wtma-blog

January 21, 2019

Lesser known emirates

Winter 2018 Magazine

Of the seven sheikhdoms that together make up the United Arab Emirates, perhaps just two – Dubai and Abu Dhabi – are familiar names. But while the two largest emirates ... Read more

January 16, 2019

Ireland post Brexit

Winter 2018 Magazine

Whatever the final outcome of the difficult negotiations between the UK and EU over Brexit, Ireland has had to re-assess its international marketing and try to address its over-dependence on ... Read more

January 15, 2019January 15, 2019

Will 2019 be the year tourism engages with flying and climate change?

Responsible Tourism

While it is always risky to make public predictions, I think this year we will see a lot more discussion about aviation and climate change. The reason I say this ... Read more

January 14, 2019

An interview with Ted Stimpson

Winter 2018 Magazine

There can’t be many brands that boast a global market share in excess of 65% but whose boss argues he has not yet reached more than 1% of the potential ... Read more

January 10, 2019May 13, 2019

What’s hot in travel for 2019, according to everybody

Social Media

As a travel writer, I can tell the time of year just by looking at my email inbox. At Easter, the subject lines are usually filled with puns along the ... Read more

January 9, 2019

China beyond the gateways

Winter 2018 Magazine

Tourism to China has traditionally been based around Beijing and Shanghai, but that could be in for a shake-up thanks to a boom in flights to regional cities. In the ... Read more

January 3, 2019January 7, 2019

The Caribbean islands’ numbers game

Winter 2018 Magazine

Many holidays to the Caribbean are all about palm trees and gleaming white sands – and with options ranging from mega-resorts to B&Bs, villas and luxury hotels, there’s certainly no ... Read more

December 21, 2018

Tunisia’s Recovery

Summer 2018 Magazine

Tunisia’s recovery from the impact of two devastating terrorist attacks three years ago has gathered pace during 2018. Figures from the country’s tourism ministry show that visitor arrivals for this ... Read more

December 20, 2018

Earthrise, Limits to Growth and Responsibility

Responsible Tourism

Fifty years ago on December 24th 1968 the Apollo 8 astronauts took the famous Earthrise photograph as they orbited the moon, the first image of Earth captured by humans from ... Read more

December 20, 2018

The retro resurgence in travel and tourism

Social Media

When travelling around America in the 1980s, helpful signs directed you to park the car and photograph a view. With a camera back then, not a smartphone. These viewpoints were ... Read more

December 18, 2018

The year in review – key moments in tourism and sustainability from 2018

Responsible Tourism

In a year where the accelerating breakdown of the world’s climate got yet more headlines (if not yet enough action), the travel industry also discovered that it was responsible for ... Read more

December 17, 2018August 14, 2020

The place for (entrepeneurial) women is…… in the kitchen!?

Blog, Diversity & Inclusion, Women in Travel

Social Enterprising is quickly becoming a buzz word and I have written about it before. One of the most recent trends however is how quickly food and drink focussed social ... Read more

December 14, 2018December 14, 2018

The Disloyal Customer

Technology

I was at a conference the other day and, whilst awaiting the first speaker’s presentation, I was chatting with the lady next to me. I am not sure how it ... Read more

December 14, 2018December 14, 2018

Is YouTube’s hugely disliked Rewind 2018 round-up the most expensive tourism ad ever?

Social Media

In six days, a video has raced up YouTube’s trending charts thanks to, at the time of writing, some 113 million views. It is not the latest Bieber or BTS ... Read more

December 11, 2018December 11, 2018

Decarbonisation and the Travel and Tourism Industry

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

In 2018 there has been very little discussion in the Responsible Tourism programme across WTM’s portfolio of trade shows in Cape Town, Dubai, London, Sao Paulo about the decarbonisation of ... Read more

December 10, 2018December 10, 2018

Responsible Tourism Podcast Sessions

Responsible Tourism

Catch up on the Responsible Tourism sessions from WTM London right here… 1. Business Taking Responsibility for Security, Health and Safety At the heart of the responsibility agenda is taking ... Read more

December 7, 2018

Why you should visit Puglia

Destinations

Travelling affects quality of life. For beyond your customary trip, Puglia is the most effective cure to rejuvenate, enhance yourself and become aware of the world. Rather than a destination, ... Read more

December 3, 2018

What can tourism learn from David Attenborough and the People’s Seat Initiative today?

