Theresa May confirmed as second main speaker at WTTC summit

Former UK prime minster Theresa May has been confirmed as a major speaker at next month’s World Travel & Tourism Council global summit in Saudi Arabia.

May is the second major speaker to be confirmed, following the announcement former United National secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon will deliver a talk.

Business leaders also set to take the stage include Carnival Corporation vice-chair and former chief executive Arnold Donald, Marriott International chief executive Anthony Capuano, Dubai International Airports chief executive Paul Griffiths, Hilton president and chief executive Christopher Nassetta and Virtuoso president and chief executive Matthew Upchurch.

The theme of the event is ‘travel for a better future’ and will focus on the value of the sector to the global economy, planet and communities around the world.

WTTC president and chief executive Julia Simpson announced on a Travel Weekly webcast that May would be speaking at the council’s summit which will take place from November 28 to December 1.

Simpson said she was “delighted” May would be attending due to the “courage” she showed during the pandemic.

“I’m really delighted she’s coming because during Covid, she was standing up in the House of Commons and saying ‘why isn’t there some global cooperation about closing borders?’,” said Simpson.

“She was really, really courageous during that time so it’d be great to hear her view on the world and what’s happening.”

More: WTTC issues ‘economic headwinds’ warning over travel recovery