TOURISM Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat yesterday said the Philippines’ hosting of the 2022 World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) summit, which was attended by more than 1000 delegates was a success.

Around 1,200 local and foreign delegates including the world’s foremost business leaders, government ministers, and key decision-makers in the tourism industry gathered during the three-day hybrid event at the Marriott Hotel in Newport City that concluded Friday.

Some 10,000 participants, meanwhile attended the virtual platform and participated in the numerous panel talks that discussed the latest travel trends, sustainable investment prospects, regenerative tourism, and seamless travel in a pandemic era, among others.

“All the delegates, there were no complaints, entry was smooth. There were some medical emergencies but they were not Covid-related so at least it goes to show that we are going back to normal,” Puyat told reporters in an ambush interview.

“On April 1, we re-opened to all countries and (now) we were able to stage a three-day global event successfully, more than a thousand people came, that itself is an achievement. At least during our time, we were able to do that,” she said.

WTTC president and CEO Julia Simpson said the summit in Manila was tangible proof that “nothing beats” discussing pressing issues and generally trying to find consensus face-to-face.

At WTTC’s Global Leaders Dialogue session, stakeholders explored how the sector could continue to adapt to Covid-19 and emerge resiliently from the pandemic.

“We still have work to do to bring down post-pandemic barriers, open economies, and harmonize health data for seamless travel. Sustainability hasn’t just been an item on this agenda, it’s been a major theme of the summit,” Simpson said.

During the closing ceremony, WTTC chairperson Arnold Donald announced that Saudi Arabia will host the 22nd WTTC Global Summit from November 29 to December 2, 2022.

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Cristina Lee-Pisco