WTTC to Host Travel Summit Meetings in Sendai, Tokyo

From April 16 to 19, 1,000 travel leaders will gather in Sendai and Tokyo to discuss major issues facing the industry, during the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) 12th Global Summit. The Global Summit is attended by industry and government leaders from around the world. This year’s Global Summit will tackle the theme of “Leading a Dynamic Industry through Turbulent Times.”

“It has been a turbulent 12 months including unrest in Africa and the Middle East, impacting on traveler patterns, and last year’s devastating earthquake in Japan,” said David Scowsill, WTTC’s president and CEO. “Now it is more important than ever for us to discuss on how to lead a dynamic industry through such turbulent times and restore its economic power globally.”

The Summit will be held in two locations to mark recent significant events in Japan -- Sendai City (April 16 and 17) and Tokyo (April 17 to 19). A year after the Tohoku region was devastated by the earthquake and tsunami of March, 11, 2011, the WTTC Global Summit will open with a dinner in Sendai City, the focal point of last year’s disaster recovery efforts, and Tokyo. Speakers will include Atsutoshi Nishida, chairman and CEO, Japan Travel and Tourism Association; Chen Rong, CEO, China International Travel Service; Christopher Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton Worldwide; Fujio Cho, chairman of the board, Toyota Motor Corporation; Gordon Wilson, president and CEO, Travelport Limited; and others.