Brexit blowback as WTTC switches from London to Madrid

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has announced Madrid as its new headquarters following the organisation’s decision to leave its London base after 35 years.

The WTTC announced this week that its executive committee had unanimously approved the Spanish capital as the location of its new global headquarters, news hub Travel Mole reported.

The move is designed to deliver greater value to members and unlock fresh growth potential for the travel and tourism sector.

Madrid was selected following a competitive evaluation process in which five destinations formally expressed interest in hosting the new office: Dubai, France, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland.

Each bid was assessed against six core criteria, including office rental and operating costs; the fiscal, incentive, and competitive environment; fast-track visa and work permit arrangements; government support; cost of living to attract and retain talent; and proximity to international organizations.

All 17 members of the WTTC executive committee endorsed Madrid after an in-depth review of the organization’s long-term strategic and operational needs.

Committee members concluded that the Spanish capital offered the most compelling overall proposition, combining strong competitiveness, a more favourable tax environment, robust public-sector backing, simplified visa procedures for staff, and lower overall operating costs.

Ongoing challenges linked to Brexit - particularly restrictions on talent mobility - were also cited as factors that reduced the UK’s attractiveness.

Establishing its global office in Madrid will give WTTC immediate access to a far larger and more diverse talent pool.

The Spanish capital is already home to the UNWTO, which could provide more synergies between the two organisations.

“Madrid gives us the platform to operate more efficiently, deliver greater value to our members, access world-class talent, and maintain a truly global outlook, with the strong support of the Spanish government,” said WTTC chairman Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio of Italy.

# The WTTC is a forum for the travel and tourism industry. It comprises members from the global business community and works with governments to raise awareness about the travel and tourism industry.

Famous beer business goes a little flat

Times are tough in the Heineken beer kingdom.

Żywiec Group, a subsidiary of Heineken, plans to close its Namysłów Brewery in Poland next year. 

It is a historic site where production was first recorded as early as 1321.



Żywiec has owned the brewery (above) since 2018 after buying it from Chicago Poland Investment Group.

Żywiec says the decision is down to “a declining beer market and rising costs and taxes”.

As if that isn’t disturbing enough, Heineken has also revealed it has plans to “reshape” its Amsterdam head office as part of a new strategy that will “impact approximately 400 roles” with its workforce either facing “relocation” or their “roles ceasing to exist”.

The decision, which is part of the Dutch beer giant’s new EverGreen 2030 strategy, will be starting in 2026 and will be in addition to 200 roles of the digital and technology department already being phased out since October 2024, trade publication drinks business reports.

The changes will, Heineken says, assist in “reducing complexity and speeding up decision-making” as well as help the beer business to “operate with greater impact, empower its teams, and position itself to capture growth opportunities more decisively”.

The reshaping of its global head office is part of a series of initiatives designed to create “a more agile, simplified, and connected organisation, ready to focus on opportunities for growth and innovation”.

Sounds ominous. 

The business has also highlighted it is “scaling the rollout of its digital backbone (DBB), a multi-year programme transforming how Heineken operates across more than 70 markets. By integrating over 40 digital platforms, DBB will simplify processes, unlock the power of data, and enable faster innovation”.  

The brewer says “this will strengthen Heineken’s ability to respond quickly and efficiently to consumer trends and market shifts”.

Heineken chairman of the executive board and CEO Dolf van den Brink said: “The world around us is changing fast. Geopolitical and economic pressures are real, but so are the opportunities created by technology and evolving consumer trends. To stay ahead, we must accelerate our digital transformation and sharpen our focus on winning in the market.

“We recognise the impact these changes can have on our people and are committed to supporting them with care and respect throughout this transition. With a stronger, simplified, more agile organisation, we are well positioned to unlock new growth opportunities and innovation.”

In Poland, Namysłów mayor Jacek Fior said the town’s identity had been closely-identified with the brewery for centuries and highlighted how it was the second-oldest continually-existing enterprise in Poland, behind the Wieliczka salt mine.

Żywiec said each of the brewery’s 100 employees will receive full severance packages and additional support agreed with trade unions.