The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) was founded in 1990 by a group of CEO's of Travel and Tourism companies, with the aim of promoting awareness of the economic contribution of the sector, broadening markets and reducing barriers to growth.
Turismo de Portugal joined WTTC, as a Destination Partner, in 2018.
WTTC brings together the main participants of the private sector of Travel and Tourism (airlines, hotels, cruises, car rental companies, travel agencies, tour operators, GDS and technology), promoting their contact with public bodies and international bodies. With the executives of over 150 leading Travel and Tourism companies as members, WTTC works towards a better understanding of the sector. It advocates partnership between the public and private sectors, delivering results that meet the needs of economies as well as local and regional authorities.
In addition to reports on various themes, WTTC produces and updates monthly reports on cities (including Lisbon), countries and benchmarks, in cooperation with Oxford Economics.
The organisation promotes the holding of several annual forums and meetings around the world, providing unique opportunities for contact between the different players in the Travel and Tourism sector. The Global Summit, the main event organised by WTTC, took place in Portugal three times (1996, the 1st Global Summit, 2003, the 3rd Global Summit, 2007, the 7th Global Summit). In September 2018, Lisbon hosted the WTTC Europe Leaders Forum.
WTTC is registered in the UK with Julia Simpson as its current President and CEO.
