The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has chosen India to host the 2027 edition of the WTTC Global Summit, an annual gathering of decision makers from the travel and tourism industry, as well as government and business representatives. The news was announced on October 9, 2026, during the WTTC Global Summit in Malta, and marks India’s emergence as a key player in the global tourism scene, with opportunities to promote its destinations, domestic tourism and investment potential on a worldwide scale.
India was selected from a shortlist of 22 tourism friendly destinations keen to host the event. The summit will gather representatives from the public and private sectors to discuss emerging opportunities and challenges in the tourism space and foster international partnerships in fields such as hospitality, aviation, technology and destination development.
Delhi to Welcome Travel & Tourism Leaders from Around the World in 2027
The WTTC Global Summit is one of the travel and tourism industry’s most anticipated gatherings, where executives from leading companies, government officials and other stakeholders share insights, perspectives and ideas on the sector’s challenges and opportunities. The 2027 edition will highlight India’s tourism potential, including its diverse offerings, domestic visitor economy and appeal to international travellers, and will provide a forum for multinational organisations and businesses to explore partnerships and discuss what lies ahead for the global tourism and travel sector.
The news was announced during the WTTC Global Summit 2026 in Malta, where India’s Union Minister of Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat joined the discussions on the future of travel and tourism. Shekhawat was also named recipient of the WTTC Global Champion Award, in recognition of his contribution to the development of India’s travel and tourism sector.
India’s Tourism Economy Grew to Record breaking Numbers in 2025
According to the WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Research , travel and tourism contributed US$263.6 billion to India’s economy in 2025, marking a 7.3% increase compared to the previous year and supporting 46.2 million jobs, more than one in ten of India’s employed population.
The WTTC expects the sector’s contribution to the Indian economy to grow by 8.5% in 2026 and reach US$286.1 billion and supporting an estimated 48.1 million jobs. Over the next decade, the sector’s economic contribution is projected to almost double, reaching US$527 billion by 2036.
Domestic Tourism and International Visitors Fuel India’s Travel Sector Growth
India’s booming domestic tourism market is one of the key factors fueling the country’s overall tourism growth. According to the WTTC, domestic visitor spending in India hit US$203 billion in 2025 making up 86% of total travel and tourism expenditure in the country and supporting millions of jobs nationwide.
India’s strong domestic tourism market potential, combined with a rising number of international visitors and ongoing infrastructure developments, means that the country could jump from being the world’s 10th largest travel and tourism economy to fourth largest by 2036, the WTTC has predicted. Moreover, the 2027 WTTC Global Summit in Delhi will provide international business partners with the opportunity to explore potential collaborations, investment areas and new markets in India’s fast-growing tourism and hospitality space.
WTTC Highlight Importance of India for the Global Tourism Sector
Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, Chairman of the World Travel & Tourism Council, welcomed India’s selection as the host of the 2027 WTTC Global Summit following a competitive bidding process involving 22 destinations. The chairman noted that the choice of India as the host country was an indicator of its rising importance in the global tourism scene, as well as its strong commitment to international collaboration between the public and private sectors.
Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of the WTTC, described India as a country of great tourism potential and economic dynamism, and noted that the WTTC Global Summit 2027 would serve to highlight India’s credentials before the council’s global membership. Guevara added that the event would support efforts to foster partnerships between India’s public and private sectors and explore opportunities for international travellers to contribute to the country’s economic growth.
The Council reiterated its belief in the power of public private partnerships to fuel the sector’s growth and development in India. The event will focus on key areas of opportunity, including investment, infrastructure, technology and connectivity, as well as tourism’s role in driving employment, economic growth and sustainable development.
