The organisation's president and chief executive, Gloria Guevara, a former Mexican Secretary of Tourism, explained that the 2026 results exceed what the body had anticipated. In her view, the competitiveness of a destination does not arise by chance but is built through collaboration. When governments and the private sector work in a coordinated way, they create the conditions to attract investment, drive innovation, improve connectivity and foster growth.
Guevara insisted that factors such as ease of travel, regulation, investment and public-private partnerships increasingly determine where tourists, companies and capital head. Put differently, an attractive destination is no longer enough: it must also be accessible, predictable and well governed. That idea runs through much of the summit's programme.
For the professionals present, the summit is also a place to network. Between sessions and bilateral meetings, partnerships are negotiated, investment strategies compared and technology solutions exchanged, from managing visitor flows to personalising each guest's experience across hotels, airlines and attractions.
The choice of Malta is no accident. The archipelago combines first-rate historical heritage with well-established air connectivity and an expanding conference industry, factors that have allowed it to compete successfully to host major international forums. Its small size also makes for a compact experience, in which attendees can walk between the main venues of the event.
The line-up of speakers reinforces the political dimension of the meeting. Former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau will deliver the keynote address, and former Spanish prime minister José María Aznar is also scheduled to speak. Alongside them will be figures from United States tourism and other senior leaders, in an agenda that combines strategic debate with the search for concrete agreements.
One of the most symbolic bets of this edition is the presence of one hundred young people from forty countries, invited as the sector's future leaders. Their participation answers a growing concern: the need to renew talent and bring fresh perspectives to an industry that must face the digital transition, climate pressure and a shortage of qualified professionals.
For Malta, hosting a forum of this scale is a first-class showcase. The archipelago, which has consistently backed cultural and conference tourism, is using the occasion to display its organisational ability and its heritage before the decision-makers who move the market. For other destinations, the summit offers a roadmap to the trends that will define the next decade.
The underlying message is clear: tourism is regaining prominence as an economic and social engine, but it does so in a more complex world. Those who can combine technological innovation, public-private cooperation and responsibility towards local communities will be better placed to capture demand in the years ahead.