Responsible Tourism

Today at the UN Climate Conference in Katowice Poland, David Attenborough’s People’s Seat initiative will see the 92yr old naturalist use his position to share the voices of the many ... Read more

November 30, 2018

Emerging Luxury Destinations for 2019 and Beyond

Luxury

True or False: When we think of luxury destinations, images of overwater villas in the Maldives and luxury hotels and cars in Monte Carlo may come to mind. Answer: True. ... Read more

November 30, 2018November 30, 2018

Draining the swamp of fake influencers: can it be done?

Social Media

The analysis of an influencer’s worth is deepening daily, as brands turn away and genuine influencers turn on their wannabe colleagues. Two influencers in the past week called out others ... Read more

November 27, 2018June 2, 2020

Progress on Overtourism

Overtourism

There is more coverage of the issue of overtourism in the mainstream press than in the trade press. Understandably destination marketers and many governments dislike the word “overtourism” being associated ... Read more

November 23, 2018

All Together Now

Technology

I quite often give presentations explaining the characteristics of our future consumers – Generations Y and Z when actually, they are just about all grown up now. Gen Y were ... Read more

November 20, 2018November 21, 2018

Could Black Friday offer a teachable moment for tourism?

Responsible Tourism

Few people see Black Friday as a day for reflection. Along with its online sibling – Cyber Monday – It’s the apotheosis of consumption – a no-holds-barred scramble to ‘get ... Read more

November 13, 2018November 13, 2018

Responsible Tourism is an inclusive agenda

Responsible Tourism

The Responsible Tourism programme of talks, presentations, discussions and interviews held across all four WTM shows reflects the broad agenda of Responsible Tourism. At WTM London last week there were ... Read more

November 9, 2018November 9, 2018

Smoke-free products opening new avenues

Destinations

Technological advancement has been improving our everyday lives as well as public health, from refrigerating food in the 19th century, through seatbelts, to airbags and other innovations. Why would this ... Read more

November 7, 2018November 7, 2018

World Responsible Tourism Awards 2018

Responsible Tourism

Organised by WTM London To become a Finalist in the World Responsible Tourism Awards is a significant achievement, it marks you out as a leader in Responsible Tourism; it carries ... Read more

November 7, 2018November 28, 2018

Megatrends Shaping the Future of Travel

Trends

Travel is booming, with international trips expected to grow by 5 percent in 2018. We live, however, in an ever-changing world, and the travel industry needs to adapt continuously. Euromonitor ... Read more

November 3, 2018

Venice floods show that overtourism is a climate change issue

Overtourism

Few people can have missed this week’s pictures of a flooded Venice, and the video of the pizza restaurant that channeled the Titanic’s violinists and kept serving pizzas with the ... Read more

November 2, 2018November 6, 2018

Just a Drop 20 years -Turning Inspiration and Business into Life Transforming Reality by Fiona Jeffery OBE

Charity

It seems incredible that 20 years have passed since I launched Just a Drop at World Travel Market 1998. At the time, I was a new Exhibition Director and a ... Read more

October 31, 2018October 31, 2018

Exploring previously unexplored regions

Autumn 2018 Magazine

Almost 104 million visitors travelled to Latin America in 2017, a figure expected to grow to 122.5 million by 2022, according to Euromonitor International. The US still makes up the ... Read more

October 31, 2018October 31, 2018

Tourism set to thrive in Nepal

Events

Tour the conglomerate capital city of Kathmandu for a peek into the microcosm of Nepal’s colorful heritage and culture. Visit the quaint Pokhara city and replenish. Discover peace Lumbini, the ... Read more

October 30, 2018

Leaders in Responsible Tourism at WTM London

Responsible Tourism

Every year many of the world’s leaders in Responsible Tourism gather at WTM London and participate in the Responsible Tourism programme which forms a major part of the show, culminating ... Read more

October 29, 2018

How does Marriott aim to continue progressing?

