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.

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 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

The third journey: the travel industry may not be transforming, but it is certainly transitioning

Technology

Marketers are familiar with the notion of the ‘customer journey’, which maps a route from potential prospect, through closed sale and beyond. In the world of travel of course, this ... 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

IFTM is inspiration for technology and networking

Blog, Uncategorised

by Luciane Leite I was in Paris with the express purpose of visiting IFTM Top Resa, France’s International B2B Tourism Show, an event that is organized by Reed Exhibitions. The ... Read more

October 15, 2018October 18, 2018

What can we expect of the tourism industry at the time of an election?

Blog

Now it’s for real! The candidates have already set out their strategies and their electoral campaigns are on the streets. Voters are becoming more and more demanding and paying careful ... 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 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 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

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

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

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 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 30, 2018August 30, 2018

10th Climate Week NYC confirms New York as capital city of a responsible world

Carbon & Water, Destinations

Climate week NYC is the largest climate event in the world, New York City is its home, and this year’s event on 24 to 30 September is the 10th Anniversary. ... Read more

August 28, 2018August 28, 2018

Can better storytelling help fix overtourism?

Overtourism

Tourism is about connections. Connecting to another place. Connecting with friends and family. Connecting to nature. It follows, therefore, that the better the connection, the more one connects, the richer ... 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 15, 2018

Resilience of tourism in times of change

Blog, Economy

The first half of 2018 ended with two major events and important impacts on the Brazilian economy. One, the World Cup – had been fully foreseen and planned. While the ... 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, 2018January 11, 2019

Mega-events benefit short-stay accommodation in Latin America

Blog, Events, WTM Latin America

by Marília Borges, Research Analyst for Euromonitor International While revenue in the tourism industry in Latin America was USD 165 billion dollars in 2017, it was down by an average ... 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 31, 2018August 1, 2018

Senior travel industry experts meet for awards judging day

Blog

Last month we officially closed the Awards entry portal for the FIRST EVER International Travel & Tourism Awards. After a steady flow of entries from national, regional and city tourist ... 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, 2018January 11, 2019

Technology: a travel experience facilitator with greater added value

Blog, Technology, WTM Latin America

by Marília Borges, Research Analyst for Euromonitor International Whether it is when consumers are deciding which experience to have, during the experience itself, or even after it has ended, technology ... 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 13, 2018

The search for more travel experiences and fewer material goods

Blog, Trends

by Marília Borges, Research Analyst for Euromonitor International The Experience More megatrend indicates that consumers are spending more and more on experiences in detriment to spending on material goods, ... 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

July 4, 2018August 14, 2018

Watch the IGTM video to get a sneak preview of the 2018 event

Blog, Events

The 21st edition of IGTM will take place for the first time in Slovenia, 15-18 October, showcasing the country as a rapidly growing golf destination. Highlights of the 2018 edition ... Read more

July 4, 2018July 5, 2018

In the future, tourism should look more like this Climate Positive Swedish burger

Carbon & Water, Food Tourism, Responsible Tourism

A couple of weeks ago the Swedish burger chain MAX Burgers announced that all its burgers are now climate positive. From June 14, 2018, any meal eaten at any one ... Read more

June 29, 2018August 18, 2020

Are we getting tired of social media?

Blog, marketing, Social Media

The scandal around the use of data harvested on Facebook has caused many people to reassess their use of the social networking site and saw the rise of the #DeleteFacebook ... Read more

June 26, 2018

The Good and the Bad of employment in the tourism & hospitality industry

Blog, Disability, Human Rights

Tourism and the hospitality industry are often criticised for creating local quality service employment. There are three major reasons for this. People tend to waiters and room attendants as the ... Read more

June 26, 2018January 11, 2019

Mexico, Brazil and Argentina are the most visited countries in Latin America

Blog, Trends, WTM Latin America

by Marília Borges, Research Analyst for Euromonitor International Over the last five years, Latin America has been the scene of sporting mega-events, such as the Summer Olympics in Rio de ... Read more

