WTM® Blog

Gain insight about trends, challenges and innovation across various tourism sectors from our industry leaders, on a regular basis.

Join the conversation by commenting on posts, or contact the Editor to enquire about being featured in one of our guest blog spots.

April 21, 2021April 21, 2021

4 tips to get the most out of Arabian Travel Market 2021

Arabian Travel Market, Blog, Events, Travel Industry

A thrilling event with all the health and safety measures in place and an innovative hybrid format is back to support the global tourism industry and travel businesses.

April 20, 2021April 20, 2021

The fundamental role of buyers in the recovery of the travel industry

Blog, Events, Travel Industry

Buyers and senior travel industry decision makers with direct purchasing responsibility, have always been an integral element of Arabian Travel Market. They have always been a fundamental part of the ... Read more

April 16, 2021April 16, 2021

What does the future hold for group travel?

Blog, Resilience and Recovery

At the end of 2019, the group travel sector was flourishing. The formula was a winning one – provide travellers with the chance to meet likeminded people while experiencing new ... Read more

April 16, 2021April 16, 2021

The changing landscape of Africa’s source markets

Blog, Resilience and Recovery

Which source markets will be among the first to resume regular long-haul travel to Africa? And how should you be adapting both your offering and marketing message in order to ... Read more

April 16, 2021April 16, 2021

Exclusive-Use Travel – the real deal or hype?

Blog, Resilience and Recovery

The desire to travel within “bubbles” and limiting the risk involved when sharing aircrafts, vehicles and accommodation has given rise to renewed interest in exclusive-use offerings. But in Africa, the ... Read more

April 16, 2021April 16, 2021

The Art of Travel: The Rise of Contemporary African Art and Design

Blog, Resilience and Recovery

Typically, African art is always associated with wooden masks, stone and bronze sculptures and traditional textiles – but there is so much more to discover – and potentially incorporate into ... Read more

April 15, 2021April 16, 2021

The opportunity of domestic tourism

Blog, Resilience and Recovery

From which accommodation categories have been hardest hit, to where South Africans are spending their cash – spoiler alert, look no further than Builder’s Warehouse – we unpack the facts ... Read more

April 15, 2021April 15, 2021

Can Gen Z save the travel industry?

Blog, Resilience and Recovery

Gen Z, also called Generation C, is the world’s youngest generation, living through a time of pandemic and a time when, hopefully, the world hopes to welcome some significant positive ... Read more

April 9, 2021April 9, 2021

The future of events is going to be hybrid

Blog, Events, Travel Industry

Many events that were cancelled in 2020 due to COVID, or happened only virtually, are now taking steps back to normality by offering a combination of in-person and virtual experiences.

April 9, 2021April 9, 2021

Two Decades of Responsible Travel

Blog, Responsible Tourism

At the heart of Responsible Travel and Responsible Tourism is the principle that better places to live are better places to visit.

April 8, 2021April 8, 2021

How has Gulf aviation been impacted by the pandemic?

Aviation, Blog

As the COVID-19 crisis enters a second year airlines are still struggling to return to even a modest amount of flying activity. The Gulf has been affected as much ... Read more

April 7, 2021April 19, 2021

Launch of Global Responsible Tourism Awards

Blog, Responsible Tourism

Since their launch in 2004 at WTM London, the World Responsible Tourism Awards have grown in prestige.

April 7, 2021April 7, 2021

The expansion of travel and tourism in the Middle East

Blog, Destinations, Travel Industry

The Middle East represents the present and the future of global travel and tourism thanks to its approach in developing the industry throughout the years and during the COVID-19 era.

March 30, 2021March 30, 2021

Responsible Tourism at WTM Africa has global relevance

Blog, Responsible Tourism

We can learn much about tourism in Africa – celebrating diversity and inclusiveness, growing the cake to create more value for neighbouring communities, living with and benefitting from biodiversity, and ... Read more

March 29, 2021March 26, 2021

Eight ways the pandemic has re-shaped the Middle East hospitality landscape

Blog, Hospitality

In the Middle East, and in particular, the Gulf, pandemic-led consumer behaviours have forced the hospitality industry to re-imagine hotel concepts and offerings to meet revised guest expectations.

March 26, 2021March 25, 2021

How travel businesses can combat the threat of cyber security attacks

Blog, Technology, Travel Industry

Hospitality and tourism firms are being warned to beef up their cyber security with a warning that attacks on businesses is rapidly on the increase.

March 23, 2021March 22, 2021

Narratives Matter

Blog, Responsible Tourism

We are a storytelling species. We use stories to make sense of the world and to educate our children.