Autumn 2018 Magazine

A $12.2 billion price tag is a hefty one, but understandable when you consider what Marriott bought back in 2016 when it purchased Starwood. The combined company now boasts 30 ... Read more

October 26, 2018October 26, 2018

Is Multi-Modal the next big thing?

Technology

Quite a few years ago (pre-Internet) I was commissioned to carry out a feasibility study for a large telecommunications organisation. The idea was to test the concept of an electronic ... Read more

October 26, 2018October 26, 2018

Expo 2020 Dubai: a world of possibilities

Blog

Millions of visitors from across the globe will enjoy an exceptional experience at Expo 2020 Dubai, as the world comes together for a celebration of human ingenuity, culture and creativity. ... Read more

October 25, 2018

Travel Wholesaling – a sector to watch?

Autumn 2018 Magazine

It has been a busy time in the wholesale sector in the past year or so, with some major deals cementing the hold of the big two players in the ... Read more

October 25, 2018

Ready, Steady… Women In Travel Meetup 2018!

Women in Travel

With two weeks to go before WTM London, I am proud and delighted that this year we will celebrate our 5th Women in Travel Meetup under the theme of ‘Make ... Read more

October 24, 2018October 24, 2018

A bumper harvest of airlines at this year’s WTM!

Aviation

It’s been an amazing 5 years since we last had easyJet in the interview hot seat at WTM! Then Carolyn McCall had not long arrived as the airline’s new CEO ... Read more

October 24, 2018October 24, 2018

Luxury Brand Innovation in Aviation: The Interesting Case of Etihad Airways

Luxury

According to American economist Theodore Levitt, the difference between creativity and innovation is: “Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.” Due to a market that is ... Read more

October 23, 2018October 24, 2018

Travel Leaders UK Travel Markets – What to Expect in 2019

Blog

As the clock continues to count down to the UK’s official Brexit day, on 29 March 2019, the negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union continue to unfold ... Read more

October 23, 2018October 23, 2018

The destination with solutions to overtourism, climate change and wellbeing

Development, Overtourism, Social Economy

Last week Bhutan held only its third general election. And for the third time in a row, the Bhutanese people voted in a different party. And though this election got ... Read more

October 22, 2018October 22, 2018

Matera to become a European Capital of Culture

Autumn 2018 Magazine

It was once a diseased, poverty-stricken southern town where many inhabitants lived in caves, but such is the transformation of Matera that next year sees it become a European Capital ... Read more

October 19, 2018

Luxury ‘trendsetters’ are ‘setting the bar high’ in International Travel & Tourism Awards

Events

Four “excellent” shortlisted finalists will be going for gold in the ‘Best in Luxury’ category at the inaugural International Travel & Tourism Awards, presented by WTM. The final four will ... Read more

October 18, 2018October 18, 2018

Destinations Praised for LGBT Offering at ITTAs

Events

LGBT guests are in demand and the destinations that make the effort are in competition to be top choice for the LGBT traveller. The inaugural International Travel & Tourism Awards ... Read more

October 17, 2018October 17, 2018

A winning streak:

Autumn 2018 Magazine

France’s World Cup win will hopefully mark a positive turning point in the country’s global profile, following dark times around the terrorism attacks of recent years. The French government has ... Read more

October 16, 2018

Ethical or Responsible Tourism?

