Organised by the World Tourism Forum Institute under the theme “Investment and Security,” the event is expected to welcome more than 2,000 delegates from over 50 countries. Governments, financial institutions, investors, and tourism businesses will discuss the conditions that turn destination strategies into development.

Meet us in Brussels! Where confidence becomes cooperation, and cooperation shapes the future. Join global leaders, investors, and innovators as we come together to discuss the future of tourism, security, and international investment. November 9–10, 2026 Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels #GlobalTourismForum #Brussels2026 #InvestmentConfidence #TourismLeaders #AnnualMeeting #EUsummit #TravelIndustry #GlobalCooperation

— Global Tourism Forum | GTF (@gtourismforum) August 19, 2026

For the institute’s president, Bulut Bağcı, the stakes are high and bringing tourism stakeholders together is paramount. “When I look at tourism in 2026, I see an industry whose future is increasingly being decided beyond its own boundaries,” he told Travel Tomorrow. That echoes the International Monetary Fund’s October Outlook identifying conflict, trade tensions, and fiscal policies as risks to growth. Recent comments from the Arab Air Carriers’ Organization (AACO) also illustrate how that “extra-territoriality” can affect regional economies differently, with the association’s secretary general slamming proposed changes to Europe’s emissions trading system (ETS) that will mean Arab airlines could end up paying for their pollution twice. 

The first day of the Global Forum will focus on investment: where capital is moving, how projects become financeable, hospitality development, public-private partnerships, and blended finance. Connectivity and climate resilience also feature, while an Investment Deal Room is planned to bring proposals and potential partners together.

Bağcı wants those conversations to confront practical obstacles. “My starting point has always been that tourism is infrastructure,” he says. Lenders need credible demand forecasts and repayment plans; developers require clarity on land rights, licences and approvals, and infrastructure such as electricity, water, transport, not forgetting workforce development.

Linked to that, local benefits are another test for the sector. Bağcı calls for attention to procurement, training, smaller businesses, as well as an eye to local services and housing pressures. “A destination’s economic success becomes more durable when the people who live there can see a benefit from its growth,” he argues.

On the second day, attention turns to security and resilience, spanning cybersecurity, border processes, major events, crisis management, and transport, alongside climate and health risks. The agenda connects investment decisions with destinations’ ability to remain accessible and operational when travel is disrupted. Bağcı identifies priorities including responsible handling of personal information, dependable payment systems, and assistance when plans unravel, backed by well-prepared staff and fallback plans.

At the heart of the largest travel market in the world and the head of European decision-making and policy-making, Brussels offers an apt setting for this cross-sector discussion. It’s a setting that highlights how coordination between authorities is crucial for destination promotion, transport, finance, and border issues. But Europe’s relationships with Gulf investors, Asian travel markets, and emerging destinations across Africa and Eurasia are also central to tourism’s future and, therefore, the Global Forum’s programme.

That programme anticipates a Brussels Agenda for Tourism Investment and Security and follows hot on the heels of the first ever EU Sustainable Tourism Strategy, adopted on 4 November 2026. Whether the forum delivers on its ambitions, however, will depend on what comes next: better-prepared projects, clearer institutional responsibilities and partnerships that progress beyond discussion. As Bağcı puts it: “The value of the meeting will become clearer through the decisions that follow it.”

L’article Global Tourism Forum set to bring investment and security into focus in Brussels est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The new strategy brings together initiatives covering skills, digitalisation, investment, connectivity and crisis preparedness. Its central ambition is to maintain Europe’s position as the world’s leading tourism destination while giving greater weight to the value tourism creates for residents, workers and businesses.

The economic stakes are substantial. According to the Commission, tourism contributes around 10% of the EU’s gross value added, supports more than 20 million jobs and encompasses five million businesses, 99% of them small and medium-sized enterprises. Yet the sector faces overlapping pressures, from labour shortages and climate change to geopolitical instability and uneven visitor flows.

“Tourism is one of Europe’s greatest strategic economic assets,” said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism. With the strategy, he said, the Commission is giving the sector the recognition it deserves on the EU policy agenda and bringing businesses, destinations and public authorities around a common vision.

From a shared ambition to a European framework

The much-awaited strategy arrives after its presentation was postponed several times throughout 2026. Initially expected in the spring, its adoption on 4 November marks the culmination of a lengthy period of consultation and political preparation.

At a European Parliament conference in December 2025, Tzitzikostas outlined the ambition for a common European tourism strategy, identifying Europe’s global competitiveness, benefits for local communities and investment in innovation as core priorities.

Those themes now form part of a broader framework organised around three main pillars: competitiveness, sustainability and resilience, and Europe’s international positioning. Investment, governance and transport connectivity support the approach across all three.