March 22, 2021March 23, 2021

Moving Forward Cautiously to Build Inclusive Smart Destinations

Blog, Destinations, Diversity & Inclusion, Technology

Conversations regarding equity in tourism through topics such as regenerative tourism and racial diversity have led to a greater need to consider inclusivity within our beloved industry.

March 19, 2021March 18, 2021

Vaccines, tests…and travel passes

Blog, Travel Industry

We are getting closer to enjoy traveling again. Despite the catastrophic aura that COVID issues, there is hope for both travellers and for the tourism sector thanks to the vaccination ... Read more

March 17, 2021March 15, 2021

Are you ready for the coming wellness wave?

Blog, Wellness

Back in May of 2020, I contributed a blog asking hospitality brands and destination management organizations this question: Is now the time to embrace wellness tourism?

March 16, 2021March 15, 2021

Will we build back better?

Blog, Responsible Tourism

There has been great optimism in the media that we will “build back better” after lockdown. It is a worthy aspiration. I also hope that we will. But will we?

March 12, 2021March 11, 2021

Tickets, money, passport, vaccine passport

Blog, Travel Industry

After the past year, many in Britain are fed up with three part phrases like “hands, face, space” so it is perhaps inevitable that old holiday mantra of “ticket, money, ... Read more

March 9, 2021March 9, 2021

Resilience moves centre stage

Blog, Responsible Tourism

The climate emergency is upon us. We need to reduce emissions faster, but we also need to cope with the consequences of our failure to act over many decades.

March 4, 2021March 10, 2021

Balancing Safety and Business: How the Hospitality and F&B Sector are Thriving and Surviving in the Face of COVID-19

Blog, Hospitality

The hospitality and F&B sectors are two of the industries most affected by COVID-19. Though normal dining appears not too far away from the horizon, establishments are navigating the balance ... Read more

March 2, 2021March 2, 2021

What can tourism do for biodiversity?

Blog, Responsible Tourism

David Attenborough in his most recent series A Perfect Planet has celebrated our Earth’s biodiversity and documented the natural forces – volcanos, the Sun, weather and oceans – which have ... Read more

February 26, 2021February 26, 2021

Tourism’s recovery plan for 2021

Blog, Resilience and Recovery, Travel Industry

The Roadmap out of coronavirus, unveiled by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, prompted the rush to book, with consumers understandably wishing to have a holiday to look forward to this summer.

February 24, 2021February 24, 2021

Travel Industry Reacts To Boris Johnson Announcement on 2021 Travel

Blog, Travel Industry

How can the industry adapt to the new normal this summer?

February 24, 2021February 23, 2021

The comeback of leisure travel: key roles and responsibilities

Blog, Travel Industry

51% of travellers are planning a relaxing vacation for 2021. Although travelling remains constricted in most of the global regions, there are ways to get travels going and new leisure ... Read more

February 23, 2021February 22, 2021

We cannot continue with Business as Usual

Blog, Responsible Tourism

The greenhouse gases we emit are largely invisible, the travel and tourism industry does not have smoke stacks and many of our emissions are embedded in our supply chains. Climate ... Read more

February 19, 2021February 19, 2021

Timing is everything for travel marketing in 2021

Blog, marketing, Travel Industry

Timing is everything in travel marketing at the moment. Trying to keep a step ahead of restrictions, guidelines and lockdowns, plus matching that with consumer sentiment and confidence in booking ... Read more

February 16, 2021February 16, 2021

Pandemics and Climate Change

Blog, Responsible Tourism

The challenge of climate change is characterised by scale and complexity. But, it is not seen as a clear and present danger; it is not seen as urgent.

February 15, 2021February 15, 2021

2021: How New York is bouncing back post-COVID

Blog, Destinations

Due to the impact of coronavirus, sectors and industries dependent on tourists witnessed declines. With the start of 2021, the question is; how will New York bounce back?

February 12, 2021February 15, 2021

How to Include Casual Travellers in Tourism’s Recovery Process

Blog, Resilience and Recovery, Travel Industry

Casual travellers are the backbone of the tourism industry, and they shouldn’t be left behind in developing plans for recovery.

February 11, 2021February 9, 2021

Can tourism help us rethink nature’s value?

Blog, Resilience and Recovery

Our relationship with nature is so broken that we need to write laws to protect our ‘peaceful enjoyment’. We are so unable to appreciate the real value of birdsong that ... Read more

February 10, 2021February 9, 2021

How destinations can use social media to encourage travel once restrictions lift

Blog, marketing, Travel Industry

In an hyperconnected digital world, social media sites offer massive chances and tools for destinations to engage with travellers and help them travel safely again.