Development

Tomorrow is Global Ethics Day, inspired by Earth Day and established by the Carnegie Council. It is an opportunity to explore the meaning of ethics in international affairs. Much of ... Read more

October 15, 2018October 15, 2018

Combining Purpose, Passion and Profit: Kate Webb and Orbis Expeditions

Women in Travel

For this latest blog I am delighted to interview another inspirational woman in travel, Kate Webb Co-Founder of Orbis Expeditions who will be speaking at the Women in Travel Meetup ... Read more

October 15, 2018October 15, 2018

Judges select the right ingredients for Food Tourism shortlist in Travel & Tourism Awards

Events

Shortlisted candidates are hoping they have the recipe for success in the ‘Best Food Tourism’ category of the inaugural International Travel & Tourism Awards, presented by WTM London. The winner ... Read more

October 12, 2018October 12, 2018

Judges hail innovation by digital influencers vying for International Travel & Tourism Awards

Events

The rapidly evolving world of digital influencers will be recognised with a prestigious honour from the inaugural International Travel & Tourism Awards, presented by WTM London. Contenders from across the ... Read more

October 12, 2018October 12, 2018

Matches made in heaven

Autumn 2018 Magazine

A wedding or honeymoon overseas is often the most luxurious holiday a couple will have in their lifetime, and tapping into this market can be lucrative. WTM Buyers’ Club members ... Read more

October 11, 2018June 2, 2020

Killer Tips for Transitioning into a Digital Nomad

Blogging

As some of you out there might know, I’ve been toying with the idea of traveling more and working remotely. Also sometimes referred to as being a digital nomad, yes… ... Read more

October 10, 2018October 10, 2018

Shortlisted candidates hail their success in ITTA Regional/City Campaign category

Events

Tourism campaigns in line to win an honour in the inaugural International Travel & Tourism Awards, presented by WTM, say that being shortlisted is already a great achievement. Seven candidates ... Read more

October 9, 2018

How will the Everything as a Service (XaaS) business model transform tourism?

Development

Every single person reading this line is currently benefiting from the Everything as a Service (XaaS) business model, whether we realise it or not. No one is reading this article ... Read more

October 9, 2018August 14, 2020

How Travel & Luxury Brands Can Embrace the Rise of LGBT Travel

Blog, Diversity & Inclusion, Luxury

2018 is filled with news of natural disasters, worldwide political changes, and long-standing wars coming to an end. But there is one thing that is steadily being fought for over ... Read more

October 8, 2018October 8, 2018

Progressive Destination Marketing – Responsible Tourism the Slovenian way

Blog

As a leading green destination, the Slovenian Tourist Board (STB) is well versed in using tourism as a force for good – to raise awareness for the environment, support local ... Read more

October 8, 2018October 10, 2018

Open hearts and open minds

Autumn 2018 Magazine

There can’t be many same-sex couples who haven’t had unsettling experiences of one kind or another when they travel. Whether it’s the conundrum of twin or king-size beds, rooms stocked ... Read more

October 3, 2018October 3, 2018

Best in Responsible Tourism shortlist

Events

Four initiatives which help wildlife and the environment are contenders to win the responsible tourism honour at the inaugural International Travel & Tourism Awards, presented by WTM. The winners will ... Read more

October 2, 2018October 8, 2018

2018 Finalists in the World Responsible Tourism Awards

Responsible Tourism

The judges have deliberated long and hard after reviewing all the applications, longlisting and then shortlisting, the finalists for this year’s World Responsible Tourism Awards have finally been decided. There ... Read more

October 1, 2018October 1, 2018

Surviving troubled waters

Autumn 2018 Magazine

It is portrayed as a tropical paradise in holiday brochures and is the Philippines’ top tourism hotspot, but Boracay hit the news for all the wrong reasons earlier this year. ... Read more

October 1, 2018

‘The bar is set high’ say experts judging the ITTA National Tourism Board/Destination Marketing Organisation category

Uncategorised

Nine ‘stand-out’ national tourism campaigns are vying to win at the inaugural International Travel & Tourism Awards, presented by WTM. One of the experts on the judging panel was Caroline ... Read more

September 28, 2018October 2, 2018

WTM reveals ‘Best Tourism Marketing Agency’ shortlist

Events

The inaugural International Travel & Tourism Awards will shine a light on the Best Tourism Marketing Agencies out there from around the globe, highlighting outstanding and thought provoking campaigns that ... Read more

September 28, 2018September 28, 2018

Bulgaria – the new European capital of culture?