Today marks an important milestone for European tourism. For the first time, Europe is putting forward a unified EU Strategy for Sustainable Tourism, recognising tourism as a strategic pillar of our economy and placing it firmly at the heart of the EU policy agenda. It is a step towards giving the sector the recognition, support and strategic direction it deserves. Tourism drives growth, creates millions of jobs and supports businesses and communities across Europe, with SMEs at the heart of its strength and competitiveness. With this strategy, we are setting a shared vision for a more competitive, sustainable and resilient European tourism sector, one that creates opportunities, empowers local communities and ensures that the benefits of tourism are shared by citizens across Europe. #EUTourism https://t.co/V59oITMRmo

— Apostolos Tzitzikostas (@tzitzikostas) November 4, 2026

The strategy builds on existing work, including the Transition Pathway for Tourism and the European Agenda for Tourism 2030. Its adoption establishes a shared direction, while the academies, networks and management tools it proposes will require further implementation.

Tourism remains primarily the responsibility of national, regional and local authorities. The Commission’s questions and answers clarify that the strategy does not harmonise national laws or frameworks. Instead, it seeks to improve coordination where cooperation across borders can deliver practical benefits. 

Measuring value beyond visitor numbers

One of the strategy’s most consequential elements is its emphasis on balanced tourism. Presenting the initiative, Tzitzikostas said that just 13% of European regions account for half of all nights spent in Europe, illustrating how unevenly demand is distributed.

For destinations experiencing intense seasonal pressure, growth can bring difficult trade-offs involving infrastructure, natural resources, housing and residents’ quality of life. Elsewhere, communities with tourism potential struggle to attract visitors or sustain businesses outside a short peak season.

Tourism’s economic impact goes beyond what visitors spend. Our new estimates captures its wider contribution: in 2025, tourism accounted for 10.1% of GVA on average across the EU countries covered – nearly 2.5 times its direct contribution. More https://t.co/yko5YqBunx https://t.co/T7vgDtmeKV

— EU Joint Research Centre (@EU_JRC) November 4, 2026

The Commission plans an EU Model for Tourism Management, a proposed Council recommendation and a Toolbox for Balanced Tourism. These are intended to help destinations manage visitor flows, encourage travel throughout the year and spread activity towards places receiving fewer visitors.

“Our objective is not simply to attract more tourists to the same destinations,” Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms Raffaele Fitto said during the presentation. “It is to create more value and spread the benefits of tourism more widely.”

That approach connects tourism policy to territorial development. Fitto argued that stronger local businesses, better services and employment opportunities can help people build their futures in their own communities, including rural, island, coastal and mountain regions.

Skills, data and simpler rules for businesses

For tourism businesses, the strategy promises support with some of their most persistent operational challenges. An EU Tourism Academy will help develop training, attract talent and strengthen the skills needed for the sector’s clean and digital transitions.

The planned EU Tourism Observatory and Common European Tourism Data Space are intended to improve access to information for businesses, destinations and policymakers. Better use of data and artificial intelligence could support decisions on visitor demand, services and destination management.

An EU Simplification Initiative for Tourism will examine unnecessary administrative burdens, with Member States and the industry involved in the work. The Commission also envisages guidance, technical assistance and support for investment.

HOTREC, representing Europe’s hotels, restaurants, bars and cafés, welcomed the strategy’s emphasis on simplification, skills and fair digital markets. However, it stressed that implementation must reflect an industry dominated by small businesses and micro-enterprises.

“Europe’s hospitality businesses need practical support, not additional complexity,” said Marie Audren, HOTREC’s Director General. She called on Member States to prioritise tourism investment and make funding easier to access through simpler procedures, clear information and tailored assistance.

HOTREC also welcomed recognition of the need for fair commercial practices by online booking platforms and effective enforcement of the Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act. It cautioned against duplicating established national systems and sector initiatives, particularly in accommodation classification.

Connectivity becomes part of destination management

The strategy treats transport as essential to both competitiveness and a more balanced distribution of visitors. Better links can help destinations outside established hotspots attract demand, while fragmented journeys can limit the appeal of European routes.

Tzitzikostas highlighted work on multimodal travel, cross-border car rentals and the possible interoperability of local transport ticketing systems. He also announced a renewed aviation strategy for 2027, with particular attention to the connectivity needs of islands and remote and coastal regions.

ECTAA, representing European travel agents and tour operators, welcomed the framework’s focus on balanced visitor flows, connectivity, data, modernised VAT rules and skills. Its response also highlighted the role of travel intermediaries in guiding demand towards lesser-known destinations and travel outside peak periods. 

Airports, meanwhile, raised an immediate concern about the gap between the ambition for seamless journeys and travellers’ experience at external borders. ACI EUROPE Director General Olivier Jankovec welcomed recognition of the relationship between aviation and tourism, but called for urgent action on the Schengen Entry/Exit System.

