WTTC Summit: Italy opens the global tourism forum with strong institutional

WTTC Summit: Italy opens the global tourism forum with strong institutional drive

29-09-25

Rome, September 29, 2025 — The 25th Global Summit of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), led by Gloria Guevara as Acting Chief Executive Officer of the WTTC, begins today in the Italian capital, becoming one of the most decisive gatherings for the global tourism agenda. This high-level event brings together nearly 70 governments and more than 310 industry business leaders, backed by an organization of significant institutional and corporate strength.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni inaugurates the summit, marking a milestone: it is the first time Italy has hosted this event, which returns to European soil after six years of being held in other regions. This underscores the importance that the Italian government places on tourism as an economic and strategic engine. With more than 1,400 registered participants, including official delegations and private sector stakeholders, the summit is positioned as a turning point to redefine the sector’s direction for the next decade.

Among the key activities is the Global Leaders’ Dialogue, held in parallel, which brings together ministers and CEOs from around the world to address major challenges of competitiveness, sustainability, and travel facilitation. Gloria Guevara and Italy’s Minister of Tourism, Daniela Santanchè, open the session by highlighting the importance of public-private partnerships. Discussions focus on strategies to maintain Europe’s leadership, which, according to the latest WTTC Economic Impact Report, is expected in 2025 to reach a record €2.6 trillion contribution to its GDP, generating 41.3 million jobs—one in every ten across the continent.

The dialogue explores how Europe can stand out amid growing global competition, balance innovation with authenticity and sustainability, and implement multi-level governance models. A second session examines global traveler mobility, analyzing visa policies, border management, and digital solutions such as e-visas and biometrics to ensure seamless and secure travel.

The summit’s general program features contributions from leaders such as Shaikha Al Nowais, Secretary-General Elect of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and tourism ministers from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Greece, and Spain. Executives from major industry players like Marriott, InterContinental, Accor, Radisson, MSC, Royal Caribbean, Trip.com, and Amadeus also take part, along with key Spanish tourism companies such as Meliá, Iberostar, and City Sightseeing—further strengthening market interconnection and global perspectives.

Under the strategic theme of innovation, collaboration, and sustainable growth, discussions focus on essential issues such as environmental sustainability, digitalization, artificial intelligence, mobility, and transportation, as well as current geopolitical challenges affecting tourism. Gloria Guevara emphasizes that this summit serves as the central platform to “define a global tourism agenda for the next decade,” reinforcing the role of Italy—a G7 country—as a driver of global strategic plans.

Organized together with Italy’s Ministry of Tourism, ENIT, the Municipality of Rome, and the Lazio Region, and with partners including MSC Group, Trip.com, and Chase Travel, the summit aims to develop a comprehensive strategy identifying private sector priorities that can later be translated into public policies. At the same time, Italy presents investment opportunities in different regions to attract capital and revitalize local destinations.

The international context is closely linked to this meeting. Despite geopolitical tensions and complex economic conditions, the sector shows remarkable resilience and strong growth prospects. Indicators from 2024 confirm a full post-pandemic recovery, and projections for 2025 point to record levels of contribution to the economy and employment. According to WTTC estimates, while one in four new jobs worldwide was linked to tourism before the health crisis, in the next ten years that proportion could rise to one in three. However, not all regions advance at the same pace: the United States registers a slight decline in international spending, while other areas significantly exceed their pre-pandemic levels.

Over two intensive days, the summit combines plenary sessions, thematic panels, and networking opportunities, fostering public-private partnerships, encouraging innovation, and promoting more inclusive tourism models. Emerging technologies are explored, with initiatives in digitalization and artificial intelligence to personalize travel experiences, while reinforcing a strong commitment to sustainability.

The choice of Rome is no coincidence: beyond its undeniable tourist appeal, the Italian capital becomes a symbolic stage to show how tourism and governance can converge and amplify their social and economic impact. The WTTC Summit thus acts as a laboratory of ideas and decisions intended to leave a lasting mark on the global industry.

From today’s inaugural session onward, the forum opens a structured space for dialogue aligning government visions with private sector aspirations, charting a path of innovation and shared responsibility. This event is not merely a showcase of prominent names and leading companies; it aims to turn commitments into concrete actions, strengthening tourism as a driver of global well-being.

In a world that demands multidimensional strategies, the 25th WTTC Global Summit provides an opportunity to reimagine tourism by connecting technology, sustainability, and public policy into a true cluster of international cooperation. Rome emerges as the epicenter of this momentum, marking the start of a conversation that could redefine the coordinates for traveling, growing, and innovating.

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