BY DEBAJYOTI CHAKRABORTY
KOLKATA | 9 OCTOBER 2026
India will host the prestigious World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit in 2027, bringing the world’s leading travel CEOs and government dignitaries to the national capital, New Delhi. The announcement was made today during the current WTTC Global Summit in Malta, where India won the hosting rights following a highly competitive selection process involving 22 bidding destinations. At the same event, India’s Union Minister of Tourism and Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, was honored with the WTTC Global Champion Award for his leadership and contributions to the sector.
The high-profile event arrives as India firmly establishes itself as one of the world’s fastest-growing travel markets, powered by an expansive domestic tourism base. According to the WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Research, the sector contributed an impressive US$263.6 billion to India’s economy in 2025, marking a 7.3% growth and supporting 46.2 million jobs, which accounts for more than one in ten jobs across the country.
This economic momentum is projected to accelerate significantly in the coming years. The WTTC forecasts that travel and tourism’s contribution to India’s GDP will grow by 8.5% in 2026 to reach US$286.1 billion, while expanding employment support to 48.1 million jobs. Over the next decade, the industry is on track to nearly double its economic footprint, with projections估算 reaching a staggering US$527 billion by 2036.
As the sector’s most critical international gathering, the 2027 New Delhi Summit will offer a premier global platform to showcase India’s diverse tourism offerings and rising appeal to international travelers. By uniting global public and private sector leaders, the event aims to address the defining opportunities and challenges shaping the future of global travel and tourism.
India is projected to become the world’s fourth-largest travel and tourism economy by 2036, climbing up from its current 10th position, according to a recent report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). Driven by a massive surge in local travel, domestic visitor spending hit a record US$203 billion in 2025, making up 86% of India’s total tourism expenditure. While domestic markets form the backbone of this expansion, experts point to international visitor spending as the next major growth frontier over the next decade.
Global Summit to Anchor India’s Tourism Boom:
The nation’s massive scale, diverse destinations, and aggressively expanding infrastructure are unlocking multi-sector opportunities across aviation, hospitality, leisure, technology, and destination development.
To capitalize on this momentum, India is set to host the prestigious WTTC Global Summit in 2027. The mega-event will serve as a primary gateway for international businesses and institutional investors to engage directly with India’s rapidly evolving tourism ecosystem and forge long-term strategic partnerships.
India has been selected to host the 2027 World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit in Delhi, triumphing over a competitive pool of 22 global destinations. The decision underscores India’s rising prominence in the international tourism landscape and its rapidly expanding visitor economy.
A Perfect Stage for Global Collaboration:
WTTC Chairman Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio expressed enthusiasm about bringing the flagship event to the capital. “We are delighted to bring the world’s most important Travel & Tourism event to India in 2027,” he stated, adding that Delhi will serve as the “perfect stage” for global leaders to collaborate and shape the future of the sector.
The prestigious event acts as a primary hub for industry leaders spanning investment, infrastructure, connectivity, hospitality, aviation, technology, and destination development.
Harnessing International Demand:
The summit arrives at a pivotal time for India, which has already established a highly resilient domestic tourism market. According to WTTC leadership, the next strategic phase for the country will center heavily on expanding its international visitor footprint.
WTTC President & CEO Gloria Guevara highlighted the country’s “extraordinary tourism potential” and robust economic growth.
“Its scale, ambition and growing global connectivity make it a natural place to bring the world’s Travel & Tourism leaders together,” Guevara said. “This will be an opportunity to showcase the country to our global membership, strengthen public-private partnerships and look at how India can capture even more of the international demand.”
Driving Investment and Partnerships:
The selection reflects WTTC’s ongoing commitment to hosting its premier event in markets driving industry evolution. By bringing together top-tier public and private sector leaders, the 2027 Delhi summit aims to unlock new cross-border investment opportunities and foster critical infrastructure partnerships to fuel the next chapter of global travel.
About the World Travel & Tourism Council:
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is the global body representing the private sector of Travel & Tourism and the leading authority on the sector’s economic and social contribution worldwide. Its members include Chairmen, Presidents and CEOs of the world’s leading travel and tourism companies across hotels, airlines, airports, cruise lines, tour operators, technology platforms and destinations, spanning every major region globally.
WTTC works to advance sustainable growth across the Travel & Tourism sector by driving collaboration between industry leaders and governments, shaping global policy, and providing authoritative research on the sector’s economic impact worldwide.
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