“There can be no truly effective strategy for seamless travel and a competitive, welcoming tourism sector without tackling the very real disruption and hardship that the EES is currently causing to travellers,” he said.

ACI EUROPE reiterated its call for structural solutions, referring to the six-point plan presented jointly with Airlines for Europe and the International Air Transport Association.

Cycling organisations welcome recognition but seek concrete action

The European Cyclists’ Federation welcomed the inclusion of cycling tourism and EuroVelo, alongside recognition of active mobility’s contribution to sustainable tourism. It nevertheless argued that the framework needs more concrete commitments.

In its assessment of the strategy, ECF said proposals for a European economic impact study on cycling tourism and an improved digital ecosystem for promoting Europe as a cycling destination had not been included.

The federation sees cycling and active tourism as opportunities to extend the season, support regional development and distribute spending more widely. Its response underlines a broader question for implementation: how recognition in a policy framework will translate into funded projects and usable services.

Regions gain a stronger place in tourism policy

The European Regions Research and Innovation Network, ERRIN, highlighted the strategy’s recognition of regions as central actors in destination management, resilience planning and tourism governance.

For regional authorities, the proposed management model, balanced tourism toolbox and EU Tourism Alliance offer opportunities to shape implementation around local circumstances. ERRIN also identified potential support for investments in innovation, digitalisation, skills and climate resilience.

The Commission will establish the EU Tourism Alliance to bring together public authorities, industry and other stakeholders. Tzitzikostas said it would help coordinate implementation and improve coherence between existing cooperation structures.

Funding will remain a central test. According to the Commissioner’s presentation, tourism is expected to benefit from an estimated €18 billion in EU support across the 2021–2027 programming period. This represents support through existing programmes rather than a newly announced standalone tourism fund.

Future investment will depend partly on the next EU budget and the design of national and regional priorities. For businesses and destinations, the practical challenge will be turning a range of available instruments into accessible support.

Promoting Europe while preparing for future shocks

International outreach remains another major component. Through Destination Europe, the Commission wants a more coherent presentation of Europe’s tourism offering that complements national and regional identities and gives greater visibility to lesser-known places.

Tzitzikostas announced plans to deepen tourism dialogues with partners including Japan, India and Gulf countries. He also said a new cooperation framework with UN Tourism would be signed by the end of 2026 to advance competitiveness, sustainability and resilience.

The new EU Sustainable Tourism Strategy brings measures for coastal communities and islands. A #EUOceanPact deliverable, it aims to: Improve connectivity Launch a dialogue on cruise tourism Support balanced tourism More: https://t.co/pEzZhj0KLW #DestinationEurope https://t.co/EkxLBSEZCe

— EU Maritime & Fish (@EU_MARE) November 4, 2026

New European Capitals of Tourism Awards will recognise destinations developing sustainable, balanced and innovative approaches. Alongside promotion, an EU Tourism Crisis Coordination Network is intended to strengthen preparedness for disruptions affecting destinations and businesses.

The industry’s early responses show broad support for a common European direction, accompanied by clear expectations about delivery. Hospitality businesses want simpler access to investment, airports want functioning borders, cycling organisations want concrete measures and regions want tools they can adapt locally.

The strategy gives these demands a shared policy framework. Its impact will depend on whether that framework produces better conditions for workers and businesses, more manageable visitor flows and lasting benefits for the communities that welcome travellers.

L’article EU puts tourism at the heart of its policy agenda with first common strategy est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Officials announced the renewal of international operations on Saturday in a statement advising travellers to “verify the status of their bookings and flights before heading to the airport.” Terminals 1 and 2 were functioning again on Sunday, ready to welcome international flights, with arrivals scheduled from Cairo, Dubai, and Paris. However, aviation tracker Flightradar24 indicated that most flights to Riyadh remained cancelled.

#VIDEO: Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport resumed operations at Terminals 1 and 2 on Oct. 25, two weeks after the deadly Houthi attack. The reopening marks a step toward restoring airport services following the disruption. https://t.co/sjCssZVBBO

— Saudi Gazette (@Saudi_Gazette) October 25, 2026

Domestic flights had already begun again in the past week, after the facility closed on 10 October due to a Houthi cruise missile strike that hit a complex containing Terminals 3 and 4, killing 13 people and injuring over 300 others. The recent surge in Houthi rebel strikes has resulted in at least 22 deaths across different air hubs, at Abha International, Riyadh, and Dammam.

The attacks continue. Sunday morning saw an emergency “aerial threat” alert issued to Riyadh residents, and Saudi military spokesperson Major General Turki al-Malki confirmed, even as King Khalid airport reopened, that the kingdom’s air defences had already destroyed ballistic missiles targeting both the capital and southern regions the same day. The civil defence agency later revealed that two people had been injured in the south, and Saudi Press Agency images showed damage to buildings.

