The 23rd World Travel & Tourism Council Global Summit has commenced at the Kigali Convention Centre in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali.
President Kagame officially opened the summit, which is taking place from November 1 to 3, and marks the first time an African country hosts this prestigious event.
The summit has brought together industry leaders, experts, and figures like managing director Fawaz Farooqui and Julia Simpson, President and CEO of the World Tourism Network, to focus on the recovery and sustainability of the travel and tourism sector.
Julia Simpson stressed the importance of sustainability and the sector’s resilience, emphasizing the need for it to be at the core of its recovery.
Francis Gatare, the CEO of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), expressed the country’s delight in hosting this milestone event, celebrating the fact that it took 23 years for Africa to become the host of the summit.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) introduced the latest Environmental Impact Research data (ESR), in collaboration with the Sustainable Tourism Global Center (STGC), during last year’s WTTC Global Summit in Riyadh.
This groundbreaking initiative offers comprehensive environmental insights, including greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and water usage across the sector’s supply chain, covering 185 countries worldwide.
The data reveals that in 2019, Travel & Tourism accounted for 8.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, 10.6% of total global energy consumption, and 0.9% of freshwater usage. This data will be updated annually.
Kigali’s event boasts an impressive lineup of speakers and delegates, including football legend Didier Drogba, global economist Justin Urquhart-Stewart, and Francis Gatare, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board. Several Heads of State from the region are also participating.
