WTTC welcomes US Tourism Envoy Nick Adams for his first global address | News
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) welcomed His Excellency, Ambassador Nick Adams, US Special Presidential Envoy for Tourism, for his first major international public address since taking on the role, marking an important moment for both the United States and the global travel and tourism industry.
As the first US Special Presidential Envoy for Tourism, HE Adams’ participation reflected a new era of stronger public-private partnerships and renewed leadership at a pivotal time for global travel and tourism.
With the United States hosting the G20 and leading the world’s largest travel and tourism market – representing $2.63 trillion of the travel and tourism sector’s gross domestic product (GDP) – this role is taking on increasing international significance as governments and industry work together to unlock investment, remove barriers to growth and strengthen the sector’s long-term resilience.
HE Adams’ participation followed WTTC’s recent leadership discussions in Egypt, where he joined former heads of state, ministers and global business leaders to shape the next phase of the recovery of the travel and tourism sector in the Middle East and beyond.
Building on these conversations, HE Adams delivered the opening Leadership Keynote: Shaping the Next Phase of Travel, outlining the priorities shaping U.S. leadership in global travel and tourism.
His keynote focused on policy, investments, international cooperation and destination competitiveness, highlighting how governments can work together with industry to accelerate growth, rebuild trust and build long-term resilience in the global tourism sector – while also underscoring America’s enduring greatness as a leading and welcoming destination for travelers around the world.
Later in the day, he joined WTTC Chairman Manfredi Lefebvre for an exclusive discussion session exploring how stronger public-private partnerships could accelerate progress at scale, the role of U.S. leadership in shaping the international agenda, and the priorities that defined a more resilient, connected and competitive future for travel and tourism.
His participation marked an important milestone for WTTC as the organization continues to bring together the leaders shaping the future of the sector and reinforces the importance of government involvement as Travel & Tourism moves beyond recovery to long-term transformation.
SHE Ambassador Nick Adams, US Special Presidential Envoy for Tourism, said:
“I am pleased to see a new relationship developing between the United States and the World Travel & Tourism Council.
America is the largest tourism market in the world, and my goal is to drive more growth, jobs and national pride across the industry. Personally, I believe that by working together, the public and private sectors focused on the same goals, we can reach 100 million visitors per year to America by 2030, starting with welcoming millions of people to the FIFA World Cup and America 250 celebrations this summer.
With the United States also hosting the G20 this year, we have every opportunity to create more investment and hundreds of thousands of new jobs, and to build an even stronger reputation for warmly welcoming visitors to our great country.”
Gloria Guevara, president and CEO of WTTC, said:
“We were delighted to welcome His Excellency Nick Adams for his first major international address in his new role.
The creation of this position by the United States sends a strong message: travel and tourism are important. As a sector that contributes $11.6 trillion to global GDP, supports 366 million jobs and accounts for almost one in every ten dollars worldwide, its importance has never been clearer. This bold step by the US shows true leadership: elevating travel and tourism as a strategic priority for growth, investment and international cooperation.”
Manfredi Lefebvre, President of the World Travel & Tourism Council, said:
“At a time when public-private partnerships have never been more crucial, His Excellency Adams brought energy, conviction and a clear strategic vision for the future of travel and tourism. His presence reinforced the importance of strong global coordination and decisive leadership as the sector emerges from recovery and enters a new era characterized by resilience, competitiveness and long-term sustainable growth.
This level of commitment from the United States sends a strong signal to the world – demonstrating a renewed commitment to partnership, progress and the continued strength of our global industry.”
Following the momentum created by WTTC’s historic Leadership Cruise in Egypt, HE Adams’ participation reinforced WTTC’s commitment to bringing together global leaders who could drive meaningful progress for the sector.