تنويه للمسافرين الكرام https://t.co/ICDmH20RSU

— مطار الملك خالد الدولي (@KKIASA) October 24, 2026

Meanwhile, Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree issued a grim warning to carriers and the flying public. The rebels’ statement advised, “all international, regional and local airlines — as well as staff and travellers — against using King Khalid Airport in Riyadh, as it is unsafe.” They added that they still consider the Riyadh hub a “military target” and attempted to place the “responsibility” for any further civilian casualties on Saudi authorities.

#SaudiArabia: Read our latest travel advice for updated information about King Khalid Airport which continues to be targeted and ongoing threat from terrorism in Saudi Arabia (‘Warnings and insurance’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages): https://t.co/VGupD9Pa5S https://t.co/DGf4KCeHkD

— FCDO Travel Advice (@FCDOtravelGovUK) October 21, 2026

The Houthis are supplied with arms, intelligence, and training by Iran, which has long sought to expand its “Axis of Resistance” against the West and Israel, and to draw its powerful regional adversary, Saudi Arabia, into a costly conflict. By targeting the Saudi capital’s main air hub, they have impacted several economically significant international events hosted by the Saudis, including the Future Investment Initiative conference, which has been postponed until 2027, as well as the United Nations World Data Forum, the Second Saudi Statistical Forum, the Six Kings Slam tennis tournament, and the Saudi World Rally Championship.

L’article Riyadh Airport opens again to international flights but Houthi missiles continue est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Recent weeks have seen a series of inequality protests by school students evolve into a national anti-poverty movement that has erupted into violent demonstrations, including looting, arson, and disturbing clashes between citizens and police in France’s major cities. Authorities have cracked down with curfews in a bid to quell the unrest.

But those efforts may come too late to halt reputational damage to the world’s premier tourist destination as nations around the globe proceed to issue new guidance for visitors to France, warning them to stay away from large gatherings, follow official instructions and local curfews, register with safety apps, and even postpone trips.

Christelle Cassagne, head of the national federation of French tourism institutions, ADN Tourisme, said, “The surge of violence in the centres of Nice, Paris, Lyon — it’s catastrophic.” Cassagne also noted the effect of the security problems on tourists who have booked the trip of a lifetime only to find themselves unable to access world-famous cultural sites such as the Louvre or the Musée d’Orsay because of temporary closures, saying: “When you book a hotel for a week, it is not to stay shut away in your room.”

Chers visiteurs, en raison d’un mouvement social étudiant, le musée est fermé pour le moment. Nous vous prions de nous excuser de la gêne occasionnée. Dear visitors, due to student strikes the museum is currently closed. We apologise for the inconvenience. https://t.co/tNKFk3B9aj

— Musée du Louvre (@MuseeLouvre) October 19, 2026

Quantifying the negative impacts on the sector, Didier Arino, head of research consultancy Protourisme, said that just one day’s riots in the French capital had prompted “around a one-percent cancellation rate for the monthly count” across the next few days. Similarly, MKG Consulting said Parisian hotels were experiencing a year-on-year decline in bookings for the next month and a half, from 1 to 0.2 percentage points for stays scheduled from 20 to 29 October, and from 3.5 to 1.9 points for those from 20 to 25 October.

Meanwhile, fears are multiplying that the ripple effects of the unrest could spread far beyond French borders. The Bangkok Post has speculated that Thailand’s incoming tourism could suffer if French visitors, who usually rank second among Thailand’s largest European source markets, decide to postpone trips due to difficulties at home—for example, if temporary road closures or curfews make getting to the airport too challenging, or if widespread damage to property and vehicles impact people’s disposable income streams.

Suladda Sarutilavan, executive director Europe of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said Thailand had welcomed more than 610,000 French visitors by mid-October and described that figure as stable year over year. But official figures from Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul, released on 19 October 2026, show Thailand’s foreign tourist arrivals from 1 January to 17 October 2026 were down 4.12% year-on-year. Digging into the data, the drop appears to be due to Chinese travel easing off after the end of the Golden Week holiday. Long-haul arrivals increased 10.55% week-on-week to 178,479 between 11-17 October, a rise Surasak said was driven by short school breaks in Europe and the Americas.

With further protests organised in France on Saturday, 24 October and a general strike scheduled for 5 November, transportation, access to cultural gems, and security in general could be affected. Tourism agencies and would-be travellers around the world will be watching carefully.

L’article Violence in France “catastrophic” for tourism at home and abroad est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The news follows a preliminary investigation, which included an analysis of the risk assessment reports submitted by Booking.com in 2026 and the preceding three years, information published in its transparency reports, and the company’s replies to the Commission’s formal requests for information sent on 23 September 2025 and 26 May 2026.

