All eyes are on Rome as the curtain formally rose on the 2025 World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit on Sunday, 28th September.
The most important global event for the travel and tourism sectors formally opened with a press conference at the Auditorium Parco della Musica.
Among those at the conference were interim WTTC chief executive Gloria Guevara, WTTC chair Greg O’Hara, and WTTC chair-elect Manfredi Lefebvre.
Also in attendance were Italy’s minister of tourism Daniela Santanchè, President of the Lazio Region Francesco Rocca, and Roberto Gualtieri, the mayor of Rome.
Reflecting an industry’s growth
Guevara declared at the conference: “As we welcome the WTTC Global Summit to Rome today, Italy is not only showcasing a thriving Travel & Tourism sector, set to contribute more than €237BN to the economy this year, it’s also demonstrating true global leadership. From hosting the historic G7 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting last year to welcoming the world again this week, Italy is setting the benchmark for how tourism can power economies, create jobs, and inspire global collaboration.”
Italy’s Santanchè added: “We are proud to host the WTTC summit in Italy for the first timeL a sign of our country’s renewed centrality, thanks to the work of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has restored strength, stability, and security to Italy. These are essential factors that enhance our credibility on the international stage, allowing Italy to once again play a leading role globally. Italy is not only one of the most fascinating and sought-after tourist destinations in the world, holding the European record for conference tourism and leading the outdoor hospitality sector. but it also stands as a crucial hub of opportunity for the growth of the industry.”
The Italian tourism minister added that the summit serves as a highly strategic showcase, with the primary goal of attracting investment and highlighting the immense potential of the country’s cultural, culinary, and landscape heritage.
For his part, O’Hara remarked: “This Summit brings together the very best of our sector at a pivotal moment for global Travel & Tourism. Here in Rome, against the backdrop of Italy’s extraordinary growth story, we are reminded of the power of our industry to unite people, drive investment, and create opportunity on a scale few others can match. The conversations we will have over the coming days will help chart the course for a sector that is not only breaking records but shaping a more sustainable and resilient future for generations to come.”
Opening doors by opening conversations
It is expected that this year’s Global Summit will foster constructive dialogue among key players in the sector, an essential element for implementing effective policies and supporting the competitiveness and growth of tourism on a global scale.
Across the next three days, more than one thousand delegates, including 310 CEOs and chairs, will explore the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of Travel & Tourism.
This year’s Summit programme will include sessions focusing on bolstering economic growth and job creation, to the power of artificial intelligence and seamless travel.
The event will also shine a light on investment opportunities in Italy, and trends such as wellness and sport tourism, luxury rail travel, and the benefits of hosting global mega events.
WTTC will also be launching its latest new reports including Future of the Travel & Tourism Workforce, which highlights how governments, businesses, and educators can work together to prepare for the future, and its 2025 Environmental & Impact Research.
The Summit will feature an extraordinary line-up of speakers, including Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who will deliver the keynote at tomorrow’s opening ceremony.
