After moving the 20th Global Summit of the World Travel & Tourism Council [WTTC] from Puerto Rico to Cancun, Quintana Roo, the organization unveiled the participation of known leaders in the travel and tourism industry.
They include Chris Nassetta, President and CEO of Hilton; Alex Zozaya, President of Apple Leisure Group; Kim Day, CEO of Denver Airport and Richard Fain, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises.
The summit will take place from 22-23 April 2020, at the Moon Palace Convention Centre in Cancun, Mexico.
The following speakers are already confirmed. China appears not to have a role in the summit this time. Participation from the Gulf region appears to be weak. The Arabian Travel Market in Dubai is taking place at the same time from 22-25 April.
- Andy Duncan, CEO, Travelopia
- Brett Tollman, Chief Executive, The Travel Corporation
- Caroline Beteta, President & CEO, Visit California
- Darrell Wade, Co-founder & Chairman, Intrepid Group
- Deepak Ohri, CEO, Lebua Hotels & Resorts
- Desiree Bollier, Chair, Value Retail
- Frank R. Rainieri, President & CEO, Grupo Puntacana
- Fred Dixon, President & CEO, NYC & Company
- Friedrich Joussen, CEO, TUI
- Gibran Chapur, Executive Vice President, Palace Resorts
- Greg O’Hara, Founder &, Managing Partner, Certares
- Hiromi Tagawa, Chairman of the Board, JTB Corp
- Jeffrey C. Rutledge, CEO, AIG Travel
- Joan Vilà, Executive Chairman, Hotelbeds
- John Sage, CEO & Founder, Accessible Travel Solutions
- John Wasson, President & CEO, ICF
- Julian Balbuena, CEO & Chairman of the board of Directors, Best Day Travel Group
- Keith Barr, CEO, InterContinental Group (IHG)
- Kike Sarasola, President & Founder Room Mate Hotels & BeMate.com
- Kurt Ekert, President & CEO, Carlson Wagonlit Travel
- Michel Taride, Chair, Global Travel & Tourism Partnership (GTTP) Advisory Board
- Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports International
- Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, MSC Cruises
- Robin Ingle, Chairman & CEO, Ingle International
- Ryuhei Maeda, Member of the Board, ANA
- Scott Rosenberger, Global Sector Leader for Transportation, Hospitality & Services, Deloitte & Touche LLP
- Sean Donohue, CEO, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
- Stephen Colvin, Bloomberg
- Shirley Tan, CEO Rajawali Property Group
Over the next several weeks, WTTC will be celebrating its 30th anniversary while also preparing for the 20th Global Summit in Cancun. The theme for this year’s Summit; “Making a Lasting Difference”, will encourage delegates to discuss approaching the world differently, recognizing that what has got us to this point, will not work to tackle global challenges and incite positive change for the future.
WTTC is focused on the ways that the world is changing, and how this will initiate a change in how we travel, and how the Travel & Tourism sector operates. Digital transformation and the emergence of new technologies such as 5G, combined with global challenges such as climate change and geopolitical and economic crises, will turn the world on its head once more. With such rapid, dramatic and interlinked changes, WTTC and its Members must be sure to stay ahead of the curve.
The world is on the edge of fascinating social change, driven by huge technological advances, with every generation having to adapt to this new world. WTTC will be part of that social change and, at the Summit, we intend to outline how we will reflect new ways of thinking in the Travel & Tourism sector for the next decade.
“We are very proud to be able to attract this prestigious global event to Quintana Roo, which will focus the attention of the global tourism leaders towards Cancun and Quintana Roo, as well as the whole country,” said Carlos Joaquin Gonzalez, Governor of the State of Quintana Roo.
“In Quintana Roo, we have the fortune of relying on tourism as one of the key pillars of investment, employment, and economic prosperity in coordination with government, businesses and the community. We have positioned ourselves as the leader in international arrivals in Mexico and Latin America.”
Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC, said:
“The WTTC Global Summit will be the most important Travel & Tourism event of 2020, and a fitting recognition of a sector which last year, contributed 10.4% to global GDP and supported 319 million jobs worldwide.”
“The 20th Global Summit will benefit and showcase not only Quintana Roo, but Mexico, and the whole region including US, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. Cancun is a global icon and I feel honored to host the most important Travel & Tourism event of the year in my home country. Our Summit is the place where the future of our sector is shaped, and we look forward to hearing the insight of so many industry leaders, as we welcome them to our stage.”
eTurboNews is a media partner of the WTTC summit.