According to a European Commission spokesperson, the research revealed that the number of scams reported on Booking.com rose by 500 per cent between 2022 and 2024, with fraud totalling 4.2 billion euros in 2024. 

According to the European Commission, Booking.com may have breached the Digital Services Act (DSA) on three specific subjects.

Firstly, the Commission will examine whether the provider of Booking.com has properly identified and assessed the systemic risks linked to the dissemination of illegal content. Fake listings, such as for non-existent properties, impersonation fraud, and non-compliant accommodation offers may have negative effects on consumer protection. The investigation will also assess whether the platform has put in place effective measures to mitigate these risks, including by removing fraudulent and non-compliant listings.

Secondly, the investigation will determine whether the provider of Booking.com has diligently assessed and addressed the risks that phishing scams pose to consumers. The research will focus on risks related to the way reservation and guest data is shared with accommodation providers, and the design and functioning of Booking.com’s messaging service. The Commission will also examine whether the company has put in place sufficient safeguards to prevent data from being misused to carry out phishing and solicit fraudulent payments.

Finally, the Commission will investigate whether Booking.com complies with the DSA’s advertising transparency obligations. Accommodation providers can make their listings more visible in Booking.com’s search results by paying a higher commission but users should be able to clearly recognise that these ‘boosted listings’ are in fact advertisements. 

Booking a holiday should be exciting, not risky. Europeans deserve to book with confidence, knowing platforms are taking their safety seriously. We’ll make sure they live up to their responsibilities. More: https://t.co/PdRBQHxfJN https://t.co/PaxZGfGH6J

— European Commission (@EU_Commission) October 21, 2026

The Commission will also examine whether, for each advertisement shown on Booking.com, users can easily see who is behind, who paid for it, why they are seeing it and how they can change the settings that determine which ads they see. This matters as under the DSA, users are entitled to understand when, and on whose behalf, an ad is shown to them. Without this, they cannot tell whether a listing appears prominently because it matches their search or because the accommodation provider paid for that visibility.

“Europeans should be able to book their holidays without fear of being scammed. The Digital Services Act sets clear responsibilities on platforms to address these risks, and we must ensure that the leading booking platform in Europe takes those responsibilities seriously,” said Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, in a statement.

Now that the formal proceedings have been opened, the Commission will carry out an in-depth investigation while it will also be able to take further enforcement steps, such as interim measures and non-compliance decisions. Moreover, through the investigation, the Commission is empowered to accept commitments offered by Booking.com to remedy the matters subject to the proceedings.

If the Commission finds Booking.com to have broken the rules and if the platform refuses to change its policies, the Commission could impose fines amounting to up to 6% of the company’s turnover.

L’article European Commission launches investigation into Booking.com over fraud and scam allegations est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The first major revision of EU air passenger rights legislation in over two decades, the regulation guarantees the right to carry a personal item on board at no extra cost. It was signed on 16 September 2026 and published on 2 October. It enters into force on 22 October 2026 and will apply from 23 October 2027.

Under the change, which was brought in to create more certainty for flyers amid a plethora of different rules across airlines, carriers will be obliged to permit passengers to carry a piece of hand baggage into the cabin. However, this remains subject to the capacity of the aircraft cabin, meaning some bags may have to be checked in at no additional cost.

Stronger EU air passenger rights regarding: Transparent fares & luggage rules Claims procedures Protection in case of delays & cancellations Rights for passengers with reduced mobility No more “no-show” penalties on return flights https://t.co/wNOBgqi7eO https://t.co/mpYsMCzGBP

— EU Publications (@EUPublications) October 2, 2026

The free personal item must meet safety and security requirements and either measure no more than 40 × 30 × 15 cm or fit under the seat in front. It can be brought into the cabin alongside another carry-on bag, subject to the applicable fare and the airline’s baggage policy. The final regulation does not establish a common 7 kg weight limit or maximum combined dimensions of 100 cm for that separate bag. 

The legislation preserves airlines’ freedom to offer different price structures while introducing clearer requirements for displaying fares that include hand baggage.

To improve transparency, the regulation requires airlines and intermediaries to display fares including a hand baggage allowance by default before the booking process begins, making comparisons easier.

And it’s law! On behalf of the Council, I joined @EP_President in signing two pieces of legislation into law, which will: Strengthen air passenger rights Reform the EU Customs Code to introduce new rules for e-commerce and establish a new EU Customs Authority https://t.co/fUEOg7Km4y

— Thomas Byrne (@ThomasByrneTD) September 16, 2026

For flights involving European countries outside the Union, the picture may remain fragmented. Coverage depends on the departure airport and operating carrier, rather than the passenger’s nationality. Travellers departing from the United Kingdom, for example, which since Brexit is considered a third country, could still be required to pay for hand luggage. UK carriers, including easyJet UK and British Airways, will need to honour the new rules on flights departing from EU airports to the UK. Flights from the UK to the EU operated by an EU carrier can also be covered, subject to the regulation’s conditions.

