The leading candidate to be the next Secretary-General of UN Tourism, Gloria Guevara, has pledged to host a Global Investment Summit which will unlock billions of dollars in fresh initiatives to boost Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania and The Americas.

If elected by Ministers of Tourism at the UN Tourism Executive Council session near Madrid at the end of May, Gloria Guevara will host the Summit within six months of taking office in January 2026.

Gloria Guevara has over 35 years’ experience of serving the tourism sector, both in government as Tourism Secretary of Mexico and in the private sector at the highest levels, including leading the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) to a leadership position on the world stage.

With more than 200 tourism leaders now endorsing her campaign, she is renowned for bringing together public sector and private sector to improve tourism around the world. Her campaign is focused on four key priorities: sustainability, innovation, opportunities and resilience.

Gloria Guevara commented: “The private sector has billions of dollars to invest in innovative new projects in tourism worldwide, whether they be hotels, experiences, attractions and other sustainable initiatives. Unlike other candidates, I believe that there is nothing to be gained in picking numbers which have no basis in reality, simply to gain headlines. What I will do is bring together Ministers with leaders in the private sector to unlock the opportunities which exist now - realistic, exciting and transformative projects. I will connect innovative Ministers with innovative business leaders to create legacy projects.

“I will host a multi-day Global Investment Summit, within six months of taking office as UN Tourism Secretary-General, which will discuss the opportunities and deliver on the enormous appetite which already exists for strategic investment across Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania and The Americas.

“UN Tourism has a unique role to play as a unifying platform for co-operation. I am committed to strengthening that role and bringing a collaborative, solutions-driven approach to the organisation, especially involving Artificial Intelligence (AI), new skills and learning, and responsible development.”