February 9, 2021February 9, 2021

Nature Strikes Back: Denial, Delay and Mistakes

Blog, Responsible Tourism

The consequences of climate change are with us. Climate change is a real and present danger.

February 8, 2021February 24, 2021

Responsible tourism is resilience

Blog, Responsible Tourism

The sudden changes caused by pandemics in 2020 forced us to reconsider innumerable times the ceremony format of WTM – Latin America Responsible Awards, initially scheduled to April/2020. This was ... Read more

February 4, 2021February 4, 2021

What does business travel look like during a pandemic?

Blog, Travel Industry

Despite lockdowns and border restrictions, some business travel associations have reported a better 2020 than most. They are also experiencing some green shoots for 2021.

February 2, 2021February 1, 2021

COVID-19 reminds us that we are a global industry with global responsibilities

Blog, Responsible Tourism

It is improbable that there will be a post-COVID world. Our sector will need to learn to deliver business and leisure travel in a world where COVID-19, and its variants, ... Read more

January 27, 2021January 27, 2021

Types of travellers emerging in 2021

Blog, Travel Industry, Trends

New kinds of travellers willing to explore and discover the world emerge in a reshaped travel sector that keeps reinventing itself on its way to recovery.

January 26, 2021January 25, 2021

International travel relies on a rules-based international order

Blog, Responsible Tourism

Three current crises – COVID-19, climate change, biodiversity loss – all have one thing in common. No country, state or individual can successfully solve or even hope to contain ... Read more

January 22, 2021January 21, 2021

These are the trends to expect for UK camping holidays in 2021

Blog, Destinations

A brand new report from camping experts Cool Camping has revealed the key trends the industry can expect to see in 2021.

January 20, 2021January 20, 2021

What if Tourism…?

Blog, Travel Industry

“What if Tourism becomes a platform for deep connection and understanding between humans and nature?”

What if we did that?

January 19, 2021January 19, 2021

How purposeful travel will speed the sector’s recovery

Blog, Destinations, Travel Industry

The travel industry faces an opportunity to embrace a sustainable, authentic, and inclusive way of travelling beneficial from locals, to travellers, to the tourism industry.

January 11, 2021January 11, 2021

Five strategies you need for your travel business in 2021

Blog, Resilience, Resilience and Recovery, Travel Industry

As we begin the New Year in a UK-wide lockdown, where they’re might be jetting off to next is likely far from consumers’ minds. But as the COVID-19 vaccines begin ... Read more

January 5, 2021January 5, 2021

2021: what to expect for global travel and tourism

Blog, Travel Industry

As 2020 is left behind, key factors such as critical geopolitical changes, health developments, or new trends in traveller behaviour are set to shape the sector and bring exciting challenges ... Read more

January 4, 2021January 4, 2021

Marketing luxury travel and hospitality brands in 2021

Blog, Hospitality, Luxury

With not much to travel to and explore, everybody is on their digital devices these days. It’s only wise for brands to use this as a means to reach their ... Read more

December 22, 2020December 18, 2020

11 lessons I learned during 2020

Blog, Responsible Tourism

We can’t keep reinventing the wheel, operating in silos, or treating efforts to act more sustainably as a marketing differentiator. We’re all in this together, and we either all succeed, ... Read more

December 18, 2020December 18, 2020

This is why people are being encouraged to keep travelling right now

Blog, Travel Industry

Travel specialists The Latin America Travel Company are encouraging would-be holidaymakers to continue travelling right now, where current rules and restrictions allow.

December 11, 2020December 11, 2020

Three reasons why European tourism should return by train

Blog, Responsible Tourism

As we move towards 2021, and begin to imagine what comes next, isn’t it time we prepared for an increasingly inevitable future, rather than build backwards to a past that ... Read more

December 8, 2020December 8, 2020

Winter Ski Season in the time of COVID-19: What we all Need to Know

Adventure, Blog

It’s that time of the year again when we all crave that much-deserved break and good cheer over the holidays. Given the challenging year we’ve all had, a winter break ... Read more

December 2, 2020November 27, 2020

This year WTM went virtual, here’s what we learnt from our most popular sessions

Blog, Travel Industry

Close to 20,000 meetings took place during WTM Virtual, and our sessions were viewed by 10,000 people across the three days.

November 25, 2020November 25, 2020

Re-starting the tourism economy in Central Asian countries

Blog, Destinations, Travel Industry

As the impacts of COVID-19 continue to be felt across the globe, the Central Asian trade forum took place in November to discuss and determine how this region could bounce ... Read more

November 25, 2020November 24, 2020

Reflecting on WTM Virtual: How should tourism talk about biodiversity?

