The Global Tourism Forum (GTF) Annual Meeting 2025, held in Brussels, once again reaffirmed its position as one of the world’s most influential gatherings for tourism and sustainable economic cooperation.
As the flagship initiative of the World Tourism Forum Institute (WTFI), GTF has evolved far beyond a conference — it is a true platform of opportunity, where vision meets collaboration and dialogue transforms into action.
A Convergence of Global Leadership
Bringing together ministers, business leaders, intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), investors, and academia, the GTF Brussels 2025 provided an extraordinary setting for cross-sectoral diplomacy.
In today’s era of transition and uncertainty, the forum’s mission — to build bridges between governments and industries, between policy and practice — has never been more relevant.
This year’s theme, “Redefining Tourism in a Changing World,” captured the spirit of transformation shaping the global travel and sustainability landscape. It invited leaders to rethink how tourism can drive inclusive growth, conservation, and innovation.
Yet what truly distinguishes GTF is not only its agenda, but its capacity to generate real outcomes for participants — a hallmark of WTFI’s impact-driven approach.
From Conversation to Collaboration
The greatest success of GTF 2025 lies in how it served as a catalyst for concrete partnerships.
For many participating organizations, including the Ocean Alliance Conservation Member (OACM), GTF was more than an event — it was a strategic gateway to new opportunities for collaboration across oceans, continents, and industries.
Through targeted B2G and B2IG connections facilitated during the forum, OACM advanced several significant initiatives with: Accor Group,Angola, Egypt,Madagascar,Malaysia,Maldives,Mozambique, Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) and Spain
Each of these examples illustrates GTF’s unique value — it connects the right people at the right time, turning potential into progress and ideas into implementation.
“GTF is more than a meeting — it is where partnerships are born and ideas find direction. It gives organizations like OACM the visibility and access needed to scale solutions for ocean and environmental protection worldwide.” 
— Kristijan Curavić, Founder & President of the Ocean Alliance Conservation Member (OACM)
The Power of a Neutral Global Platform
One of the reasons GTF achieves such results is because it functions as a neutral global platform, bridging governments, international organizations, and private sector innovators.
As the flagship of WTFI, it represents a model of inclusive and non-political diplomacy — where cooperation transcends borders and focuses on shared progress.
In a fragmented world, this neutrality is rare and powerful. It builds trust, allows open dialogue, and accelerates solutions across economic and cultural divides.
As one participant noted, “GTF creates a space where we can move from policy talk to partnership design.”
This was evident throughout the forum — from formal sessions to informal networking moments — where tourism boards, hotel groups, investors, and development agencies found common ground.
Consultancy Diplomacy: The New Bridge Between Sectors
A defining concept emerging from this year’s discussions is “consultancy diplomacy” — the art of connecting governments, intergovernmental bodies, and private sector partners through trusted professional facilitation.
Supported by WTFI and championed by GapEdu, this model represents a new form of international cooperation — one where expertise replaces hierarchy and collaboration drives progress.
GapEdu stands at the frontier of Diplomatic Consultancy, supporting delegates and organizations within GTF to translate their vision into strategic action.
“GapEdu’s mission within GTF is to empower meaningful connections — where education meets diplomacy, and where collaboration turns into measurable impact. We are proud to serve as the bridge between vision and execution.”
— Jyrki Nilson, Co-Founder & CEO, GapEdu
By aligning knowledge partners like GapEdu, development actors such as OACM, and conveners like WTFI through its GTF platform, consultancy diplomacy enables sustainable, measurable impact — from policy innovation to responsible investment.
GTF’s Ripple Effect: Empowering Change Beyond the Event
While many global conferences conclude when the lights go off, GTF’s influence continues long after.
Its working groups, follow-up mechanisms, and private sessions ensure that commitments evolve into actionable outcomes.
The broader WTFI ecosystem — including partners such as GapEdu — plays a vital role in helping participants move from dialogue to delivery.
For emerging economies, GTF represents an invaluable opportunity to access global expertise, financing, and exposure.
For global corporations, it offers a gateway to new markets and policy partnerships.
And for civil society and academia, it provides a meaningful platform to contribute to the redefinition of tourism for a changing world.
A Platform with Purpose
What makes GTF truly exceptional is its sense of purpose.
Behind every session, every connection, and every collaboration lies a shared conviction: that tourism, when guided by responsibility and inclusion, can be a driver of peace, prosperity, and shared humanity.
The 2025 Brussels edition reflected this conviction — not through slogans, but through real results.
From new project pipelines to strengthened diplomatic relationships, from intergovernmental collaborations to innovative financing models, the outcomes of GTF are both visible and lasting.
Looking Forward
As the world continues to navigate complex global challenges — from climate change to inequality — platforms like GTF are more essential than ever.
They remind us that the future of tourism, and indeed of sustainable development, depends on our collective ability to redefine, reconnect, and rebuild.
GapEdu, as a global education and diplomacy platform, proudly recognizes the Global Tourism Forum — the flagship of the World Tourism Forum Institute (WTFI) — as a living model of how purposeful convening can lead to enduring impact.
It is not merely a place to meet; it is a place where the seeds of tomorrow’s partnerships are planted and nurtured.
GTF Brussels 2025 did not only celebrate global leadership — it redefined tourism in a changing world.
Through collaboration, credibility, and connectivity, it turned conversations into commitments, proving that when leaders gather with purpose, tourism becomes a true force for transformation.
By Hanni Tran
Founder of GapEdu & Editor-in-Chief, World Magazine – World Tourism Forum Institute
Published by GapEdu Global Communications, October 2025