Tourexpi
The
World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has announced the first wave of
high-profile speakers for its milestone 25th Global Summit, set to take place
in Rome from 28–30 September 2025. The event will gather global leaders from
business, government, and media for three days of debate and collaboration on
the future of the sector, which generates 10% of global GDP.
Hosted
at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in partnership with the Italian Ministry
of Tourism, ENIT, the Municipality of Rome, and the Lazio Region, the Summit
will focus on bold commitments and innovation, with themes ranging from the
transformative role of AI to strategies for sustainable growth.
Confirmed
headline speakers include:
·
William E. Heinecke, Founder &
Chairman, Minor Hotel Group
·
Matthew Upchurch, Founder & CEO,
Virtuoso
·
Jane Sun, CEO, Trip.com Group
·
Gaurav Bhatnagar, Co-Founder, TBO.com
·
Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO, Diriyah
Company
·
Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman
of Cruise, MSC Cruises
·
Paolo Barletta, CEO, Arsenale Spa
·
Andrea Grisdale, CEO & Sole
Founder, IC Bellagio
·
Desiree Bollier, Chair & Global
Chief Merchant, The Bicester Collection
·
Anthony Capuano, CEO, Marriott
International
·
Caroline Beteta, President & CEO,
Visit California
·
Christie Travers-Smith, Head of Retail
& Travel, EMEA Partnerships Solutions, Google
·
Elie Maalouf, Global CEO,
InterContinental Hotels Group
·
Decius Valmorbida Menezes, President:
Travel, Amadeus
·
Zubin Karkaria, Founder & CEO, VFS
Global
Additional
speakers will include Puneet Chhatwal (Indian Hotels Company), Julie Shainock
(Microsoft), Hashil Al Mahrouqi (OMRAN Group), and Massimo Caputi (Terme &
Spa Italia).
Leadership
transition and vision for the future
During
the Summit, current WTTC Chair Greg O’Hara (Founder & Senior Managing
Director, Certares) will hand over to Manfredi Lefebvre, Chairman of Heritage
Group and Co-Chair of Abercrombie & Kent.
Julia
Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “The Eternal City is the perfect stage
for a Summit where the world’s Travel & Tourism leaders will gather to
innovate, collaborate, and drive a decade of sustainable growth.”
Italian
Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè added: “The calibre of confirmed speakers
underlines the prestige of this event. The WTTC Global Summit will be a
historic opportunity, opening doors to significant new investment in Italy.”
Outgoing
Chair Greg O’Hara commented: “Rome will serve as a launchpad for the next
decade of growth, innovation, and collaboration. I’m honoured to host my final
Summit alongside such an extraordinary line-up of leaders.”
Chair-Elect
Manfredi Lefebvre said: “This summit is not just about destinations, but about
forging connections and creating experiences. It is a pivotal moment to embrace
innovation and resilience, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations.”
The
full programme, additional speakers, and headline sessions will be announced in
the coming weeks.
For
updates and registration details, visit WTTC.org.
Image
Credit: © AA
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