June 26, 2018June 26, 2018

World Responsible Tourism Awards 2018 open for applications now

Press Releases, Responsible Tourism, Responsible Tourism, WTM London

Now in their 15th year, the tourism industry’s longest running and best known responsible tourism awards are once again looking to find the most inspiring companies and organisations work around ... Read more

June 25, 2018June 25, 2018

How the Travel Industry Provides the Luxury of Sleep

Luxury

The past decade has taught us that luxury is subjective. Luxury no longer has defined and exact standards like chandeliers and butlers. But we can all agree that a simple ... Read more

June 22, 2018July 3, 2018

Is airline loyalty living in the dark ages?

Aviation, Technology

After writing my blog last month about customer relationship management moving on, I have to ask the question: “Are airline loyalty schemes still living in the dark ages?” Loyalty schemes ... Read more

June 19, 2018June 19, 2018

Help your favourite hotel or tour company win a World Responsible Tourism Award

Blog, Responsible Tourism, RT Marketing

Have you been on holiday recently and been amazed at what your hotel was doing for the local community, or perhaps taken a tour that really impressed you for the ... Read more

June 19, 2018

The Airline Industry is never boring!

Aviation

Halfway into 2018 and the list of things going on in the airline business just grows. All of which will make for some lively discussion at this year’s WTM London ... Read more

June 12, 2018

Nominate Responsible Tourism Leaders & consider applying

Blog, Responsible Tourism

The judges can only select from amongst those that apply – if you know good candidates nominate them, phone or email them, and encourage them to apply. Don’t forget the ... Read more

June 11, 2018August 20, 2018

Taking off with confidence

Aviation, Summer 2018 Magazine

Denmark’s Primera Air is spreading its wings with budget transatlantic flights, as chief commercial officer Anastasija Visnakova tells Gary Noakes Look – no pizza colours, no ads,” says Primera Air’s ... Read more

June 8, 2018August 20, 2018

Transparency leads to trust

Summer 2018 Magazine, Technology

The EU’s new data protection rules, known as GDPR, are now in place and could have a global impact on the travel industry, Rob Gill reports. During the early months ... Read more

June 7, 2018August 20, 2018

Putting world food on the travel menu

Food Tourism, Summer 2018 Magazine

Once an afterthought to a holiday, food is now central to the experience and tourist boards are realising this, Charlotte Cullinan finds. Food tourism is booming, and savvy operators and ... Read more

June 6, 2018August 14, 2020

Could enterprising with purpose be the answer to women’s empowerment in travel and tourism?

Blog, Diversity & Inclusion, Women in Travel

Women-Led Enterprises Are Growing Enterprising is a growing sector of the global economy. In some cases such as the USA, women’s enterprising is the fastest growing sector of the economy ... Read more

June 5, 2018June 6, 2018

How Hotels, Tours Companies, Events and Destinations are eliminating plastic

Blog, Development

Today is World Environment Day, and the theme is Beat Plastic Pollution. We’ve looked at this issue before, but so rapidly are the responses emerging, that it is worth revisiting ... Read more

June 4, 2018June 1, 2018

The Benefits of Being Shortlisted for the International Travel & Tourism Awards

WTM Team

Of course you enter Awards with the main aim to win, however it is not always just about the winning. Here is a quick checklist of the ways you can ... Read more

June 1, 2018

Trends in Luxury Travel for 2018 and Beyond

Luxury

We’re mid-way into 2018 and we can see main luxury travel trends like authentic experiences and travellers going to colder destinations happening. Unique experiences can be quite a general and ... Read more

May 30, 2018May 30, 2018

World Responsible Tourism Awards 2018: Leaders in Responsible Tourism

Blog, RT Marketing

The World Responsible Tourism Awards to be presented at WTM London in November are now open for nominations and applications. They close on 6th August and are free to enter. ... Read more

May 24, 2018July 3, 2018

CRM is moving on

Technology

A week or so ago I saw a demonstration of one of the better CRM systems, specifically designed for travel companies. What impressed me is how sophisticated customer relationship management has ... Read more

