WTTC Urges Governments and Business to Jointly Plan for Tourism Crises

The World Travel & Tourism Council used a gathering of tourism ministers in London on Tuesday to press for closer planning between governments and private companies, arguing that the industry must prepare for shocks before they strike rather than react once they arrive. The council, which represents travel and tourism businesses worldwide, presented the call at the WTM London Ministers' Summit, an event marking its 20th anniversary and attended by more than 50 tourism ministers and senior government representatives.

The appeal comes as the global tourism sector reports record output and employment, but also faces an unsettled operating climate shaped by geopolitical conflict, higher costs and natural disasters. Council President and Chief Executive Gloria Guevara told the summit that coordinated action, leadership and readiness matter more as global uncertainty grows. The meeting was held under the theme of strengthening tourism for a resilient future.

Record Output and Jobs

According to the council, travel and tourism contributed a record $11.6 trillion to the global economy in 2025, equal to 9.8 percent of worldwide GDP. The same figures show the sector supported 366 million jobs around the world, or approximately one in every nine jobs. The council forecasts that the industry will contribute $11.9 trillion to global GDP in 2026, the highest level on record.

The council based its resilience argument on research covering more than 100 crises, including the September 11 attacks, the global financial crisis, geopolitical tensions, wars and the COVID-19 pandemic. Guevara described travel and tourism as one of the world's most resilient economic sectors, citing its ability to adapt and recover from major disruptions. She told ministers that partnerships must be in place before a crisis, so that governments and companies can share information, align decisions and respond faster when problems emerge.

Eight Priorities for the Industry

The council outlined eight strategic priorities approved by its executive committee after several months of consultation that included more than 200 interviews with chief executives and industry leaders. They include enabling safer and more seamless journeys through digital standards and biometric technologies, improving destination management and addressing overcrowding, and advancing climate and environmental sustainability. The list also covers adopting emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics, strengthening crisis preparedness and recovery, expanding international connectivity and opening new travel corridors, supporting workforce development and talent retention, and promoting policies that encourage investment and growth.

For the tourism sector, the workforce commitments are likely to draw particular attention. The priorities explicitly name workforce development, talent retention and mobility, alongside policies meant to draw investment. That framing links the industry's hiring and skills needs to its ability to withstand downturns, since businesses that cannot hold on to trained staff are slower to restore service when demand returns. The council has argued that planning with governments in advance gives destinations a better chance to protect jobs through disruptions.

The summit also touched on how the industry reaches travelers. The priorities call for digital standards and biometric tools to smooth border crossings and airport processing, and for wider use of artificial intelligence and robotics across operations. Those changes tend to reshape roles in airlines, airports, hotels and booking businesses, shifting demand toward staff who can manage digital systems while keeping service quality intact.

What to Watch Next

The council said delivering its agenda depends on sustained political commitment and practical engagement between policymakers, destinations and companies, and it offered its own research, economic data and global network to support governments. It also tied its priorities to policy work in Europe, welcoming the European Commission's first sustainable tourism strategy and noting that Europe's travel and tourism sector is forecast to grow 3.1 percent this year, compared with projected growth of 1.1 percent for the wider European economy. Whether national governments convert the calls into joint crisis plans, workforce programs and investment rules will be the measure industry leaders watch in the months ahead.