India will host the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit in New Delhi in 2027, the council said on October 9.
India was chosen from 21 destinations that bid to host the event. WTTC forecasts it will rise from the world’s 10th-largest travel and tourism economy to the fourth-largest by 2036. India’s growth so far has rested on its home market: domestic visitors spent $203bn in 2025, 86% of all tourism spending in the country. The summit gives New Delhi a stage to court the foreign demand it has yet to capture, as airlines from the Gulf to Central Asia add India routes, with flyadeal launching Mumbai–Riyadh and Centrum Air adding Tashkent–Hyderabad.
“India is a country with extraordinary tourism potential and a sector that is already delivering remarkable economic growth,” said Gloria Guevara, WTTC’s President and CEO. “Its scale, ambition and growing global connectivity make it a natural place to bring the world’s Travel & Tourism leaders together.”
WTTC made the announcement at its 26th Global Summit in Valletta, Malta. There, India’s Union Minister of Tourism and Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, received the council’s Global Champion Award, which Spain’s tourism minister also received at the Malta summit.
According to WTTC’s latest economic impact research, travel and tourism contributed $263.6bn to India’s economy in 2025, up 7.3%, and supported 46.2mn jobs, more than one in 10 in the country. The council forecasts the sector’s contribution will grow 8.5% to $286.1bn in 2026, supporting 48.1mn jobs, and reach $527bn by 2036.
“We are delighted to bring the world’s most important Travel & Tourism event to India in 2027, chosen from among 21 destinations,” said Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, WTTC’s Chairman.
WTTC said the New Delhi summit would give international businesses and investors a chance to explore partnerships across hospitality, aviation, technology, infrastructure and destination development.
WTTC represents the private sector of global travel and tourism. Its members include chief executives of hotel groups, airlines, airports, cruise lines, tour operators and technology platforms. It is moving its global headquarters to Madrid.