BUSINESS NEWS Council starts consultation process with 36 staff over planned relocation. By Ian Taylor WTTC to quit its London office
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) plans to close its London headquarters and most likely move to Madrid and is consulting its London staff on compulsory redundancy. The WTTC confirmed “it is
likely to move its head office” and “is considering whether to locate its headquarters in Italy, Spain or Switzerland” following a request for comment by Travel Weekly on Tuesday. However, employees were
informed of the decision within an hour of the WTTC Global Summit in Rome ending on September 30. They had no warning, believing the online meeting was for incoming WTTC chairman Manfredi Lefebvre to thank them for a successful summit. The WTTC operating committee
took the decision to shut the London office following a proposal by Lefebvre and outgoing chair Greg O’Hara. It is unclear whether the WTTC’s broader executive committee,
which includes the heads of Marriott, Hilton, IHG Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Accor, Sandals, Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Intrepid Travel, Expedia and Travelport among others, were aware of the decision at the time. Staff and members subsequently
received a message saying the WTTC was considering three options for a new head office to lower its operating, tax and recruitment costs
Finances restored since 2019
The WTTC is a non-profit and aims “to maximise the inclusive and sustainable growth potential” of travel and tourism on behalf of members. Its most recent accounts for 2024
show a surplus of £2.46 million, but the WTTC’s finances were not always so healthy. A surplus of $382,000 in 2018 was followed by a deficit of $1.35 million in 2019 as annual expenditure rose by $3.5 million. The organisation also saw more than $1.17 million in reserves wiped out. The pandemic saw a return to
financial health, with the WTTC recording a surplus of $1.3 million in 2020 and its reserves restored above $1.1 million despite
Brexit – now given as a major factor in the move – as members continued to pay subscriptions while the organisation saved $3 million-plus on expenses. The WTTC switched from
accounting in dollars to sterling in 2021. The heads of the organisation also changed in that year. Julia Simpson took over
as WTTC president and chief executive in August 2021 after predecessor Gloria Guevara left in May to become chief special advisor to the Saudi Arabia tourism ministry.
and grant access to Europe’s single market. However, a move to Madrid is believed to be the preferred option. Neither the communiqué to staff
nor the release confirming the move clarified president and chief executive Julia Simpson’s position. Lefebvre said: “We owe it to
members to explore all the options.” He added that Brexit “is one of the main factors in our decision”. Yet the WTTC accounts
Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni addressed the WTTC Global Summit in Rome last month
suggest its finances are in good shape following a reverse under the previous chief executive before Brexit occurred, and the organisation stands to lose considerable expertise, including its research team, by making London staff redundant. Staff received an email barely a
month before the summit telling them Simpson was ill and that former chief executive Gloria Guevara would take over as interim head. They heard nothing more until being told of potential redundancy. A 30-day consultation with 36
staff began a fortnight ago with the WTTC offering only statutory redundancy terms which cap the maximum payout. Some staff have been employed for up to 12 years. Travel Weekly was unable to speak
to any WTTC employees as they have been forbidden to communicate with members or the media. Travel Weekly parent Jacobs Media is an industry partner of WTTC.
Leadership on sustainability
The WTTC represents many of travel and tourism’s biggest companies and has campaigned for the industry to be taken seriously by governments since its foundation in 1990. Its data on travel and tourism’s
economic impact form the backbone of global lobbying. A report on the industry’s contribution to employment was released at the Rome summit. However, under Julia Simpson’s leadership the WTTC expanded its impact reports to include environmental impacts. It launched a Hotel
Gloria Guevara
travelweekly.co.uk
Sustainability Basics initiative in 2022 backed by major hotel
groups, providing a baseline for action on sustainability. Then it partnered with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council to turn the Basics programme into a framework to enhance sustainability across hospitality in stages, with 5,000-plus hotels on the programme by October 2024. In November 2022, the WTTC
unveiled the first comprehensive data on travel and tourism’s global climate footprint, in partnership with the Saudi-based Sustainable Global Tourism Center. It has since produced annual assessments and reports on the industry’s water, coastal and marine footprints.
30 OCTOBER 2025
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PICTURES: Perry Graham
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