The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has confirmed that its 26th Global Summit will be held in Valletta, Malta, in 2026. The announcement was made during the closing ceremony of the 25th WTTC Global Summit in Rome, which saw leaders from across the global travel and tourism industry come together.
Delivered in collaboration with Malta’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs & Tourism, the Malta Tourism Authority, and the Government of Malta, the summit will convene public and private sector leaders to address the future of travel and tourism with a focus on innovation, resilience, sustainability, and long-term growth.
Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage City, has been selected as the host city for the flagship event, providing an appropriate setting for such high-level dialogue and knowledge exchange.
Over three days in 2026, the WTTC Global Summit will serve as a platform for forging partnerships, driving investment, and reinforcing the sector’s role within the global economy.
WTTC CEO Gloria Guevara said the organisation was “thrilled” to bring the summit to Valletta, describing Malta as the right setting for global industry leaders to come together shaping the future of travel and tourism.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs & Tourism, Hon. Ian Borg, said the announcement marked a notable moment for Malta, confirming the country’s growing role as a leader in global tourism. He noted the summit would provide a major opportunity to showcase Malta’s rich cultural heritage and welcoming hospitality, while hosting international discussions.
Alongside its growing international profile, Malta continues to advance accessible tourism and hospitality. In recent weeks, hospitality businesses across the island took part in lived-experience-led training delivered by the Malta Visual Non-Visual Network, in collaboration with the Malta Tourism Authority, focused on improving experiences for blind and low-vision guests.
Accelerating this context, the Accessible Hospitality Alliance is set to launch a new international chapter in Malta in March next year, establishing a Mediterranean-focused hub for accessible hospitality knowledge sharing.
Shawn Pisani, Vice President, HelmsBriscoe, and member of the Accessible Hospitality Alliance Advisory Board commented on the opening of the new chapter saying: “Organising the Alliance’s first forum outside of the UK, on the island of Malta, an economy that depends on tourism, a country that has historically been a crossroads for many cultures, and a people renowned for their hospitality, is a strategically sound choice. It is a project I and my peers are excited about.”
For hospitality and tourism operators, 2026 is shaping up to be a significant year, with Malta firmly positioned at its centre.