The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is set to bring more than 200 of the world’s leading Travel & Tourism CEOs and senior executives to Malta next month, as Valletta prepares to host the 26th WTTC Global Summit from 7–9 October 2026.
Momentum for the Summit continues to build, with the growing delegation reflecting the breadth and influence of WTTC’s global membership. WTTC’s annual Global Summit remains the premier gathering of Travel & Tourism CEOs and C-suite executives, providing a unique platform for private sector leaders, governments and international organisations to exchange ideas and shape the future of the sector.
The event will gather senior decision-makers from across the Travel & Tourism ecosystem, spanning hospitality, aviation, cruise, travel technology, financial services, destination investment and travel distribution. Their presence will offer Malta an unparalleled opportunity to showcase its tourism offering, business environment and investment potential to some of the sector’s most influential figures.
Among the senior leaders confirmed to attend are Christopher J. Nassetta, President & CEO of Hilton; Elie Maalouf, Global CEO of IHG Hotels & Resorts; Alejandro Reynal, President and Chief Executive Officer of Four Seasons; Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A; Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group; and Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, Cruise Division, MSC Group.
They will be joined by senior executives representing many of the world’s most influential Travel & Tourism businesses, including American Express Travel, Accor, Marriott International, Minor Hotel Group, Certares, Expedia Group, Iberostar, JPMorganChase/Chase Travel, JTB Corp, Technogym, VFS Global and Virtuoso, alongside leading organisations spanning aviation, technology, travel distribution, hospitality, cruise and destination investment.
For Malta, the Summit represents a landmark opportunity. Never before has the island welcomed such a significant concentration of global Travel & Tourism leadership, placing the destination at the centre of conversations that will influence the industry’s future direction.
For many of the delegates, the Summit will also provide their first opportunity to experience Malta first-hand. Bringing this calibre of global business leadership to Valletta will create a valuable platform for the island to build new relationships, strengthen existing partnerships, and showcase Malta as both a world-class tourism destination and an attractive place to invest.
Delegates will have the opportunity to experience the hospitality, connectivity and tourism infrastructure that underpin the destination’s success, while gaining a deeper understanding of the role Malta can play in the future of global Travel & Tourism.
WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Research underlines the importance of Travel & Tourism to Malta. The sector is forecast to make a significant contribution to the country’s economy in 2026, reinforcing the importance of the industry to Malta’s continued economic growth and employment.
The theme of the 2026 Summit, “FUTU[RE]SET: Shaping the Future of Travel & Tourism”, reflects the profound changes reshaping the world today. As technology, artificial intelligence, evolving consumer expectations and geopolitical shifts transform the way people live, work and travel, the Summit will bring together business leaders, policymakers and international organisations to explore what comes next and how Travel & Tourism can adapt, innovate and thrive in an increasingly complex global environment.
At a time of accelerating global change, the Summit will provide a platform to challenge conventional thinking and examine the forces shaping the future of Travel & Tourism. Discussions will focus on how the sector can navigate disruption, unlock new opportunities for growth and investment, and build greater resilience in an increasingly interconnected world.
A central focus of FUTU[RE]SET will be the role of stronger public-private collaboration in helping Travel & Tourism respond to rapid change, accelerate investment and unlock sustainable growth. Throughout the three-day programme, leaders from business and government will explore how partnerships across sectors can address shared challenges, strengthen competitiveness and create long-term value for destinations, businesses and local communities.
Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC, said: “Bringing more than 200 of the world’s leading Travel & Tourism CEOs and senior executives to Malta is a powerful demonstration of the strength and global importance of our sector. For many, this will be their first opportunity to experience Malta, and we are delighted to bring them together in Valletta for this landmark gathering.
Travel & Tourism is entering a new era, and the Summit will give leaders the opportunity to address the forces reshaping our sector, share ideas and strengthen collaboration. Together, we can help build a more resilient, sustainable and competitive future for Travel & Tourism.”
Carlo Micallef, CEO, Malta Tourism Authority, said: “Hosting the WTTC Global Summit in Malta is a moment of tremendous significance for our country and our tourism industry. To welcome more than 200 of the world’s most influential Travel & Tourism leaders to our shores is not simply an international endorsement of Malta as a destination, but an exceptional opportunity to place our country, our people and our vision for the future of tourism directly in front of those helping to shape that future. For many of these leaders, this will be their first opportunity to experience Malta, and we want them to discover the depth of our destination, our remarkable heritage, our hospitality, connectivity and diverse tourism offering, as well as the opportunities for investment and long-term partnerships.
