The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has announced a collective commitment of US$2 billion in new investment in Malta, reflecting the confidence of international investors in Malta’s tourism strategy, government leadership and growth potential. The commitment was announced on 13 October 2026 on the eve of the WTTC Global Summit in Valletta, where tourism industry leaders and government officials gathered to discuss investment, competitiveness and sustainable tourism growth.
The investment pledge will boost several areas of Malta’s visitor economy, including tourism infrastructure, accommodation, connectivity and visitor experiences, supporting jobs and economic growth, while further enhancing the island as an international tourism investment destination. Over 1,000 delegates, including more than 200 top executives from the travel and tourism industry and government officials, attended the WTTC Global Summit.
Malta’s Tourism Economy Drives Global Investment
WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Research forecasts Travel & Tourism to contribute US$4.9 billion to Malta’s economy in 2026 – 16.9% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Moreover, the sector is forecast to support directly more than one in five jobs nationwide. Malta’s recent outperformance in the tourism sector has made it an even more attractive destination for investment.
In 2025, Malta’s Travel & Tourism grew 16.8% year-on-year in contribution to GDP – the fastest-growing economy in Europe, compared to just 2.6% on average across the region. Visitor exports grew 16.1% in the same year – the biggest increase of any European Union economy, and second only to Malta in Europe as a whole, where visitor exports grew 1.3%, compared to 2.4% for the EU average.
Investment Will Fuel Growth in Malta’s Tourism Sectors
The US$2 billion commitment will support further investment in accommodation, infrastructure, transport connectivity and visitor experiences, all key areas in building the competitiveness of a tourism destination and further growing the visitor economy. The investment will also help support jobs and drive economic growth in the Islands. This commitment builds on the importance of close collaboration between governments and private-sector investors in developing and growing tourism destinations.
By uniting international tourism investors and top industry executives in Valletta, the WTTC Global Summit gives Malta the perfect platform to present its investment opportunities to key decision-makers and stakeholders, forging new partnerships and exploring tourism-driven growth projects for the future.
WTTC Leaders Praise Malta’s Tourism Prospects
Manfredi Lefebvre, Chairman of WTTC, welcomed the commitment, highlighting members’ confidence not only in Malta’s government but also in the country’s potential as a tourism destination. ‘By uniting key international investors in Valletta, we can turn talks into action, while ongoing investment and development in infrastructure, connectivity and visitor experiences will see Malta capitalise on its tourism credentials, fuelling long-term economic growth,’ he said.
Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of WTTC, praised the commitment, applauding the Maltese government’s support for collaboration between the public and private sectors. ‘Sustained investment will create jobs, encourage innovation, build on existing infrastructure and drive destination competitiveness,’ she said. ‘Tourism offers huge potential for sustainable, long-term economic and social benefits, but these can only be realised through close co-operation between governments and the private sector.’
WTTC Global Summit Heralds New Era for Tourism
Malta is hosting the 26th edition of the WTTC Global Summit, under the theme FUTU[RE]SET: the future of travel and tourism is being redefined by the forces driving change and the action needed to encourage investment, drive competitiveness and promote sustainable tourism growth worldwide.
More than 200 chief executives and industry leaders from the aviation, hospitality, travel technology, tourism investment, destinations and other tourism-related sectors have gathered in Valletta for the four-day event. By hosting the WTTC Global Summit, Malta is putting itself at the heart of the global conversation on the future of tourism while showcasing its potential as an emerging international tourist destination. The US$2 billion investment commitment announced by WTTC members will help drive this forward, fueling economic growth and job creation in tourism-related sectors.