Destinations

This new season Bulgaria will welcome tourists with hundreds of cultural events and a European capital of culture — Plovdiv 2019. The country will be a stage for a number ... Read more

September 26, 2018

High hopes in Malaysia

Autumn 2018 Magazine

Marvellous, multifaceted and thrillingly multicultural: Malaysia offers travellers an almost unbeatable range of experiences. Spread across Peninsular Malaysia, northern Borneo and scattered islands in between, the country encompasses rainforests, mountains, ... Read more

September 26, 2018

Innovative Technology Enhancing Tourist Destinations

Events

Global destinations are constantly striving to improve their technology offering to tourists in order to enhance the overall travel experience as well as help make a destination more liveable, resilient ... Read more

September 25, 2018

How can the digital revolution be used to better transform tourism?

Development

How can we better understand the growing economic, societal and environmental impacts of technology and innovation in tourism? That’s the question posed by the UNWTO on its website to promote ... Read more

September 25, 2018September 26, 2018

Rwandair helps place Rwanda on the map

Aviation

Africa is the most challenging continent for air transport development, facing lack of infrastructure, a failure by many governments to adopt supportive policies to encourage growth, frequently high taxes and ... Read more

September 24, 2018September 25, 2018

Iran, why should the country be on your radar?

Autumn 2018 Magazine

Iran is nothing if not ambitious. The nation’s 2025 Tourism Vision Plan aims to increase its share of annual international visitors to 20 million by the middle of the next ... Read more

September 24, 2018September 25, 2018

New Travel Awards shine a light on the Best PR Campaigns

Events

The inaugural International Travel & Tourism Awards, presented by WTM London, celebrate the success of national, regional and city tourist boards and recognises outstanding private sector companies and individuals. One ... Read more

September 21, 2018

100 Years of Suffragettes: International Perspectives for the Travel Industry

Women in Travel

This year marks the 100th anniversary of British women gaining the right to vote and I was honoured to be asked by team at WTM London to chair a panel ... Read more

September 21, 2018September 21, 2018

The art of visitor attractions

Autumn 2018 Magazine

Abu Dhabi’s neighbouring emirate Dubai has been grabbing the headlines over the past couple of years with the opening of a host of major theme parks. But 2018 has been ... Read more

September 20, 2018September 25, 2018

New International Travel & Tourism Awards Recognise Seven Stand-Out Digital Campaigns

Events

The most popular category by far in the inaugural International Travel & Tourism Awards, saw a whopping 27 organisations enter, leaving it up to the panel of esteemed industry judges ... Read more

September 18, 2018September 18, 2018

Loving National Parks to Death?

Overtourism

Most of the focus on overtourism has been on cities, but it is also a challenge in rural areas. I am writing this at RTD14 which is looking at the ... Read more

September 18, 2018September 18, 2018

Must Have Web Technologies for 2019

Technology

This year at WTM London I will be running a Genesys Session called Must Have Web Technologies for 2019. I see travel as an information industry. When a purchase is ... Read more

September 4, 2018

Tackling Overtourism

Overtourism

While there is little discussion of overtourism in the travel trade press and many destinations are in denial, the issue is hot in the national and local press. The issue ... Read more

August 22, 2018August 22, 2018

The trends driving car rental

Summer 2018 Magazine

Changing consumer habits and technological advances are driving the car hire market into the digital age. Jenny Southan reports. At the end of last year I spent a month living ... Read more

August 21, 2018August 21, 2018

Making Tourism Better

Overtourism

Jost Krippendorf is the father of Responsible Tourism. In his seminal work on Holiday Makers, published in 1987, he foresaw the growth of the new form of tourism which had ... Read more

August 17, 2018August 17, 2018

Information Banks – A Vision of the Future

Technology

Catalysed by the recent hive of activity surrounding General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a few strands of thought from the past and present have come together in my mind to ... Read more

August 15, 2018August 18, 2020

Neglect your blog and social and suffer the consequences

Blog, Blogging, marketing, Social Media

For the life of me, I fail to understand why a travel and tourism site starts a blog or a social media channel if it can’t maintain it. Mitigating circumstances ... Read more

August 14, 2018

Is helping people find a better work life balance part of responsible tourism?

