The World Travel & Tourism Council has announced a US$5 million multi-platform global partnership with CNBC, National Geographic Channel and Sky News for the next three years.

The agreement calls for the channels to provide commercial airtime, online marketing and engagement in a global campaign to help promote awareness of the economic and social importance of the travel & tourism industry worldwide.

CNBC will target its global audience to underscore the travel & tourism industry’s contribution to the global economy and WTTC’s Global Travel & Tourism Summit, taking place next year in Beijing (25-27 May).

Alongside CNBC’s airtime campaign, the partnership includes advertising in CNBC Business magazine and online at CNBC.com worldwide.

National Geographic Channel will provide commercial airtime to promote the Global Summit and WTTC’s Tourism for Tomorrow Awards.  Ads will also air on Sky News in Europe and be streamed online on National Geographic Channel websites and on its dedicated travel & tourism portal.

The channel will also be involved in the Global Travel & Tourism Summit, filming debates and networking events, and will undertake an email marketing campaign to its Viewers Club database in the UK and Asia.

“WTTC is extremely pleased to have both CNBC and National Geographic Channel as our broadcast partners” said Jean-Claude Baumgarten, President and CEO of WTTC. “The combined reach of both channels enables us to raise awareness of Travel & Tourism’s contribution to national economies around the world.

“Together they’ll provide year-round exposure for WTTC and highly targeted marketing campaigns to their own audiences, which will drive discussion and debate to raise awareness of the importance of Travel & Tourism as one of the world’s largest industries, employing 220 million people and generating over 9.4% of global GDP.”