The Americas Summit of the World Travel & Tourism Council is set to unite, for the first time, tourism leaders from across the western Hemisphere in Mexico’s Riviera Maya next month.

From May 16th-18th 2012, key industry identities from the public and private sectors, NGOs and the media will convene for a unique networking forum.

The event will be the first in a series of WTTC ‘Regional Summits,’ and will explore commonalities as well as challenges throughout the tourism industry in the Americas while identifying opportunities for growth and collaboration.

Speakers will include ministers of tourism from around the world including secretary Gloria Guevara of Mexico; US deputy secretary of state, Thomas Nides; Taleb Rifai, secretary-general of the UN World Tourism Organisation; executives from hotels, airlines, tour operators and travel agencies; and key opinion leaders from the media such as CBS Travel Editor Peter Greenberg.

The summit will attract delegates from across the Americas, including Central America, the Caribbean, South America and North America.

WTTC president David Scowsill explained: “Mexico is the perfect host for the Americas Summit.

“Mexico has rightly put tourism at the heart of its economy as a generator of employment, export income and GDP.

“President Calderón’s commitment to tourism is underlined by being the first to join the WTTC and UNWTO joint Global Leaders for Tourism campaign, which recognises the importance of tourism to growth and development.

“Holding the Americas Summit in Mexico just one month before the G20 meeting of world leaders will place tourism among the most important topics being discussed in Los Cabos.”

Mexico will also host the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s T20 meeting of Tourism Ministers in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, from May 15th-16th.