World Travel and Tourism Council members may represent some of the largest travel and tourism businesses in the private industry of the sector, and their members may pay the highest membership fees any organization charges, but they certainly don’t have a monopoly to claim they represent the private sector or the largest business in the world, travel and tourism.
PATA, Destination International, CTO, USTOA, ETOA, WTN, SPTA, SKAL, or ATB are all among the many organizations with many ten thousand stakeholders in this business and less glamor and photo opportunities but often effective and supported by its paying members.
At WTTC many of their members had voiced their concerns off the record to eTurboNews for many months, and finally openly in a letter by its members, some are board members delivered to members of the organization’s Executive Committee yesterday.
The organization certainly doesn’t have the standing of a global leader it had under the leadership of CEOs Jean-Claude Baumgarten, David P. Scowsill, or Gloria Guevara.
This has become a top urgent concern not only among paying members of WTTC but also for many leaders and stakeholders in this global industry. Together with an unfit leadership in UN Tourism, the representation of this sector is shifting fast and dramatically. With the world facing wars and uncertainty, while tourism is booming on a fragile path, unity and cooperation become essential for this industry which represents more than 10% of the global workforce to be on stable grounds.
A letter of frustration and concern::
Dear WTTC OPCO,
In light of recent developments and concerns about the direction our organization is taking, I would like to bring the following points to your attention. These concerns are shared by many members, some of whom are copied above.
The WTTC is currently facing serious challenges as a result of erratic leadership and strategy.
WTTC’s mandate is to be a relevant organization in our sector, driving the public/private agenda and influencing policy.
Today, the WTTC is not relevant, not driving the agenda, just following the events that affect our business.
What is the plan?
WTTC is just reacting and missing the momentum and opportunities to advocate for the industry on key issues that are already having a negative impact and putting pressure on us all.
What is on the agenda? And what is the WTTC doing to support it?
WTTC needs to focus on priority countries and develop a strategic plan and agenda with them.
It is not just about visiting places and sharing pictures of them and that’s it. Every trip should have a specific plan and outcome, and members should be involved.
As members, we seem only required to pay the membership fee, to sponsor the summit, meetings, and studies, or to fill the seats during presentations.
Summits are now held in hard-to-reach places and are very expensive.
How are membership fees spent?
Members need a results-oriented WTTC, not an activity-centered one, with a management team at the top to drive the agenda.
Many of us are already thinking of leaving the organization, but that won’t solve the problem.
We are writing to you as the WTTC Board because you represent us as members and are responsible for management and good governance.
Are we at the center of the current WTTC management’s concerns?
This week we saw an isolated article in Spain on behalf of WTTC members that was completely out of place, communicating without a plan, just an ad hoc message with conflicting information. No one contacted the experts in the country to build a proper narrative. Just a tick in the box and no thought leadership or forward thinking.
The current leadership has not been able to set a direction and build a team to defend our interests with the other stakeholders in the industry.
Under this CEO, we are completing an involution of our organization. We need a leader who is respected in the industry, who has a clear vision for the future, and, above all, who can build and lead a team that includes the best in each area.
We feel it is necessary to share these concerns with you. They represent the views of the vast majority of WTTC members.
We trust that you, as the governing body of the WTTC, can change the direction of the organization and its management. Please let us know how we can assist and improve the organization before further damage is done.
Signed by a large group of concerned board members, and members of WTTC.
Recipients of the letter include:
The WTTC Executive Committee, also known as OPCO, includes:
- Adam Stewart, Executive Committee, Group Deputy Chairman & CEO, Sandals Resort
- Allison Beer, Executive Committee, CEO of Card Services and Connected Commerce, JP Morgan Chase & Co.
- Caroline Beteta, Executive Committee, President & CEO, Visit California
- Christie Travers-Smith, Executive Committee, Head of Retail & Travel, EMEA Partnerships Solutions Google Inc.
- Christopher J Nassetta, Executive Committee, President & CEO, Hilton
- Dee Waddell, Executive Committee, Global Managing Director, IBM Travel and Transportation Industry IBM
- Desirée Bollier, Executive Committee, Chair and Global Chief Merchant, The Bicester Collection
- Elie Maalouf, Executive Committee, Global CEO, InterContinental Hotels Group
- Frank R. Rainieri, Executive Committee, Founder and Chairman of the Board, Grupo Puntacana
- Greg Webb, Executive Committee, Chief Executive Officer Travelport
- Greg Schulze, Executive Committee, Chief Commercial Officer Expedia Group
- İsmail Bütün, Executive Committee, General Manager, Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA)
- James Thornton, Executive Committee, CEO, Intrepid Travel
- Jason Liberty, Executive Committee, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
- Josh Weinstein, Executive Committee, President & CEO, Carnival Corporation & plc.
- Mark Hoplamazian, Executive Committee, President & CEO, Hyatt Hotels Corporation
- Nicolas Huss, Executive Committee, CEO, HBX Group
- Pansy Ho, Executive Committee, Group Executive Chairman and Managing Director, Shun Tak Holdings Limited
- Paolo Barletta, Executive Committee, CEO, Arsenale Spa
- Paul Griffiths, Executive Committee, CEO, Dubai Airports International
- Bastian Ebel, Executive Committee, CEO, TUI AG
- Will House, Executive Committee Partner, Spencer Stuart
- Zhi-gang SU, Executive Committee, Founder & Chairman, Chimelong Group
- Zubin Karkaria, Executive Committee, Founder & CEO, VFS Global
WTTC Board Members:
- Greg O’Hara, Chair, Founder & Senior Managing Director Certares
- Audrey Hendley, Vice Chair, President, American Express Travel
- Gaurav Bhatnagar, Vice Chair, Co-Founder TBO.com
- Gibran Chapur, Vice Chair, Executive VP The Palace Company
- Gloria Fluxà, Vice Chair ,Vice-Chairman & CSO Iberostar
- Hiroyuki Takahashi, Vice Chair, Chairperson of the Board, JTB Corp
- Jane Sun, Vice Chair, CEO, Trip.com Group
- Jeffrey C Rutledge, Vice Chair, Chief Executive Officer, AIG Travel American International Group, Inc.
- Jerry Inzerillo, Vice Chair, Group CEO, Diriyah Company
- Manfredi Lefebvre, Vice Chair, Chairman, Heritage Group/ Abercrombie and Kent Travel Group
- Matthew Upchurch, Vice Chair, Chairman & CEO, Virtuoso
- Pierfrancesco Vago, Vice Chair, Executive Chairman of the Cruise Division of MSC Group, MSC Cruises
