India fielded its strongest-ever delegation at the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit as Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat shared the stage with three of Indian travel’s most influential CEOs – Puneet Chhatwal, CEO & MD, IHCL; Zubin Karkaria, Founder & CEO, VFS Global Group and Gaurav Bhatnagar, Co-Founder & Jt MD, TBO, – at the high-level Global Leaders Dialogue held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Malta.
The session, moderated by CNN Business anchor Richard Quest brought together ministers and business leaders from 24 countries under the theme “Rewriting the Rules of Global Competitiveness.”
The focus for the India contingent was clear: improving inbound tourism to India through stronger public-private partnerships.
The discussion focused on PPP model as the foundation for seamless travel, investment attraction and destination resilience. Panelists examined how visas, borders, connectivity, technology and hospitality are now deciding destination competitiveness, with WTTC noting that unnecessary friction at borders influences destination choice as much as airfares.
With over 1,000 delegates and 200+ CEOs attending the Malta Summit under the theme FUTU[RE]SET, the Global Leaders Session positioned India as a key emerging power in the $11.6 trillion global tourism economy.