The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has called for stronger public-private collaboration to build a more resilient tourism sector.
The organisation says this is crucial to ensure that future growth delivers lasting benefits for destinations and local communities.
The call came from WTTC President & CEO Gloria Guevara as she addressed more than 50 tourism ministers and senior government representatives at the 20th anniversary of the WTM London Ministers’ Summit.
Under the theme Strengthening Tourism for a Resilient Future, Ms Guevara highlighted the importance of preparedness, leadership and coordinated action in an increasingly uncertain global environment.
“Travel & Tourism has shown time and again its extraordinary resilience and that gives us a strong foundation to build on,” she added.
“When governments and the private sector plan together, we can anticipate challenges rather than simply respond to them.
“Our ambition goes beyond recovery: together, we can build a stronger, more resilient sector that protects our natural and cultural assets, creates opportunities for local communities and delivers long-term value for destinations around the world.”
In 2025, the sector contributed a record $US11.6 trillion to the global economy, equivalent to 9.8% of global GDP, and supported 366 million jobs worldwide. That is one in every nine jobs.
WTTC forecasts that Travel & Tourism will contribute $US11.9 trillion to global GDP in 2026, its highest level on record, and is expected to grow faster than the wider global economy.
International arrivals are also forecast to increase by 29.8 million, representing annual growth of 1.9%.
These figures show the continued global desire to travel and the important opportunities ahead for the sector.
Ms Guevara noted that the task now is to turn this momentum into lasting progress by strengthening preparedness, ensuring communities benefit and making growth sustainable.
The Ministers’ Summit provides an important platform for governments and sector leaders to exchange perspectives, strengthen partnerships and identify shared priorities.
Its 20th anniversary marks two decades of bringing together public- and private-sector leaders to help shape the future of global Travel & Tourism.
