The World Travel & Tourism Council has announced keynote speakers at its inaugural Americas Summit will include Mexican president Felipe Calderón and Mexican telecoms billionaire Carlos Slim.

President Calderón and Slim will address travel industry leaders from the public and private sectors, NGOs and the media at the WTTC Americas Summit from May 16th-18th in Mexico’s Riviera Maya.

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

Tourism is core to Mexico’s economy, representing nine per cent of the country’s annual GDP.

President Calderón has made tourism a national priority, and is sure to highlight tourism as a global priority at the upcoming G20 meeting of world leaders in Los Cabos in June 2012.

Mexican businessman and philanthropist Carlos Slim, is number one Forbes Billionaire and wealthiest person in the world for a third consecutive year in 2012.

Currently chief executive of telecoms companies Telmex and América Móvil some of the largest corporations in Latin America, Slim will provide delegates at the WTTC Americas Summit with a unique perspective on business in the Americas’ emerging markets.

Speakers at the event also 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 said: “We are very excited about the programme we have planned for the inaugural WTTC Americas Summit.

“President Calderón has rightly put Travel & Tourism at the top of his agenda as a driver for employment and growth.

“His speech at the Summit will provide a fascinating perspective on the role of tourism in the world economy in 2012 and beyond.

“As Latin America’s most distinguished business person and philanthropist, Carlos Slim will provide delegates with invaluable insight into trends in business across the Americas.”