The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has announced that its Operating Committee has unanimously approved Madrid, Spain, as the location for the organisation’s new Global Office. The decision marks a strategic move aimed at strengthening WTTC’s global leadership role and supporting the long-term growth potential of the travel and tourism sector worldwide.

The selection followed an extensive strategic review, during which five destinations expressed interest in hosting the Global Office, including Dubai (UAE), France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland. The evaluation process was based on six key areas: office rental and operating costs, tax and incentive structures, visa and work permit frameworks, government support, cost of living for talent attraction and retention, and proximity to international organisations.

All 17 members of WTTC’s Operating Committee endorsed Madrid as the most competitive option after assessing the organisation’s long-term strategic and operational needs. The city was chosen for its favourable tax environment, strong government support, efficient visa processing for employees and lower overall operating costs. Challenges linked to Brexit, particularly restrictions around talent mobility, were also noted as factors that made the UK a less attractive base for future operations.

Establishing the Global Office in Madrid provides WTTC with access to a broader and more diverse talent pool, covering nearly 350 million qualified professionals across the region. The city’s proximity to international organisations further supports structured collaboration, reinforcing WTTC’s global advocacy and research efforts.

Madrid’s strong international connectivity through Madrid-Barajas Airport, its competitive business environment, government incentives and alignment with WTTC’s mission were additional factors behind the decision. The new Global Office will play a central role within WTTC’s worldwide network, supporting advocacy initiatives, research programmes and deeper engagement with members across global markets.

Commenting on the decision, Manfredi Lefebvre, Chairman of WTTC, said,

“The unanimous decision to establish our Global Office in Madrid reflects a clear view among the Operating Committee about what WTTC needs to succeed in the years ahead. This move ensures we operate more efficiently, deliver more value to our members, access the best global talent and maintain a truly international outlook, strongly supported by the Spanish government. 2026 will be a year in which we will reshape WTTC so it is focused on its members, stronger research capability and deeper government advocacy in the travel and tourism sector.”

Gloria Guevara, Interim President and CEO of WTTC, added,

“We'd like to thank the government of Spain for their support during this process to create the new WTTC Global Office. Spain has prioritised travel and tourism and clearly understands the enormous contribution the sector makes to global growth. Being based in a competitive city like Madrid will help WTTC go from strength to strength, offer closer engagement with our members worldwide and enable us to play a major role advising on good policy development, investments that help tourism growth and job creation from our members which have global impact. I'd also like to thank the other countries that expressed interest in hosting WTTC's new Global Office - France, Italy, Switzerland and Dubai (UAE). We are humbled by their proposals and the huge interest shown by governments worldwide.”