The WTTC meeting in Madrid examined the global investment outlook for travel and tourism, bringing industry leaders and ministers together to discuss barriers, connectivity and sustainable growth.
Summary: The World Travel & Tourism Council convened a high-level meeting in Madrid to review the global investment outlook for travel and tourism, focusing on barriers to investment, public–private partnerships and driving sustainable, inclusive growth.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) hosted a senior-level meeting in Madrid that examined the global investment outlook for travel and tourism, drawing ministers, industry executives and senior policymakers to discuss how to accelerate resilient, sustainable sector growth.
Meeting overview
The session was chaired by Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of WTTC, and included Shaikha Al Nowais, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, alongside ministers and senior officials from governments and major private-sector travel and hospitality companies. Delegates reviewed both the obstacles that limit investment and the strategies that could unlock new capital for the sector.
Discussion topics centred on reducing barriers to travel, harnessing technology to smooth traveller journeys, enhancing global connectivity and promoting sustainable tourism that benefits local communities and preserves natural and cultural assets.
Investment priorities and barriers
- Removing regulatory and operational barriers that discourage private investment
- Using technology to enable more seamless traveller experiences
- Strengthening air, sea and ground connectivity
- Scaling public–private partnerships to fund resilient infrastructure
- Advancing sustainable tourism that benefits local communities
Participants stressed the need for legal certainty, ongoing infrastructure development and active government facilitation to attract private-sector capital and support long-term, sustainable growth in the industry.
The sector’s economic contribution and jobs
Gloria Guevara highlighted the size and recent momentum of the industry and underlined the need for investment to secure future gains and job creation.
Travel & Tourism continues to be one of the most powerful drivers of global economic growth. In 2025, more than 1.5 billion people travelled internationally, 80 million more than in 2024, making it the strongest year on record for global tourism,
The sector contributed approximately $11.7 trillion to the global economy, representing 10.3 % of global GDP and year-on-year growth of 6.7 %.
Travel & Tourism supports one in nine jobs globally. Over the next decade, the sector is expected to create 91 million new jobs, or one in three new jobs worldwide, making talent development and skills training an urgent priority.
Calls for inclusive and sustainable growth
Speakers underlined the importance of protecting cultural and natural heritage while ensuring tourism benefits are widely shared. They urged closer cooperation between governments, communities and private investors to drive balanced development in emerging and established destinations.
Shaikha Al Nowais argued that private-sector reach and government collaboration are essential to deliver equitable tourism outcomes.
My vision is ambitious, but achievable. Real progress requires the reach of the private sector and close collaboration with governments and communities,
Mara Lezama, Governor of the State of Quintana Roo, called for tourism strategies that address social inequality and support rural and community-based models.
Tourism success cannot exist alongside social inequality. Democratising tourism, promoting rural and community-based tourism, and ensuring transparent investment frameworks are essential for shared prosperity,
Attendance and next steps
The meeting included senior private-sector executives from hospitality, travel and tourism groups, ministers and vice-ministers from Latin America, senior officials from Asia and other national tourism authorities. Delegates agreed on the need for deeper, region-specific analysis to translate discussion into concrete investment strategies.
Concluding the Madrid session, Gloria Guevara announced that WTTC will run a series of regional forums to explore sector-specific challenges and opportunities, with the aim of boosting industry growth, job creation and public–private collaboration.
What this means for travellers and the industry
For travellers and travel businesses, the Madrid meeting signals a push toward more coordinated investment that could improve connectivity, simplify journeys through technology and encourage more sustainable, community-minded tourism models. Stronger public–private cooperation and clearer legal frameworks should make it easier to finance projects that enhance infrastructure and services while supporting job creation across destinations.
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