World Travel and Tourism Council Establishes New Madrid Global Office as Surging Film and Literary Bookings Propel Capital Inbound Arrivals

Madrid, Spain, is bolstering its reputation as a tourist and business hub of global renown with the decision to make the Spanish capital the new home of the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) global office. The announcement in December 2025 makes the selection one of several international tourism organisations based in the Spanish city, which has had the headquarters of UN Tourism since 1975. As well as its international credentials, Madrid is focusing on film tourism and cultural tourism in the capital as places to visit. Film route itineraries, libraries and literary figures’ residential areas, museums and historic districts all offer tourists more reasons to visit the Spanish capital beyond the typical sightseeing activities. The performance of Madrid as a tourist destination has also contributed to understanding its international success, as revealed by the Madrid City Council in August 2026, which showed how international tourists’ expenditure in the city passed €10 billion in the first six months of the year.

WTTC Selects Madrid for Its New Global Office

The World Travel & Tourism Council selected Madrid as the location for its new global office in December 2025, following a competitive evaluation involving Geneva, Paris, Milan and Dubai.

The decision received unanimous support from the organisation’s 17-member operating committee.

The move involves transferring WTTC’s global headquarters from London to Madrid, strengthening the Spanish capital’s position within the international tourism industry.

WTTC represents more than 200 leading travel and tourism businesses, including hotel groups, airlines, tour operators and travel-related companies.

The organisation cited Madrid’s international connectivity, institutional support, administrative efficiency, operating costs and access to international talent as factors behind the selection.

The decision also creates opportunities for greater interaction between international tourism businesses, government representatives, destination authorities and research organisations.

For Madrid, the development strengthens its existing international tourism ecosystem. The city already hosts UN Tourism, providing a concentration of international tourism expertise and institutional activity.

The WTTC decision was announced in 2025, rather than on 2 November 2026. It should therefore be understood as an ongoing institutional development, not a new announcement made today. Ayuntamiento de Madrid+1

Madrid Records More Than €10 Billion in International Tourism Spending

Madrid’s tourism performance provides further evidence of its importance to Spain’s visitor economy.

According to figures released by the city council on 3 August 2026, international tourism spending reached €10.007 billion between January and June 2026.

The city recorded 5,660,098 travellers and 11,961,895 overnight stays during the same period.

Madrid tourism performance, January–June 2026

The United States remained Madrid’s largest international source market, recording 567,158 travellers during the first half of 2026.

Italy and the United Kingdom followed among the leading international markets.

Brazil recorded particularly strong growth, with visitor numbers increasing by 30% to 93,959.

These figures underline the importance of international connectivity and accommodation capacity to Madrid’s tourism industry. Diario del Ayuntamiento de Madrid

Film Tourism Creates New Experiences Across Madrid

Screen tourism, commonly known as set-jetting, is becoming an increasingly visible part of Madrid’s cultural tourism offering.

The Madrid Film Office actively promotes locations featured in Spanish films, international productions and television series. Its official screen tourism programme provides information about filming locations that visitors can explore independently.

Productions such as Money Heist and Valeria have helped introduce international audiences to Madrid’s architecture, public spaces and urban neighbourhoods.

The Madrid Film Office also supports screen tourism through its research and promotional activities. A study presented in December 2024, developed with the Autonomous University of Madrid, Carlos III University of Madrid and ObservaTUR, examined the city’s potential as a screen tourism destination.

The research involved interviews with approximately 20 experts from the tourism and audiovisual industries.

Visitors interested in this experience can explore locations featured in productions, discover the city’s cinematic heritage and combine film-related sightseeing with established cultural attractions.

Gran Vía, central squares, historic streets and Madrid’s architectural landmarks provide important settings for these itineraries.

However, no independently verified tourism-office data establishes that literary and film-inspired bookings have reached a new record in 2026. Madrid Film Office+1

Literary Tourism Connects Visitors With Spain’s Cultural Heritage

Madrid’s literary heritage provides another established tourism attraction.

The Barrio de las Letras, also known as the Literary Quarter, is closely associated with leading Spanish writers from the Golden Age of literature.

Miguel de Cervantes, Lope de Vega, Francisco de Quevedo and other literary figures lived or worked in the neighbourhood.

Calle de las Huertas features quotations from Spanish literary works engraved into its pavement, while Plaza de Santa Ana offers access to restaurants, cafés and cultural venues.

The Lope de Vega House Museum on Calle Cervantes provides visitors with an opportunity to explore the former residence of the playwright.

The museum offers guided visits lasting approximately 35 minutes, with advance booking required.

The neighbourhood also provides convenient access to the Prado Museum, Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and Paseo del Prado.

These attractions allow visitors to combine literary heritage, visual arts, architecture and gastronomy within a single walking itinerary. Tourism Madrid+3

Travel Planning and Visitor Information

International travellers can explore Madrid through its extensive public transport network, including Metro services, buses and suburban rail connections.

Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport serves as the city’s principal international gateway, with connections to European, North American, Latin American and other international markets.

Visitors planning cultural itineraries can consider:

• Barrio de las Letras: Literary heritage, historic streets and traditional restaurants.
• Gran Vía: Architecture, shopping, theatres and entertainment.
• Plaza Mayor: Historic architecture and central sightseeing.
• Paseo del Prado: Major museums and cultural attractions.
• Retiro Park: Green spaces, walking routes and recreational activities.

Madrid’s central neighbourhoods are well connected by public transport, making it possible to combine several attractions within a short city break.

Current Status:

• WTTC Global Office: Madrid was selected in December 2025, with the relocation from London strengthening its international tourism profile.
• Tourism spending: International visitor expenditure exceeded €10 billion in the first half of 2026.
• International arrivals: Madrid recorded approximately 5.66 million travellers between January and June 2026.
• Screen tourism: Madrid Film Office continues promoting film and television locations as visitor attractions.
• Literary tourism: Barrio de las Letras remains an established cultural destination featuring historic literary landmarks and museums.

Conclusion

Madrid is a well-established international tourism centre, with rising visitor spend and attractions. The WTTC global office moves the position of Madrid in international tourism up the agenda, and the City of Madrid´s heritage of literature offers city visitors more to see and do. Business, museums, historic neighbourhoods and movieland add up to a wide range of offerings for international travellers.

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