The World Travel & Tourism Council's 20th annual Global Summit in Cancun at the end of April will be missing some of the pomp, parties and crowds that characterized pre-pandemic Summits, but may have more attendees than ever, thanks to an open invitation for the global travel industry to attend the event on a virtual platform.

The conference will be a hybrid, with in-person attendance limited by invitation, but broadcast to anyone interested in registering.

With progress on vaccine rollouts, health and safety protocols and digital passports, WTTC president and CEO Gloria Guevara said the theme of the event will be "Uniting the World for Recovery."

"It is time for everyone to work together and move this sector forward," Guevara said. "Our event will pave the way to recover millions of travel and tourism jobs which have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic."

The summit is scheduled April 25 to 27 at Moon Palace Convention Centre in Cancun, which was one of the first global destinations to receive the WTTC Safe Travels Stamp.

Speakers include the former president of Colombia and 2016 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Juan Manuel Santos, as well as global industry leaders, including executives from Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Group, Internova, Apple Leisure Group, Tauck, Hilton, Marriott, Palace Resorts, Travelport, Melia, Expedia Group, Airbnb, NYC & Co., Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Iberia, Japan Airlines and Trip.com.

During the event, WTTC said it will also announce a number of key initiatives focused on sustainability, digital advancements, the social impact of travel and tourism and women's empowerment.

The women's initiative will focus on the gender gap and defining and influencing policies that can help empower women from all walks of life to ensure recovery efforts reach women around the world.