L’article Free carry-on luggage under new EU aviation rules: how will it work? est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

That question was at the heart of World Tourism Day 2026, marked on Sunday, 27 September, under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism”. El Salvador hosted this year’s official celebrations, bringing together governments and tourism leaders to discuss the growing influence of digital technologies on the sector.

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A post shared by UN Tourism (@unwto)

In his message for World Tourism Day, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted both sides of the transformation.

AI, he said, is changing how travellers choose destinations, how the industry operates and how travel experiences are designed. The technology can strengthen small businesses, improve services and create new opportunities. Yet Guterres also issued a warning: left unchecked, it could “funnel tourists to the same few places and platforms”, leaving other destinations behind.

AI is changing how travellers choose destinations, how the industry operates & how travel experiences are designed.

Tourism workers, local communities & emerging destinations must help shape what comes next.

Let us build a digital future for tourism that is open, inclusive &…

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) September 27, 2026

The warning comes at a time when some of the world’s most popular destinations are already struggling to manage visitor numbers. Across Europe in particular, overtourism has become an increasingly important political and social issue, from pressure on housing and infrastructure to congestion and the impact of tourism on residents’ quality of life.

The concentration is significant. As Travel Tomorrow reported in July, just seven regions account for almost 20% of all nights spent in tourist accommodation across the European Union. Canarias, Jadranska Hrvatska, Île-de-France, Cataluña, Andalucía, Veneto and Illes Balears dominate the list.

AI could help spread tourism beyond the hotspots

AI could potentially become part of the solution.

Better data and predictive tools can help destinations understand visitor flows, anticipate periods of particularly high demand and encourage travellers towards different neighbourhoods, regions or seasons. Recommendation systems could also give smaller destinations and businesses access to travellers they previously struggled to reach.

The technology is already influencing those decisions. A study reported by Travel Tomorrow in August found that 54% of travellers had already used AI to plan a trip and 75% intended to do so in the future. Around 40% had discovered places through AI, while 29% had changed their destination based on AI recommendations.

When algorithms reinforce overtourism

But algorithms can also produce the opposite result.

If millions of travellers ask similar AI assistants for the “best” European city break, beach, restaurant or attraction, recommendations risk becoming increasingly concentrated around a relatively small number of highly visible places. Destinations that are poorly represented online, lack structured digital information or do not have the resources to compete for visibility could become even less discoverable.

The same challenge is already emerging in the accommodation sector. Hotels that spent years mastering search engine optimisation, online travel agencies and review platforms are now having to consider how they appear in AI-generated answers.

That makes the debate about AI in tourism not only technological, but also economic and political. Who determines which destinations appear in an AI-generated itinerary? How transparent are those recommendations? And how can small businesses and emerging destinations compete as travellers increasingly move from traditional search engines towards conversational AI?

The debate also comes at a particularly uncertain moment for international tourism. According to the latest UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer, international tourist arrivals increased by just 0.4% during the first half of 2026, with around 690 million people travelling internationally.

Europe nevertheless remained resilient, welcoming almost 350 million international tourists, 3% more than during the same period last year. Travel Tomorrow reported last week that the Middle East conflict, higher oil prices, inflation and disruption to air connectivity were increasingly influencing where and how people travel.

Within the EU, Eurostat recorded 1.32 billion overnight stays in tourist accommodation during the first six months of 2026, an increase of 1.7% compared with the same period last year.

Managing tourism rather than simply attracting more

Europe therefore faces a challenge that is increasingly about managing tourism better, rather than simply attracting more visitors.

World Tourism Day 2026 offered an opportunity to consider whether AI can contribute to that shift.

Technology alone will not solve overtourism. But used intelligently, AI could help destinations better understand demand, spread visitors geographically and throughout the year, connect travellers with places outside established tourism hotspots and give smaller tourism businesses greater visibility.

The alternative is that the same technology designed to expand choice ends up narrowing it.

As Guterres put it in his World Tourism Day message, “Technology must serve humanity.” For tourism, that increasingly means ensuring that the algorithms helping decide where millions of people travel next also work for the communities and destinations receiving them.

L’article Can AI reshape tourism without worsening overtourism? World Tourism Day puts AI at the centre of tourism’s future est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Iranian airlines began cancelling international services as the US anticipated on Wednesday, as the latest wave of sanctions reached airports, fuel suppliers, ground handlers, and ticketing businesses outside Iran. The first tangible disruption fell on two of Iran’s most important regional links. Iranian aviation officials said Baghdad and Muscat would stop accepting Iranian-operated flights from midnight, prompting cancellations from Tehran.