“The relationships created during these three days can extend well beyond the Summit and have the potential to generate meaningful opportunities for Malta for years to come. The theme, FUTU[RE]SET, is particularly relevant at a time when our industry is undergoing profound transformation. Malta is committed to being part of that conversation, embracing innovation, strengthening competitiveness and working collaboratively with our international partners to create a tourism sector that is resilient, sustainable and future-focused. We are immensely proud to welcome the global Travel & Tourism community to Malta and to showcase what our country can offer, while listening, learning and contributing to the conversations that will shape the next chapter of our industry.”
Selected WTTC Global Summit Attendees
The following is a selection of registered Executive Committee Members, Global Members, Regional Members, Industry Partners and Destination Partners attending the Summit:
Gilda Perez-Alvarado – Chief Strategy Officer and CEO Orient Express, Accor
Angel Gallego – EVP Industry & Government Affairs, Amadeus IT Group S.A.
Audrey Hendley – President, American Express Travel, American Express
Paolo Barletta – CEO, Arsenale
Tony Fernandes – CEO of Capital A, Capital A Berhad / AirAsia
Greg O’Hara – Founder & Senior Managing Director, Certares
Jerry Inzerillo – Group CEO, Diriyah Company
Paul Griffiths – CEO, Dubai Airports International
Alfonso Paredes – President, Expedia Group B2B, Expedia Group
Alejandro Reynal – President and Chief Executive Officer, Four Seasons
Christie Travers-Smith – Director, EMEA Strategic Partnerships, Google Inc.
Frank R. Rainieri – Founder and Chairman of the Board, Grupo Puntacana
Nicolas Huss – CEO, HBX Group
Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio – Chairman, Heritage Group / Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group
Christopher J. Nassetta – President & CEO, Hilton
Gloria Fluxà – Vice-Chairman & CSO, Iberostar
Elie Maalouf – Global CEO, IHG Hotels & Resorts
James Thornton – CEO, Intrepid Travel
Jason Wynn – Managing Director – Head of Chase Travel Group, JPMorganChase / Chase Travel
Eijiro Yamakita – President & CEO, JTB Corp
Neal Jones – President, EMEA, Marriott International, Inc.
Hamza Farooqui – CEO, Millat Group
William E. Heinecke – Founder & Chairman, Minor Hotel Group
Pierfrancesco Vago – Executive Chairman, Cruise Division, MSC Group
Frank Marini – President & CEO, Railbookers Group
Pansy Ho – Group Executive Chairman and Managing Director, Shun Tak Holdings Limited
Gaurav Bhatnagar – Co-Founder & Joint Managing Director, TBO.COM
Nerio Alessandri – Founder & CEO, Technogym
Desirée Bollier – Chair and Global Chief Merchant, The Bicester Collection
Gibrán Chapur – CEO, The Palace Company
Qusai Alfakhri – CEO, Tourism Development Fund
Jane Sun – CEO, Trip.com Group
Zubin Karkaria – Founder & CEO, VFS Global
Matthew Upchurch – Chairman & CEO, Virtuoso
Caroline Beteta – President & CEO, Visit California
Cara Morton – CEO Global Businesses & Operations, Zurich Cover-More
Muzzammil Ahussain – CEO, Almosafer (Part of Seera Group)
Simón Pedro Barceló – Executive Chairman, Barcelo Hotel Group
Wytze van den Berg – Vice President EMEA, BWH Hotel Group
Enrique Ybarra – President, Founder & CEO, City Sightseeing Worldwide
Ayhan Bektas – Chairman, Coral Travel Group
Taha Nazer – Acting CEO, Cruise Saudi
Hideaki KURODA – Executive Director of Paris office, East Japan Railway Company
Daniel Richards – CEO & Founder, Global Rescue
Duma Wang – Founder & CEO, HiSEAS International
Puneet Chhatwal – Chief Executive Officer, Indian Hotels Company
Deepak Ohri – Founder & CEO, LAMH Management Asia Co., Ltd.
