The 71-year-old pontiff said doctors detected the lesion at an early stage and recommended surgery. The Holy See expects a hospital stay of about one week, with his November trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru currently remaining on schedule.
After international arrivals fell 5.5% in 2025, the U.S. presidential tourism envoy highlighted the FIFA World Cup and travel influencers as tools to counter negative perceptions. The challenge now is turning global exposure into sustained visitor growth and higher tourism spending.
Valletta, Malta. – The future of global Travel & Tourism will depend increasingly on how effectively the industry combines technology, investment, connectivity and public policy to make travel
Valletta, Malta, October 9, 2026. – The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) concluded its 26th Global Summit in Valletta, bringing together more than 1,000 participants, including over 200 C
Valentín Díaz Gilligan, President of the Buenos Aires City Tourism Board, presented the city’s international tourism strategy at the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit in Malta. The city expects to welcome 2.8 million international tourists in 2026 and aims to reach 5 million annual international visitors within the next five years, with investment, hotel development and air connectivity identified as key priorities.
At the WTTC Global Summit in Malta, the former Canadian prime minister discussed how political tensions, public messaging and border policies can influence international travel decisions. A sharp decline in visits by Canadian residents to the United States highlights a challenge for one of the world’s leading tourism markets.
Speaking with WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara at the organisation’s Global Summit in Malta, the former Canadian prime minister discussed tourism’s role in diplomacy and job creation, the impact of political tensions on travel between Canada and the United States, his experience strengthening ties with Mexico, and the importance of human connections in an increasingly polarised world.
The U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Tourism addressed the 26th WTTC Global Summit in Malta, highlighting tourism’s economic impact, defending travel as a tool for peace and diplomacy, rejecting tourism boycotts for geopolitical reasons, and presenting the United States’ agenda of major events and investment for the years ahead.
