MADRID – FITUR. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during FITUR confirming the relocation of its global headquarters from London to Madrid, in a move that marks a milestone in international tourism governance.

The agreement was signed by Gloria Guevara Manzo, President and CEO of the WTTC; Jordi Hereu Boher, Spain’s Minister of Industry and Tourism; and José Luis Martínez-Almeida, Mayor of Madrid, before the international tourism community gathered at Spain’s leading tourism trade fair.

During the signing ceremony at FITUR, WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara emphasized that the choice of Madrid is not merely an administrative decision, but part of a long-term strategic vision. She stated that the Spanish capital will serve as the platform from which global priorities for the private tourism sector will be defined, in a context shaped by sustainable transformation, innovation, and the need for stronger international coordination.

For his part, Minister of Industry and Tourism Jordi Hereu Boher described the agreement as the result of months of close collaboration between the Spanish Government and the WTTC. He stressed that the arrival of the WTTC’s global headquarters in Madrid strengthens Spain’s leadership as a global tourism powerhouse and reinforces the country’s commitment to shaping the future of the sector worldwide.

Along the same lines, Madrid Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida highlighted the city’s international projection and the confidence that major global tourism organizations place in the Spanish capital. He noted that Madrid offers the institutional, economic, and logistical conditions required to host organizations that define the direction of global tourism and to become a key meeting point for tourism governance.

The decision, previously announced in December following a competitive selection process that included bids from Paris, Milan, Dubai, and Geneva, was unanimously approved by the WTTC Board of Directors, which represents more than 200 leading global private-sector companies, including major hotel groups, airlines, technology firms, and tourism operators.

With this relocation, Madrid strengthens its position as a global tourism governance hub, adding the WTTC headquarters to that of UN Tourism, and consolidating itself as a strategic center where the global private tourism agenda, public-private cooperation, and priorities related to sustainability, data, and training will be defined.

Gloria Guevara also noted that from Madrid the WTTC will promote “a new tourism model” and shape the next steps for the global travel and tourism sector, while the Spanish Government underlined that the decision further reinforces Spain’s status as a leading international tourism destination.