May 22, 2018

With funding for app secured, Refill my bottle now ready for international expansion

Carbon & Water

Like most of the best ideas, the Refill my Bottle initiative is incredibly simple. So simple that you’ve probably guessed most of what it is about from the title. Started ... Read more

May 15, 2018May 17, 2018

Orphanages: Campaigning for Responsibility in Tourism

Blog, Human Rights

Responsible Tourism is about taking responsibility to address the issues that matter whether in a particular place or one that occurs in many areas. This year in WTM’s World Responsible ... Read more

May 14, 2018August 14, 2020

Women in Leadership and Gender Parity

Blog, Diversity & Inclusion, Professional Development, Women in Travel

This week it is my pleasure to interview Barbara (Bobby) Stewart, Executive Manager: Strategic Relations and Human Resources, V&A Waterfront. Bobby was a mentor at the recent Women in Travel meetup in ... Read more

May 11, 2018May 11, 2018

International Travel & Tourism Awards: Meet the Judges

Events, Professional Development, WTM Team

The International Travel and Tourism Awards team are busy pulling together a panel of independent credible industry experts, business leaders and senior advisors from around the world to sit on ... Read more

May 8, 2018May 9, 2018

Banish Bucket Lists. Go back to the place you love most

Blog, Overtourism

I come here at this time every year. I have been coming here now, every year, at the same time, for 10 years. And I intend to come here at ... Read more

May 2, 2018August 18, 2020

Blog rebranding, is it time for a drastic change?

Blog, Blogging, marketing

You’re woken in the middle of the night with a cold gust of wind on your feet and a loud rhythmical chu-chug as the train runs over the rail joints. ... Read more

May 1, 2018

Taking responsibility for sustainability is now a business imperative

Development, RT Marketing

Recent research published by TUI clearly shows that consumers expect the industry to take responsibility for ensuring that their product is sustainable. Research by booking.com found that 87% of global ... Read more

May 1, 2018May 1, 2018

All you need to know about tourism in Russia

Destinations

Russia has a great offering of tourism, and after reading this blog you will get the complete picture of the Russian travel market and what it has to offer tourists ... Read more

April 25, 2018April 25, 2018

#ATMDubai25 – The Final Day!

Blog

It may have been the fourth and final day of #ATMDubai25 but that didn’t mean things slowed down at all. The halls were once again a hive of activity and ... Read more

April 24, 2018April 30, 2018

How Tourism can rapidly eliminate single use plastics – Earth Day inspiration from around the world

Carbon & Water, Development, RT Marketing

For a somewhat obsessive follower of tourism industry news like me, the spike in press releases that mark the annual Earth Day celebrations provide a quick reference point to the ... Read more

April 24, 2018April 24, 2018

#ATMDubai25 Day Three – What did you miss?

Blog

It was business as usual on day three at #ATMDubai, with travel professionals from around the world once again filling the halls at the 25th edition of the Middle East’s ... Read more

April 23, 2018April 23, 2018

#ATMDubai25 Day Two – Making things happen!

Blog

Day two of #ATMDubai25 was once again all about making things happen. With a buzzing show floor that continued to connect travel professionals and communities from around the world with ... Read more

April 22, 2018April 22, 2018

#ATMDubai 2018 Day One – The Highlights!

Blog

At midday today the 25th edition of Arabian Travel Market, the leading global event for the Middle East, got underway! Inbound and outbound tourism professionals filled the halls, all here ... Read more

April 20, 2018August 20, 2018

Big interview: Setting responsible travel standards

Overtourism, Responsible Tourism, Spring 2018 Magazine

G Adventures has helped push sustainable tourism to the top of the world travel agenda. Katherine Lawrey speaks to founder Bruce Poon Tip about how the company did it ... Read more

April 20, 2018

WTM Daily News | Wednesday 20 April 2018

Blog, Blogging, Press Releases, WTM Africa

Catch up on the latest news at WTM 2018! Download Issue NO3 here