Global tourism is worth $11.1 trillion and employs 348 million people. By late September, Rome will host the 25th WTTC Global Summit, a key event to shape the future of the sector through artificial intelligence, digital innovation, and sustainability.
From September 28 to 30, 2025, the Auditorium Parco della Musica “Ennio Morricone” will become the pulsating heart of global tourism. Rome will host the 25th Global Summit of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), an event that will bring together ministers, CEOs, and international leaders to discuss the new challenges of a sector that, only in 2024, generated $11.1 trillion and supported approximately 348 million jobs.
The prospects are even more ambitious: by 2034, tourism could account for 11.4% of the global GDP. In Italy, the sector is already worth €228.5 billion, representing 13% of GDP, with foreign tourism expenditure estimated to grow by +6.9%. Just in the recent summer, from June to September 2025, the turnover reached €14.7 billion, confirming Italy’s central role on the international stage.
It is therefore no surprise that the Italian capital was chosen as the summit venue: Rome is both heritage, innovation, and culture, and is ready to host a global discussion that will address the major themes of the future. The focus of the work will be artificial intelligence applied to tourism, digitalization of services, advanced sustainability models, and increasing commitment to training operators, called to govern technological transition.
Among the most anticipated moments is the session “Spotlight On: New Leadership in Tourism”, where the WTTC president will converse with the new Secretary General of UN Tourism. The event will mark a crucial step toward stronger and more coordinated governance, capable of guiding tourism’s economic growth without neglecting the balance with local territories and communities. “The tourism sector is experiencing an epochal transformation that demands new leadership capable of balancing economic growth and sustainability. Rome is the ideal stage for this global dialogue,” said Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanchè. Echoing this, ENIT CEO Ivana Jelinic highlighted: “All players involved can make the sector more competitive and sustainable, enhancing Italian excellences and distributing tourist flows across the country”.
The summit will also focus on investments. Invitalia will present a dedicated focus on strategic opportunities to foster growth and competitiveness, while the Ministry of Tourism will highlight the first industrial plan dedicated to the sector. The goal is to attract capital and establish Italy as a model of sustainable and innovative tourist experience, capable of combining cultural heritage and new technologies.
Main sessions will also be broadcast online, allowing operators and academics to follow the work remotely, while press accreditation can be requested via email at ufficiostampa@ministeroturismo.gov.it.
Rome is thus preparing to host the most influential summit of the international tourism calendar. The decisions made at the Auditorium Parco della Musica will have a direct impact not only on major global players but also on local operators, called to seize opportunities offered by AI, digitalization, and new forms of sustainability. Italy continues to prove its role in a scenario where tourism is not just an economy but also strategy, innovation, and cultural identity.
Pubblicato in TravelNews
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