- The seventh edition of A World for Travel forum took place in Paris on 29 and 30 October 2026.
- Around 200 international decision-makers attended.
- The theme was New Tourism Realities: From Global Disruption to Collective Action.
- Travel and tourism is projected to contribute $12 trillion (€10.2 trillion) to the global economy in 2026.
- International arrivals grew by a modest 0.4pc in the first half of 2026.
The seventh edition of the A World for Travel Forum in Paris convened global policymakers and industry leaders under the theme New Tourism Realities: From Global Disruption to Collective Action. Around 200 international decision-makers from public and private sectors gathered to discuss geopolitics, climate, investment, sustainability and artificial intelligence. Sessions covered mobility, hospitality and technology with a new vision for connected intelligence due to be unveiled.
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council travel and tourism is projected to contribute $12 trillion (€10.2 trillion) to the global economy and support around 376m jobs in 2026. UN Tourism reported that international arrivals grew by a modest 0.4pc in the first half of 2026 constrained by rising operational costs and geopolitical tensions. Discussions centred on how destinations can stay competitive amidst geopolitical fragmentation, climate change and biodiversity loss.
A dedicated Africa panel highlighted that travel and tourism contributed $211bn (€179bn) representing 7.8pc of the continent’s economy in 2024 with ongoing investments in connectivity, regional partnerships and infrastructure. Heavy emphasis was placed on artificial intelligence, hospitality transformation and transport evolution. The gathering of hand-selected international leaders emphasised that public policy and private business strategies must align closely.
