WTTC CEO Gloria Guevara organized and facilitated the first-ever Leaders’ Summit on the opening day of World Travel Market London 2026 at ExCeL London. The invitation-only event brought together senior tourism officials to focus on investment, destination development, and strengthening public-private partnerships.
Addressing Networking Challenges at Major Trade Events
The Leaders’ Summit aimed to overcome a persistent issue at large trade shows like WTM London: providing meaningful opportunities for direct dialogue amid crowded schedules. High-level tourism executives, ministers, and investors often find it difficult to secure focused time for discussions during a busy opening day filled with appointments and presentations.
By creating a dedicated forum starting with
a networking lunch, the event enabled destination leaders and private sector executives to exchange experiences and discuss sector challenges without the pressure of overlapping commitments.
Focus on Investment, Development, and Cooperation
The summit centered on encouraging tourism investment and sustainable destination management. It provided a platform to foster cooperation between governments and businesses, critical for achieving long-term growth in the sector.
Gloria Guevara emphasized the essential role of destinations in the tourism ecosystem and restated WTTC’s seven principles for attracting investment. These principles include legal certainty, regulatory stability, stakeholder engagement, investment incentives, political support, and long-term destination planning.
Regional Tourism Leaders Outline Development Ambitions
Phillipa Harrison, Chief Executive of the Ras Al
Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, outlined her region’s plan to increase the tourism sector’s contribution from about 5% of GDP to between 20% and 30% within 5 to 10 years. Support from political leadership, comprehensive master planning through 2040, infrastructure investments, and community participation are central to this strategy.
Ahmed Youssef, CEO of the Egyptian Tourism Authority, detailed Egypt’s investments in airport upgrades and clean-energy infrastructure while seeking to diversify visitor markets. He also highlighted the national “We Are Egypt” campaign aimed at community engagement.
Michelle Fridman, Secretary of Tourism for Jalisco, Mexico, stressed the importance of investor confidence, infrastructure readiness,
destination promotion, and safety perception management to sustain regional tourism growth.
Highlighting Accessible Tourism Initiatives
The Spanish Tourist Office introduced Spain’s “Spain for All” and “Spain, a Country for All” campaigns, focusing on accessible tourism. Barbara Couto, Chief Marketing Officer at Turespaña, explained how content creators are being leveraged to effectively communicate travel experiences for people with accessibility needs.
Jesús Ruiz, Head of Sustainability and Impact at the Spanish Tourist Office UK, identified simple obstacles such as insufficient signage or a single step as significant barriers for travelers with disabilities, underscoring the need for inclusive destination development.
These initiatives demonstrate that tourism leadership encompasses
not only investment and infrastructure but also expanding accessibility to a wider range of travelers through coordinated public-private efforts.
Integration with Existing Tourism Forums and Industry Impact
The Leaders’ Summit complements the 20th edition of the WTM Ministers’ Summit scheduled for November 4, 2026. Both events contribute to WTM London’s expanding role as a venue for comprehensive industry dialogue beyond commercial transactions.
WTTC CEO Gloria Guevara’s leadership highlights the necessity of creating platforms that facilitate personal interaction and trust-building between public and private sector leaders. The event supports WTTC’s mission to bridge cooperation gaps in tourism development with a focus on practical outcomes.