Blog, Responsible Tourism

One of the recurring themes during the sessions for WTM Virtual and London Travel Week was the need for tourism to pay far greater attention to the biodiversity crisis.

November 24, 2020November 24, 2020

Tourism & Racism

Blog, Diversity & Inclusion, Responsible Tourism

Our industry thrives on the diversity of our world – we need to ensure that we ensure that we are diverse and inclusive, to build a better industry and provide ... Read more

November 18, 2020November 17, 2020

How can cruise and airlines reinvent themselves post-COVID to win back consumers

Aviation, Blog, Travel Industry

While the global travel industry keeps striving to cope with the disruption caused by COVID, airlines and cruise lines need to undertake an innovative approach to be ready to attract ... Read more

November 17, 2020November 17, 2020

Responsible Tourism: the Elephant in the Room

Blog, Responsible Tourism

Reflecting on the two days of Responsible Tourism panels at WTM, London last week it is clear that there is increasing recognition of the role of government in achieving sustainability ... Read more

November 13, 2020November 12, 2020

Making connections at WTM Virtual

Blog, Resilience and Recovery

For the last eight years I have been to every single session of the responsible tourism programme at World Travel Market.

November 13, 2020November 12, 2020

Travelling to the Maldives: A Paradise Escape in the Time of a Pandemic

Blog, Destinations, Luxury

Last month, UK government authorities have made the decision to include the Maldives to their travel corridor after observing that the epidemiological situation in the island country has ameliorated.

November 11, 2020November 19, 2020

Slovenia’s Guide to the Future of Culinary Tourism – Green Gastronomy

Blog, Destinations

In November 2020, the Slovenian Tourist board will be announcing a series of new initiatives to push for a green change within their country’s food sector and will invite the ... Read more

November 10, 2020November 10, 2020

Responsible Tourism is about finding solutions

Blog, Responsible Tourism

Last Wednesday, we announced those we had commended and highly commended in this year’s World Responsible Tourism Awards, we wanted to recognise those who had shouldered responsibility and addressed the ... Read more

November 9, 2020November 9, 2020

Responsible Tourism at WTM, London in November

Blog, Responsible Tourism

The pandemic has caused WTM London to go virtual. WTM London this year is carbon neutral – well nearly.

November 6, 2020November 9, 2020

Decarbonising Aviation

Aviation, Blog, Responsible Tourism

Slowly around the world efforts are being made to decarbonise our lifestyles.

November 2, 2020November 2, 2020

Reality Bites For Airlines

Aviation, Blog

Airlines had hoped that by now, they’d be seeing significant signs of travel recovery, but reality bites. COVID-19 and politicians had other plans.

November 2, 2020October 30, 2020

Responsible Tourism at WTM Virtual

Blog, Responsible Tourism

The pandemic has caused WTM London to go virtual. WTM London this year is carbon neutral – well nearly. Our computers, networks and servers all use increasing amounts of electricity ... Read more

October 29, 2020October 29, 2020

The long run evolution of aviation activity following COVID-19

Aviation, Blog, Resilience and Recovery

Airlines’ business models, technology developments, new products and services, sustainability approaches… discover some of the factors that will shape and transform the global aviation industry after COVID-19.

October 28, 2020October 27, 2020

From crowd-free cities to adrenaline-pumping adventure: Poland’s tourism plans for 2021

Blog, Destinations, Travel Industry

From the buzzing capital city of Warsaw, to the winding waterways of ‘The Land of a Thousand Lakes’, Poland is a European destination with a rich variety of unique experiences.

October 27, 2020October 27, 2020

Employing the differently-abled

Blog, Diversity & Inclusion, Responsible Tourism

At the heart of Responsible Tourism is the idea that tourism businesses look at the social, environmental and economic issues in the place or places that they do business and ... Read more

October 27, 2020October 29, 2020

15 BAME High Fliers in the Travel Industry

Blog, Diversity & Inclusion

Black History Month in the UK is a welcome opportunity to celebrate within our wider communities and highlight current exceptional female talent from a BAME background in the travel industry.

October 27, 2020October 26, 2020

What is regenerative tourism? And how should we deliver it?

