that aim to guide the next decade of growth.

Among the confirmed speakers are internationally recognized and long-standing executives, including William E. Heinecke, founder and chairman of Minor Hotel Group; Matthew Upchurch, founder and CEO of Virtuoso; Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group; Gaurav Bhatnagar, co-founder of TBO.com; Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of Diriyah Group; Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises; Paolo Barletta, CEO of Arsenale Spa; Andrea Grisdale, founder and CEO of IC Bellagio; Desiree Bollier, Chair and Global Chief Merchant of The Bicester Collection; Anthony Capuano, CEO of Marriott International; Caroline Beteta, President and CEO of Visit California; Christie Travers-Smith, Head of Retail and Travel Partnerships at Google EMEA; Elie Maalouf, Global CEO of InterContinental Hotels Group; Decius Valmorbida Menezes, President of Travel at Amadeus; and Zubin Karkaria, founder and CEO of VFS Global. Future speakers will also include Puneet Chhatwal (Indian Hotels Company), Julie Shainock (Microsoft, Travel, Transport & Hospitality), Hashil Al Mahrouqi (OMRAN Group), and Massimo Caputi (Terme & Spa Italia).

The summit will also feature an important leadership transition within the WTTC. Greg O’Hara, current Chair and Founder of Certares Management, will pass the baton to Manfredi Lefebvre, Chairman of Heritage Group and Co-Chairman of the luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent. This internal change reflects a renewed drive toward new goals and collective agreements within the sector.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President and CEO, expressed her excitement about the impressive lineup of confirmed speakers, emphasizing that Rome provides the perfect setting for global tourism leaders to innovate together and outline a decade of sustainable growth. For her part, Italy’s Minister of Tourism, Daniela Santanchè, highlighted how the prestige of the confirmed participants strengthens investment opportunities in the country and supports the special focus the event will place on national tourism development.

While the WTTC has not yet unveiled the full program or all planned sessions, it has indicated that discussions will go beyond leisure travel, addressing economic impact, job creation, environmental sustainability, social inclusion, and governance models that can shape the future of tourism. As additional details are awaited, the Rome gathering is already projected to be a pivotal moment on the industry calendar, where talent, resources, and visionary ideas will converge to design a more resilient, innovative, and responsible tourism sector for generations to come.

The 2025 Global Summit represents a collective commitment: to bring influential voices together in one place to craft transformative strategies for a vital industry. Although the final program details are still forthcoming, the prominent names already announced and the strong institutional support point to a vibrant and impactful edition—one that could mark a turning point in the global direction of travel and tourism.

In collaboration with:

This site uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic. Information about your use of this site is shared with Google. By using this site, you agree to its use of cookies.

Legal notice