Gabriel Escarrer Jaume – Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Meliá Hotels International
Ayad Ali Al Balushi – Group CEO, OMRAN
Encarna Piñero – Global CEO, Piñero
Jeff Willner – Founder & CEO, Range
Laurent Gardinier – President, Relais & Châteaux
Massimo Caputi – CEO, Terme & Spa Italia
Geoff Freeman – President & CEO, U.S. Travel Association
Keith Vincent – CEO, Wilderness
Xavier Rossinyol – CEO, Avolta AG
Bruno Despujol – Global Lead for Leisure & Hospitality, Oliver Wyman
Anna Kofoed – Chief Officer for Travel & Member of the Allianz Partners Board of Management, Allianz Partners
Andrea Alori – Partner – Travel & Tourism, Bain & Company
Julie Shainock – Global Managing Director – Travel, Transport & Hospitality Industry, Microsoft Corporation
Katie Briscoe – CEO, MMGY Global
Laura Sileo – Global Brand Homes Director, Pernod Ricard SA
Nikolay Malyarov – CEO, International, PressReader International
Ekaterina Petelina – SVP, Head of Global Cross-Border and Global Sales & Commercial Operations, Visa Inc
John Sage – Founder & CEO, Accessible Travel Solutions
Gabriele Burgio – President and CEO, Alpitour World
Ashish Sanghrajka – President, Big Five Tours & Expeditions
Giulia Bandini – CEO & Founder, Cogito Strategies
Aldo Melpignano – Founder and Managing Director, Egnazia Ospitalita Italiana SRL
Michael Johnson – President, Ensemble Travel
Martin Zanone – Managing Director, Eurotur
Debbie Flynn – Managing Partner, Global Travel Practice Leader, FINN Partners, Inc.
Andrea Grisdale – CEO – Sole Founder, IC Bellagio
Mark Weingard – Chief Curator and Founder, Iniala
Alison Grinnell – Group Chief Operating Officer & CEO, Marjan Hospitality, Marjan Hospitality LCC
David Burgess – President & CEO, Miles Partnership, LLLP
Elisabetta Fabri – President & CEO, Starhotels
Alex Villeyra – CEO, The Data Appeal Company
Shannon Knapp – President & CEO, The Leading Hotels of the World
Leyla Servet Oner Guncavdi – CEO, Tura Turizm
Mustafa Al Hashimi – CEO, Wasl Hospitality
Erkan Yagci – Executive Board Member, Zaf Group
Adam OUBUIH – CEO, ATOUT FRANCE – France Tourism Development Agency
Florian Sengstschmid – CEO, Azerbaijan Tourism Board
Ahmed Youssef – CEO, Egyptian Tourism Authority
Anas Alajlan – Interim Head of Tourism, NEOM
Phillipa Harrison – CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority
Martin Nydegger – CEO, Switzerland Tourism
Latia Duncombe – Director General, The Islands of the Bahamas
Miguel Sanz – Director General, TURESPAÑA
Carlos Abade – President, Turismo de Portugal
Juliana Kagwa – CEO, Uganda Tourism Board
Valentin Diaz Gilligan – President, Visit Buenos Aires
Jean-Guy Afrika – CEO, Visit Rwanda
Martina Bienenfeld – CEO, Zagreb Tourist Board
Harris Whitbeck – Minister of Tourism, Guatemalan Institute of Tourism
The Summit follows WTTC’s successful 25th Global Summit in Rome in 2025, which brought together leaders from across the public and private sectors to examine the major trends and opportunities shaping Travel & Tourism. Previous WTTC Summits have addressed issues including destination stewardship, artificial intelligence, sustainable aviation, investment, workforce development and emerging areas of tourism growth.
With Malta now preparing to welcome the global industry next month, the 2026 Summit will provide a unique opportunity for the sector’s most influential decision-makers to come together, exchange perspectives and help define the next chapter for Travel & Tourism.
For senior executives looking to be part of this landmark gathering, WTTC is offering a limited number of Executive Access Passes to the 2026 Global Summit. For the first time, senior leaders from organisations outside the WTTC Membership community can join the world’s leading Travel & Tourism CEOs and government leaders in Valletta, with access to the full Summit agenda, exclusive networking opportunities and key social events. Executive Access Passes are limited and available now.