Blog, Responsible Tourism

If regenerative tourism is just another new buzzword repackaging the same old thing, it will also be devalued and then replaced in time. Yes it is about making things better. ... Read more

October 21, 2020October 21, 2020

The destinations spending money on marketing campaigns now

Blog, marketing

It is easy to assume that marketing spend now is wasted money. Many countries still have not opened their borders and, at the end of September, airline body IATA predicted ... Read more

October 20, 2020October 19, 2020

How to make the most of Travel Forward Virtual

Blog, Technology, Travel Technology

Last month we announced that Travel Forward would be a fully virtual event in November. One of the questions we were frequently asked was ‘how will the virtual event compare ... Read more

October 20, 2020October 19, 2020

Will we make tourism better? An interview with Taleb Rifai

Blog, Responsible Tourism

The COVID-19 crisis has created an opportunity to rethink tourism, a pause enabling us to reshape the sector and to do tourism better – if we want to and if ... Read more

October 16, 2020October 15, 2020

How travel risk is changing in the COVID era

Blog, Travel Industry

From younger travellers to the aviation sector, to the hotel industry. Travel risk continues evolving and shaping the global travel sector during the COVID era, a time where the industry’s ... Read more

October 12, 2020October 9, 2020

How can we ensure a lasting recovery for tourism?

Blog, Responsible Tourism

Tourism’ future won’t be saved by cleaner aviation fuels or speedier quarantine processes. These just improve the current model. They get us back to getting bigger again.

October 8, 2020October 22, 2020

How to make the most of WTM Virtual

Blog, Travel Industry

We’re excited to be able to offer everything you would usually expect from us in virtual form. From insightful conference sessions, to the opportunity to meet with people ‘face-to-face’, read ... Read more

October 8, 2020October 7, 2020

Domestic and international tourism: learning to complement each other

Blog, marketing

If you can’t visit us, watch us. Which is what Tourism Australia said this week in producing high-quality videos reminding would-be international visitors what they are missing.

October 7, 2020October 7, 2020

Why Should Travel Brands Get Both a WTTC Stamp and a Certification?

Blog, Travel Industry

The travel sector is proving to be ever hardy and resilient. Six months into the pandemic, and after worldwide lockdowns have taken place, destinations and certain travel and tourism brands ... Read more

October 7, 2020October 7, 2020

Can we make Tourism Better?

Blog, Responsible Tourism

While recognising that the pandemic is far from over and that many countries are experiencing a second wave, it is important to look beyond survival to recovery.

September 30, 2020September 30, 2020

‘Workations’: A new frontier for hybrid tourism

Blog, Travel Industry

A new tourism economy could emerge that focuses on travelling less and staying longer, whilst avoiding overcrowded locations. It’s time for the industry to launch new packages and ideas.

September 29, 2020September 29, 2020

Biodiversity, eco-system services and tourism – conflict or symbiosis?

Blog, Responsible Tourism

Biodiversity loss and climate change are the twin existential challenges that we face as humanity. The responsible recovery of the travel and tourism sector after the COVID-19 pandemic requires ... Read more

September 25, 2020September 28, 2020

How to deal with the crisis, part 2: Reasons to be cheerful…

Blog, Responsible Tourism

So, at the end of Climate Week, on Friday’s for Future Global Day of Climate action, and with World Tourism Day at the weekend, here are my latest reasons to ... Read more

September 24, 2020September 23, 2020

How to be an Ally: 10 useful resources that can help

Blog, Diversity & Inclusion

Many people want to educate themselves more about issues relating to racial discrimination and become better allies. Here are 10 useful resources that can help you on your journey.

September 23, 2020September 23, 2020

How to attract travellers in the current market: a tailored approach

Blog, Travel Industry

New trends within the global travel market are rising at a fast pace while others keep decelerating amid the current uncertain environment. From customers’ demographics to the way vacations are ... Read more

September 22, 2020September 22, 2020

Rewiring the world economy

Blog, Responsible Tourism

Neoliberalism is in retreat. In an increasingly protectionist world this affects tourism directly as travel across borders becomes less frictionless, decarbonisation becomes a political imperative and biodiversity loss moves up ... Read more

September 22, 2020September 22, 2020

Gen Z can save the travel industry…if we learn what drives them

Blog, marketing

One survey found that 79% of travel decisions are influenced by Gen Z – the travel and tourism industry should ignore that statistic at its peril.

September 17, 2020September 15, 2020

Why improving the customer journey and user experience is the new priority for travel organisations

Blog, Travel Industry

Companies within the global travel sector have identified the improvement of these two digital elements as their main priority for the next 12 months.

September 15, 2020September 14, 2020

How do we really deal with the crisis facing us all?

Blog, Responsible Tourism

Last week I learned that 2020 is the second hottest year on record, after 2016. (For the record, that makes it the second hottest year in the last 100,000 years)

September 14, 2020September 17, 2020

Why destinations should reinforce responsible tourism within their strategies

Blog, Destinations, Responsible Tourism

In the new normal, destinations should place sustainability at the core of their strategies as it is the main element that underpins their resilience and tackles impacts.