Officials at the World Travel & Tourism Council have revealed Dallas, Texas, will host the WTTC Global Summit, in April 2016.

The location of the 2016 Global Summit was announced at the close of the 15th WTTC Global Summit in Madrid, Spain, with Phillip Jones, chief executive, Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau and Sean Donohue, chief executive, Dallas Fort Worth Airport.

WTTC president David Scowsill said: “The WTTC Global Summit is the most influential tourism event of the year, bringing together hundreds of leaders from public sector organisations and private sector companies to discuss and tackle the most important issues in our industry.

“Travel is one of the most important generators of jobs and wealth in the world, contributing over $7.6 trillion in GDP to the world economy and supporting 277 million jobs, which is 1 in 11 jobs on the planet.”

The United States is the world’s largest tourism economy.

By the end of 2015, the tourism sector will contribute US$1.4 trillion, eight per cent of the GDP of the United States, and 13.9 million jobs, over nine per cent of total employment, once all direct, indirect and induced impacts are taken into account.

Scowsill continued: “The US is the world’s largest tourism economy, with the sector contributing over $1.4 trillion to the wider economy; it creates jobs, economic growth, well-being and prosperity.

“I am delighted that Dallas will host the 2016 Global Summit.

“We were particularly struck by the weight of public and private sector support, forming a partnership to bid for the event.”

The WTTC Global Summit was last held in the United States in May 2011, in Las Vegas.

The summit engaged dialogues with key members of the cabinet of President Obama, including his senior advisor Valerie Jarrett, the secretary of the department of homeland security, the secretary of transportation, and a virtual message from the secretary of state.

“We are excited and honoured that the World Travel & Tourism Council has selected Dallas to gather the world’s top travel and tourism executives,” said Jones.

“This important meeting of elite leaders further puts Dallas on an international stage and confirms our work to position Dallas as a global leaders.”