RESPONSE to the World Travel and Tourism Council's (WTTC's) 4th Global Travel and Tourism Summit (GTTS), held in Doha from May 1 to 3, as TTN goes to press, has exceeded expectations with around 700 delegates, including over 20 government ministers from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australasia, Asia and the Americas confirming their attendance more than two weeks before the event.
“We were amazed by the response,” Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, hosts of the summit, told TTN before the meet. “We had anticipated around 500, but were delighted that the summit, under the theme ‘Driving Change’, attracted so much interest.” The event was to be inaugurated by Qatar's Heir Apparent, HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani.
The summit’s slated aim was to bring forward the agenda for travel and tourism as a contributor to economic regeneration, employment and investment; and to promote real public/private dialogue and partnership, while offering delegates from all corners of the globe a set of unparalleled networking opportunities in a variety of environments. “The summit is attracting the most influential leaders in the private sector of the industry, as well as stimulating great interest from governments around the world whose presence will ensure their input in the debate about where the tourism industry heads next,” Al Baker added.
Sir Ian Prosser, chairman of WTTC and InterContinental Hotels said, “The WTTC is the industry's global business forum, aimed at raising awareness of the economic importance of travel and tourism worldwide. According to recent WTTC research, travel and tourism currently represent over 10 per cent of global GDP and more than 194 million jobs worldwide.”