WTTC Proclaims Former Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar and U.S. Tourism Minister Nick Adams for Malta Global Summit

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) at this time introduced two additional high-profile audio system for its twenty sixth Global Summit in Valletta, Malta, happening between 7–9 October 2026 on the Mediterranean Conference Centre. José María Aznar, former Prime Minister of Spain, and His Excellency, Ambassador Nick Adams, U.S. Tourism Minister, will be a part of greater than 1,000 delegates from over 100 international locations together with 200 of the world’s main Travel & Tourism CEOs, senior executives and authorities leaders.

Their participation will deliver two highly effective views to the Summit: the expertise of a former European head of presidency who led Spain by means of a interval of serious financial transformation, and the voice of the United States’ first-ever Special Presidential Envoy for Tourism, reflecting the rising strategic significance governments are inserting on Travel & Tourism.

Held below the theme “FUTU[RE]SET”, the Summit will deliver collectively world enterprise and political leaders to look at the forces reshaping the sector and discover how governments and business can work collectively to unlock funding, strengthen competitiveness and construct a extra resilient future.

José María Aznar, who served as Prime Minister of Spain from 1996 to 2004, will deliver his expertise of main a serious European financial system and navigating intervals of profound geopolitical and financial change. His participation will add a senior worldwide perspective to discussions round management, Europe’s future competitiveness, world cooperation and the function of Travel & Tourism as a bridge between economies, cultures and folks.

His Excellency, Ambassador Nick Adams, the primary U.S. Tourism Minister, stated of his keynote speech: “Tourism is diplomacy with a suitcase. I’m proud to bring America’s voice to Valletta and help lead the partnerships that will define the next decade of travel.”

With the United States representing the world’s largest Travel & Tourism market, Ambassador Adams’ participation displays the rising recognition of tourism as a driver of financial progress, funding, jobs and worldwide engagement.

H.E. Adams has made stronger public-private collaboration a central focus of his worldwide engagement, highlighting the function governments and companies can play collectively in unlocking funding, eradicating obstacles to progress and strengthening the long-term resilience of Travel & Tourism.

Together, the 2 audio system will contribute to a Summit programme analyzing a few of the most urgent questions going through the sector, from geopolitical change and world competitiveness to funding, know-how, connectivity and the altering traveller.

The programme may even discover how Travel & Tourism can proceed to create jobs, entice funding and ship financial alternative whereas adapting to a quickly altering world setting. With governments more and more recognising the strategic significance of the sector, FUTU[RE]SET will present a platform to look at what efficient management and stronger collaboration can ship within the decade forward.

For Malta, the gathering will additional reinforce its place on the centre of world Travel & Tourism. More than 200 CEOs and senior leaders, authorities representatives and worldwide media will collect in Valletta, giving Malta an distinctive alternative to showcase its tourism success story, hospitality, heritage, connectivity and various customer providing.

The 2026 Global Summit follows WTTC’s ongoing efforts to deliver collectively essentially the most influential voices in Travel & Tourism and strengthen the connection between governments and the personal sector at a pivotal time for the business. The Summit in Malta will present a singular alternative for leaders to problem typical pondering, change concepts and assist form the subsequent chapter of world Travel & Tourism.

Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC, stated: “We are delighted to welcome two leaders of such distinction to our Global Summit in Malta. José María Aznar brings decades of experience at the highest level of government, while Ambassador Nick Adams represents a new era of U.S. leadership in Travel & Tourism. Their perspectives will add tremendous value to the global conversation taking place in Valletta.

FUTU[RE]SET is about looking beyond today and asking what leadership, collaboration and investment are needed to build the future of our sector. Bringing political and business leaders together in Malta gives us a unique opportunity to challenge conventional thinking, share ideas and turn ambition into action.”

Carlo Micallef, CEO, Malta Tourism Authority, stated: “We are proud to welcome the WTTC Global Summit to Malta and to host some of the most influential voices shaping the future of Travel & Tourism. The participation of José María Aznar and Ambassador Nick Adams further strengthens an exceptional programme that will bring together global leaders from business and government. This Summit offers a unique opportunity to showcase Malta’s hospitality, heritage and connectivity, while fostering the dialogue and collaboration needed to drive sustainable growth and innovation across the sector.”

For senior executives seeking to be a part of this landmark gathering, WTTC is providing a restricted variety of Executive Access Passes to the 2026 Global Summit. For the primary time, senior leaders from organisations outdoors the WTTC Membership neighborhood can be a part of the world’s main Travel & Tourism CEOs and authorities leaders in Valletta, with entry to the complete Summit agenda, unique networking alternatives and key social occasions. Executive Access Passes are restricted and accessible now. Find out more and secure your Executive Access Pass

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About the World Travel & Tourism Council

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is the worldwide physique representing the personal sector of Travel & Tourism and the main authority on the sector’s financial and social contribution worldwide. Its members embody Chairmen, Presidents and CEOs of the world’s main journey and tourism corporations throughout inns, airways, airports, cruise traces, tour operators, know-how platforms and locations, spanning each main area globally.

WTTC works to advance sustainable progress throughout the Travel & Tourism sector by driving collaboration between business leaders and governments, shaping world coverage, and offering authoritative analysis on the sector’s financial impression worldwide. 

About the Malta Tourism Authority

The Malta Tourism Authority is the nationwide authority chargeable for selling, regulating, and creating tourism within the Maltese Islands, it performs a central function in positioning Malta as a high-quality, sustainable, and internationally aggressive tourism vacation spot. The MTA operates below the oversight of the Ministry for Tourism and works intently with authorities entities, personal sector stakeholders, worldwide companions, and native communities to strengthen Malta’s tourism business. As each regulator and business associate, the MTA serves as a key facilitator inside Malta’s tourism ecosystem. The Authority collaborates with inns, airways, cruise operators, occasion organisers, journey professionals, and worldwide media to advertise tourism arrivals and preserve Malta’s competitiveness within the world journey market. The MTA additionally oversees tourism operations licensing, compliance inspections, analysis and statistics, vacationer data providers, high quality assurance initiatives, and vacation spot growth programmes.