Former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau will headline the World Travel & Tourism Council’s 26th Global Summit in Valletta on October 7-9, the council said on September 10.
The booking gives the Malta summit its first political headliner in what is expected to be a popular event during an era of political turbulence. The council’s list of confirmed attendees has so far been built on corporate weight: Hilton, IHG, Four Seasons, Trip.com Group, Capital A and Dubai Airports among more than 200 chief executives from over 100 countries.
A former G7 head of government on the bill changes the room. Ministers and tourism boards weighing whether to send a delegation now have a second reason to go, and for suppliers that makes Valletta the densest single gathering of destination, hotel and airline decision-makers on this year’s calendar.
The summit runs under the theme FUTU[RE]SET. The programme covers the effect of geopolitical change on travel flows, artificial intelligence, aviation and connectivity, investment and destination development, and shifting traveller expectations. WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Research puts global travel and tourism investment above $1 trillion in 2025, up 8.5% year on year, with the sector contributing a record $11.6 trillion to world GDP.
Maltese government participation includes Ian Borg, deputy prime minister and minister for health, and Jo Etienne Abela, minister for tourism. Malta was chosen as host from 21 destinations that expressed interest. The council said the event would bring an international media delegation to the islands and that many delegates would be visiting Malta for the first time.
Gloria Guevara, WTTC president and chief executive, said the summit would place Malta “at the centre of the global Travel & Tourism conversation” for three days and thanked the Maltese government and the Malta Tourism Authority for bringing the event to Valletta.
Carlo Micallef, chief executive of the Malta Tourism Authority, said the focus was “firmly on quality, to deliver better visitor experiences and creating long-term value, whilst protecting our communities, heritage and identity”. Charles Mangion, the authority’s chairman, said an island destination “understands the importance of balancing growth with quality and sustainability”.
Malta received 4,022,310 inbound tourists in 2025, up 12.9% on the previous year, with total expenditure of €3.9bn, according to the National Statistics Office.