CONSUMER BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Climate-focused tour operators are learning to balance bringing travelers to
fragile destinations to learn about the effects of climate change while not
exacerbating the negative impacts of the tourism industry.
ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE -
First-of-its-kind study from Expedia Group takes an intersectional approach to
uncover barriers to travel for underserved communities and help industry
eliminate barriers including access, discrimination and lack of personal safety.
REGENERATION & RESILIENCE -
In our VUCA world, the ability to adapt and thrive amid compound challenges is crucial. Here are just a few examples of future-proof models for communities, businesses, ecosystems, technologies and more that have us excited about the growing resilience movement.
ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE -
These shifts in hospitality and tourism offerings are increasingly essential as
conscious consumerism becomes mainstream and addressing the climate crisis
becomes essential for preservation of the industry.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS -
VisitOSLO’s new, viral campaign downplays its city’s appeal with dry humor and
an understated production style — and highlights a growing trend in
values-driven tourism marketing.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS -
Tourism marketing has largely centered around traveler desires such as pleasant
weather and low prices. Now, it must also consider how travelers’ presence impacts locals, the local economy, wildlife and the natural environment.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
Developing economies — which account for 52 out of 71 economies improving since
2019 — are making strides, but significant investment is needed to bridge gaps
and increase market share.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
Whereas the country’s major cities have attracted the major hotel construction
in the past, boutique properties and hotel chains alike are popping up in
lesser-known areas — to showcase not only the natural appeal but the
proprietors’ commitment to the environment and local communities.
ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE -
Regardless of whether a travel-related company has submitted its commitments to SBTi; setting specific, quantifiable, time-bound goals is essential for meaningfully reducing climate-changing emissions.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
Kind Traveler’s responsible-tourism model now helps San Luis Obispo, California
further its tree-planting efforts and progress toward its goal of achieving
carbon neutrality by 2035.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
As tourism continues to evolve and travelers become more aware of
both their positive and negative impacts, the accommodation industry has an
opportunity to respond in a meaningful way.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
“We don’t need everyone to do it perfectly to change the world; we just need
double-digit percentages from a heck of a lot of buy-in.” — Natural Habitat
Adventures’ Court Whelan
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
While tourism has returned to pre-pandemic levels and the industry re-embraces physical travel, virtual travel operators see a different future on the horizon.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
In its first year, the Made to Travel™ Fund has awarded more than $1.5M in grants to a diverse set of organizations working with underserved or underrepresented travelers.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
The tour operator is reforesting 13 countries severely impacted by climate change and relaunching its Ripple Score — a tour-evaluation rating that lets travelers see how much of their trip fees remain in the communities they visit.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
Astrostays launched in 2019 to promote tourism while training local youth in astronomy to show off the Himalayas’ night sky. Now, Cosmohub is a more scalable, sustainable model — a connected community space that highlights local folklore and traditions along with stargazing.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS -
The vocal oatmilk brand is calling for mandatory climate labeling of food in the UK; and the global hotel chain now has carbon-labeled menus at 30 UK properties.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS -
Intrepid has launched one of tourism’s most comprehensive carbon-labeling initiatives, alongside new research that shows consumer demand for better
transparency and understanding their personal impacts.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
Frequent flyer reward programs encourage flyers to emit up to 34x their lifetime carbon budget; while flying private can pollute up to 30x more than a standard flight.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
Instead of the traditional approach of shielding tourists from places' 'messy' parts, more travel-focused social enterprises are working with marginalized communities to introduce tourists to their destination’s complex fabric.