The WTTC Leadership Conference, Suez Canal Egypt, May 2026

Different countries. Different circumstances.

Leadership reveals itself most clearly in moments of pressure, not comfort. It was a privilege to engage with fellow global leaders at the World Travel & Tourism Council on the Suez Canal in Egypt, aboard the Crystal Serenity. The focus wasn’t on growth for growth’s sake, rather on what leadership requires during periods of sustained disruption. Hearing from former President Calderón of Mexico, former President Macri of Argentina, and getting to meet President El‑Sisi of Egypt offered perspectives shaped not by theory, but by consequence. Different countries. Different circumstances.

Yet two moments stayed with me. The first centered on the widening gap between the workforce our industry needs and the structures we’ve failed to modernize. Without fundamental change, an estimated 43 million travel and tourism roles may remain unfilled over the next decade. This is not a future problem, rather a leadership problem, failing in real time. If our industry supports nearly 10% of the global workforce, then our responsibility extends beyond efficiency. The integration of AI must move in lockstep with policies that reflect equity, inclusion, and long‑term social impact.

The second moment was deeply human. Before his presidency, President Macri was abducted, beaten, and held captive for 14 days, a story I heard him tell some years earlier at a different gathering. He shared the experience without drama, but its weight was unmistakable. President Macri used it as a reminder of how quickly power dissolves, saying in a moment, you are reduced to nothing. What he said next is what never gets old. “We must never forget who gave us power, and more importantly, why they gave it to us.”

That lesson belongs to no party or ideology. It speaks to leadership itself, and to the humility required to wield it responsibly.

There is no video this week, rather a photo I will cherish for a while.