A Varesh Airlines flight from Tehran to Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan, had to return to IKA Airport in Tehran after neighbouring countries between Iran and Tajikistan had denied passage of this Iranian passenger plane.

The Iranian plane then attempted to use an alternative… pic.twitter.com/kNM5uMX56P

— Arya Yadegaar (@AryJeayBackup) September 24, 2026

However, at the time of writing, flights to Baghdad and Muscat have been halted, while services to China and parts of the wider network continue, leaving passengers to face a fast-changing patchwork of cancellations, rerouting, and higher costs.

Talks are still under way about redirecting some Baghdad-bound services to Najaf, a key gateway for religious travel, while negotiations continue over Oman. Iraq and Oman had not publicly detailed the full scope or duration of the restrictions when the changes were announced.

The picture is not yet the blanket grounding Bessent envisioned. Same-day reporting indicated that Iranian services to Qatar, Georgia and Azerbaijan had also been suspended, while at least one Mahan Air flight reached Guangzhou and other China services remained scheduled. Some Istanbul flights were still listed, although the timetable was unstable and individual departures had been cancelled. The result is a fragmented network in which availability can change by route, airport, and service provider.

How the restrictions work

Washington is not closing foreign airspace. Instead, it is using the reach of the US financial system to deter the commercial support an airline needs after landing. Fuel, airport access, ground handling, maintenance, ticket sales, and payments can all become pressure points if providers believe continued dealings with a sanctioned carrier could jeopardise their access to dollar transactions.

The US Treasury’s 8 September action designated 36 aviation-linked targets, including 27 Iranian airlines, as well as warning foreign firms about assisting sanctioned carriers. It also suspended three Iran-related aviation authorisations, while saying safety-related requests could still be considered individually. The Treasury claims the sector has been used to move weapons, personnel, and illicit cargo. Iran and China reject Washington’s unilateral sanctions framework.

What it means for travellers

For passengers, the immediate uncertainty is perhaps even more disruptive than a single formal ban: a flight may be listed but become unworkable if an airport, fuel contractor, or sales agent withdraws support. Travellers should expect short-notice changes, limited rebooking options and greater reliance on foreign carriers or overland connections through neighbouring countries.

The inconvenience is especially acute on routes tied to pilgrimages, family visits, and medical travel. Najaf could potentially handle some Iraq-bound demand, but a diversion does not solve every onward journey. If more airports decline Iranian carriers, passengers could be pushed towards hubs such as Doha, Dubai, and Istanbul, increasing connection times and fares. Iranian airlines also face deeper maintenance and fleet pressures after years of restrictions on aircraft, parts, and technical support.

A fluid regional map

Compliance will vary. China has publicly opposed the measures, and continued flights there demonstrate the limits of Washington’s ability to impose an immediate worldwide stop. Iraq’s links with Iran and Najaf’s pilgrimage economy may encourage efforts to preserve some connectivity, while decisions by Gulf, Turkish, South Asian and Caucasus airports will determine how much of the remaining network survives.

Travellers booked on Iranian carriers should verify their flight directly with the airline and departure airport immediately before travel, avoid relying on a single connection, and check ticket-change and refund conditions. Because sanctions compliance decisions can change quickly, schedules displayed by agents or aggregators may lag behind operational reality.

L’article US sanctions on Iran disrupt regional aviation as airlines navigate restrictions est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The mission of the TOURISM 365 Conference is to highlight the importance of strategic tourism development. The event addresses both challenges and opportunities while fostering greater regional and international collaboration between tourism destinations in Central Europe and the Mediterranean.

Under the theme ‘The Next Decade of Year-Round, Sustainable and High-Value Tourism’, the 2026 TOURISM 365 Conference will explore how destinations are discovered, chosen, sold and experienced in a rapidly changing travel landscape. The event will once again bring together tourism leaders, global travel platforms, international media, US market experts, destinations, hotels, innovators and projects from more than 30 countries.

During the 2026 edition, one question in particular will be addressed, an issue that is becoming increasingly important for destinations and tourism businesses alike: Who really influences where people travel today? From media and algorithms to recommendations from other travellers, the different factors shaping travel decisions will be discussed.

In addition, TOURISM 365 will open the discussion on the infrastructure behind high-value tourism, from energy and digitalisation to sustainability and smarter resource management.

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What to expect?

Looking at the travel journey as a whole, from inspiration to booking, the programme features a wide range of international speakers.