RT Marketing

What difference does tourism make to our daily lives? We create memories and enable people to rest and unwind. These are important things, but of themselves, all they do is ... Read more

August 13, 2018August 14, 2020

Women lead a new breed of entrepreneurship focussed travel tours.

Blog, Diversity & Inclusion, Women in Travel

The fact that travel is becoming increasingly mindful for travellers in search of their meaning is well documented and explains the rise of social impact businesses that have at their ... Read more

August 10, 2018August 10, 2018

Drum Roll Please

Blog

Guest Blog by Nick Pilbeam, Divisional Director, Reed Exhibitions I recently spent the day heading up the judging panel for the brand new International Travel & Tourism Awards that are ... Read more

August 7, 2018August 20, 2018

Managing Overtourism

Overtourism

The overtourism issue has a great deal in common with the issue of climate change. We’ve known for a long time that the problem of overcrowding exists and that no ... Read more

August 2, 2018August 18, 2020

Beyond the content: Investing in your blogging business

Blog, Blogging, marketing

When working with bloggers on campaigns and projects (for Traverse) I often find myself hopping from blog to blog just to find contact details, Instagram or Twitter accounts. In the ... Read more

August 1, 2018August 10, 2018

Would you go on holiday in a minefield?

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

So this is how it begins. I was three years old in the UK’s last long hot summer. Too young to remember it directly, instead the parched earth photographs define ... Read more

July 25, 2018August 20, 2018

Dundee’s designs on grandeur

Summer 2018 Magazine

It took until 2018 for Dundee to even think about promoting itself, with VisitDundee being set up in preparation for the opening of the V&A in the city and the ... Read more

July 24, 2018July 25, 2018

Leaders in Responsible Tourism

Development

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the progress TUI is making in implementing their 2015-2020 Better Holidays, Better World strategy. They have understood that, to make real progress ... Read more

July 20, 2018August 20, 2018

Swiss are in it for the long-haul

Summer 2018 Magazine

Last year the Swiss tourism industry experienced a record-breaking year in many markets, after a challenging period dominated by a strong Swiss franc and over-reliance on travellers from Europe. Total ... Read more

July 20, 2018July 20, 2018

Getting the Message

Technology

The news that Etihad passengers will be able to communicate with the airline via WhatsApp got me thinking about my own messaging apps. I use quite a few. On my ... Read more

July 19, 2018July 19, 2018

Solo Travel is the New Luxury: What This Means for Travel Brands

Luxury

“The man who goes alone can start today, but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready.” – Henry David Thoreau Combining adventure with luxury travel ... Read more

July 19, 2018July 19, 2018

The rise of social businesses in travel – Vicky Smith‘s Earth Changers

Women in Travel

For my latest blog, I am delighted to interview the passionate founder of Earth Changers, Vicky Smith. Like me, Vicky is passionate about empowering women through sustainable tourism and giving ... Read more

July 10, 2018July 10, 2018

TUI leads the way in reporting progress on sustainability

Carbon & Water, Certification, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

The TUI Group operates in 180 destinations, employs 67,000 people in more than 100 countries and provides holiday services to around 20m people. In size, they are world leaders. With ... Read more

July 5, 2018August 3, 2018

Coping with Success aka Overtourism

Overtourism, Responsible Tourism

Yesterday activist travel company Responsible Travel launched Crowded Out, a documentary about the growth of overtourism which is a consequence of exponential growth in travel and tourism bumping up against ... Read more