Lima to host World Travel & Tourism Council’s Americas Summit

LIMA, Peru – Nearly 500 executives from the tourism industry are expected to attend the World Travel & Tourism Council’s Americas Summit in Lima on Sept 10 to 11, 2014, according to David Scowsill, WTTC’s President & CEO.

“It (the summit) will bring together 500 top executives from both the private sector and governments to discuss many key issues facing the industry such as environmental sustainability, partnerships between the public and private sectors and infrastructure development in Latin America,” Scowsill said in an interview with El Comercio.

He said the Andean nation is working optimally in the development of trade, travel and the airline industry, in partnership with its regional neighbors. However, there is still much to improve regionally if the results are compared with other continents.
“The reason for the event is not the benefit of the World Travel and Tourism Council, but the future of Peru as a tourist destination,” he added.

To be held in partnership with Mincetur, Peru’s tourism ministry, the Americas Summit will bring together the public sector and leading private sector organizations from North, Central, South America and the Caribbean to engage in a constructive debate on a range of global Travel & Tourism issues in the Americas regional context.

Speakers will include CEOs from regional and global hotel companies, airlines, cruise lines, tour operators, travel management and online agencies; ministers of tourism; high level representatives from the NGO sector and opinion formers from the world of finance, business and the media.

Travel & Tourism is a major driver of economic growth and job creation across the Americas. According to WTTC economic research, the industry contributes $2 trillion to the economy of the region and accounts for 40 million jobs, with one million jobs forecast to be added every year for the next decade.

According to the latest WTTC research, Travel & Tourism accounts for 9% of Peru’s economy, generating one million jobs or one in 12 of all jobs in the country.

Peru’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism Magali Silva said, “due to the relevance and high level of attendees to the WTTC Americas Summit 2014, this event will be an opportunity to showcase the country, promote tourism and tourism investment globally.”