Among the confirmed contributors are Simon Calder, travel journalist and commentator; Rajan Datar, BBC journalist, presenter and travel storyteller; Chris Alestra, Vice President of Signature Travel Network; Peter E. Pincus, Chief Commercial Officer at CCRA Travel Commerce Network; Myriam Younes, Managing Director of Advertising at Rome2Rio; Evelina Hederer, Director of Business Development EMEA at Expedia Group Advertising; Alessandra Priante, Co-Chair of the SIGA Europe Advisory Board and former President of the Italian National Tourist Board; and Ged Brown, CEO of Low Season Traveller.

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Meanwhile, speakers including Raja Saggi, Jasnoor Kaur, Davor Bruketa and Dario Marča will take a deeper look at the role of AI, algorithms, content creators and changing traveller behaviour in shaping tourism demand, subjects that are becoming increasingly important for the sector.

“Tourism is changing too quickly for anyone to have all the answers. That is why it is so important to be in conversation with people from different markets, sectors and perspectives. TOURISM 365 is not only about answering the questions we already know – it is about opening the new ones that tourism leaders, destinations and companies will need to ask in the next decade,” said Ivana Kolar, founder and organiser of TOURISM 365.

The event will also feature a strong business component through the T365 B2B Marketplace. Organised in cooperation with London-based New Deal Europe, it aims to connect destinations, hotels, DMCs and tourism companies with selected international buyers, travel advisors and tour operators.

Travel Tomorrow is pleased to be an official media partner of the TOURISM 365 Conference, taking place in Zagreb from 5 to 7 October 2026.
This 10th edition will bring together tourism leaders, policymakers and industry experts to discuss the future of year-round, competitive… pic.twitter.com/OyrP5kDE4b

— Travel Tomorrow (@TravelTomorrowX) September 21, 2026

For the first time in its 10-year history, TOURISM 365 will also host the T365 Excellence Awards. The international professional awards will recognise people, places and projects demonstrating how tourism can create greater value for destinations, local communities, businesses and travellers. Applications have been received from 12 countries, with the winners to be announced during the T365 Excellence Awards Night on 6 October in Zagreb.

The 2026 edition of the TOURISM 365 Conference will take place from 5 to 7 October at the Novotel Zagreb. Registrations are currently open, while participants can also join the event online free of charge, broadening access to the conference.

L’article Zagreb to host 10th TOURISM 365 Conference from 5 to 7 October est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Since introducing the measure in 2024, Venice has yet to find an effective way to combat overtourism in the city. Protesters have accused day-trippers of putting pressure on the city, while others point to overnight visitors. (Overnight visitors pay a separate tourist tax of between €1 and €5 per person per night.)

The city introduced a €5 entry fee on 29 peak days in 2024. It was extended to 54 days in 2025, when the charge was doubled for last-minute visitors, and then to a record 60 days this year.

Yet despite these adjustments, the measures have not delivered the results authorities had hoped for, prompting them to consider further changes to tackle overtourism and its impact on the city and its inhabitants.

Michele Zuin, Venice’s budget and taxation councillor, told regional daily Il Gazzettino that the current charges were too democratic to make a noticeable difference.

“The current €5-10 charge is affordable for virtually everyone”, he said, warning that the fee risked losing its intended deterrent effect.

Zuin added that the proposed 2027 pricing still needed to be discussed and agreed with the national government. He said there had even been talks of hiking the price up to €50 per person per day, although authorities could ultimately settle on a €30 cap.

Venice’s new mayor, Simone Venturini, appears to share Zuin’s concerns. He said in July that the current €10 fee had failed to deter enough visitors on peak days.

But instead of imposing a blanket increase, Venturini favours a dynamic pricing system that would allow the fee to rise with demand on the busiest days.

“We spend 100 million euros a year just to maintain Venice physically” said Venturini, pointing out that neither the European Union nor the Italian government contributes to that cost. International critics do not contribute either, he added.

“It’s paid by the people of Venice, and in part through tourism taxes.”

Venturini has long advocated raising both the price of the entry fee and the number of days on which it applies.

He was the city’s councillor for tourism and social cohesion in 2024 when the scheme was first introduced and told Reuters at the time that nobody expected day-trippers to “miraculously disappear” but that the measure “will be more effective in the coming years when we increase the number of days and lift the price”.

Three editions later, the 2026 trial generated more than €5.2 million through the sale of nearly 680,000 tickets, according to provisional municipal data. But the figures on its effectiveness as a deterrent paint a more nuanced picture.

An average of 11,326 tickets were sold per charging day in 2026, a 32.3% decline compared with 2024.

The number of exceptionally busy days also fell. In 2024, four days saw at least 20,000 paid entries, compared with three in 2025 and only one in 2026, even as the number of charging days more than doubled, from 29 to 60.

The municipality itself has cautioned that the figures remain provisional and require further analysis. Weather, public holidays and broader tourism demand will need to be taken into account before determining how much of the decline can be attributed to the entry fee.

L’article Venice considers raising day-tripper fee to €30 as overtourism persists est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.