The World Tourism Awards 2026 Ceremony will take place together with the Global Tourism Forum Annual Meeting 2026 on 26th of October, at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels, once again positioning the Belgian capital as one of the most important meeting points for the international travel and tourism industry.
The World Tourism Awards 2026 Ceremony will take place together with the Global Tourism Forum Annual Meeting 2026 on 26th of October, at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels, once again positioning the Belgian capital as one of the most important meeting points for the international travel and tourism industry.
Set against the backdrop of one of Europe’s most distinguished cultural venues, the event will bring together ministers, investors, hospitality executives, destination leaders, tourism innovators, and global brands for a high-level gathering focused on excellence, influence, and the future direction of travel. The ceremony is expected to serve not only as a celebration of achievement, but also as a statement of where global tourism is heading next.
At a time when the tourism industry is being reshaped by sustainability targets, new investment flows, digital transformation, cultural diplomacy, and evolving traveler expectations, the World Tourism Awards has emerged as a platform that recognizes those setting new benchmarks across the sector. More than a symbolic recognition, the awards reflect a wider industry shift: success in tourism today is increasingly measured not only by scale, but by resilience, innovation, relevance, and long-term value creation.
Held alongside the Global Tourism Forum Annual Meeting 2026, the ceremony will benefit from the presence of a highly influential international audience spanning the public and private sectors. This alignment gives the awards unique strategic weight. It creates an environment in which recognition is directly connected to dialogue, partnerships, investment conversations, and future-facing policy discussions.
The growing prestige of the World Tourism Awards is also reflected in the caliber and diversity of its recent honorees. At the 2025 edition in Brussels, the awards recognized standout achievements across destinations, tourism investment, aviation, hospitality, technology, and institutional leadership. Among the notable winners were France as Best Global Destination, Egypt as Best Heritage Destination, Angola as Best Tourism Investment Destination, Singapore as Best Health-Safe Destination, and the Maldives as Best Beach Destination.
