bright success travel and tourism

The future of tourism: Bridging the labor gap, enhancing customer experience

As travel resumes and builds momentum, it’s becoming clear that tourism is resilient—there is an enduring desire to travel. Against all odds, international tourism rebounded in 2022: visitor numbers to Europe and the Middle East climbed to around 80 percent of 2019 levels, and the Americas recovered about 65 percent of prepandemic visitors 1 “Tourism set to return to pre-pandemic levels in some regions in 2023,” United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), January 17, 2023. —a number made more significant because it was reached without travelers from China, which had the world’s largest outbound travel market before the pandemic. 2 “ Outlook for China tourism 2023: Light at the end of the tunnel ,” McKinsey, May 9, 2023.

Recovery and growth are likely to continue. According to estimates from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for 2023, international tourist arrivals could reach 80 to 95 percent of prepandemic levels depending on the extent of the economic slowdown, travel recovery in Asia–Pacific, and geopolitical tensions, among other factors. 3 “Tourism set to return to pre-pandemic levels in some regions in 2023,” United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), January 17, 2023. Similarly, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) forecasts that by the end of 2023, nearly half of the 185 countries in which the organization conducts research will have either recovered to prepandemic levels or be within 95 percent of full recovery. 4 “Global travel and tourism catapults into 2023 says WTTC,” World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), April 26, 2023.

Longer-term forecasts also point to optimism for the decade ahead. Travel and tourism GDP is predicted to grow, on average, at 5.8 percent a year between 2022 and 2032, outpacing the growth of the overall economy at an expected 2.7 percent a year. 5 Travel & Tourism economic impact 2022 , WTTC, August 2022.

So, is it all systems go for travel and tourism? Not really. The industry continues to face a prolonged and widespread labor shortage. After losing 62 million travel and tourism jobs in 2020, labor supply and demand remain out of balance. 6 “WTTC research reveals Travel & Tourism’s slow recovery is hitting jobs and growth worldwide,” World Travel & Tourism Council, October 6, 2021. Today, in the European Union, 11 percent of tourism jobs are likely to go unfilled; in the United States, that figure is 7 percent. 7 Travel & Tourism economic impact 2022 : Staff shortages, WTTC, August 2022.

There has been an exodus of tourism staff, particularly from customer-facing roles, to other sectors, and there is no sign that the industry will be able to bring all these people back. 8 Travel & Tourism economic impact 2022 : Staff shortages, WTTC, August 2022. Hotels, restaurants, cruises, airports, and airlines face staff shortages that can translate into operational, reputational, and financial difficulties. If unaddressed, these shortages may constrain the industry’s growth trajectory.

The current labor shortage may have its roots in factors related to the nature of work in the industry. Chronic workplace challenges, coupled with the effects of COVID-19, have culminated in an industry struggling to rebuild its workforce. Generally, tourism-related jobs are largely informal, partly due to high seasonality and weak regulation. And conditions such as excessively long working hours, low wages, a high turnover rate, and a lack of social protection tend to be most pronounced in an informal economy. Additionally, shift work, night work, and temporary or part-time employment are common in tourism.

The industry may need to revisit some fundamentals to build a far more sustainable future: either make the industry more attractive to talent (and put conditions in place to retain staff for longer periods) or improve products, services, and processes so that they complement existing staffing needs or solve existing pain points.

One solution could be to build a workforce with the mix of digital and interpersonal skills needed to keep up with travelers’ fast-changing requirements. The industry could make the most of available technology to provide customers with a digitally enhanced experience, resolve staff shortages, and improve working conditions.

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Complementing concierges with chatbots.

The pace of technological change has redefined customer expectations. Technology-driven services are often at customers’ fingertips, with no queues or waiting times. By contrast, the airport and airline disruption widely reported in the press over the summer of 2022 points to customers not receiving this same level of digital innovation when traveling.

Imagine the following travel experience: it’s 2035 and you start your long-awaited honeymoon to a tropical island. A virtual tour operator and a destination travel specialist booked your trip for you; you connected via videoconference to make your plans. Your itinerary was chosen with the support of generative AI , which analyzed your preferences, recommended personalized travel packages, and made real-time adjustments based on your feedback.

Before leaving home, you check in online and QR code your luggage. You travel to the airport by self-driving cab. After dropping off your luggage at the self-service counter, you pass through security and the biometric check. You access the premier lounge with the QR code on the airline’s loyalty card and help yourself to a glass of wine and a sandwich. After your flight, a prebooked, self-driving cab takes you to the resort. No need to check in—that was completed online ahead of time (including picking your room and making sure that the hotel’s virtual concierge arranged for red roses and a bottle of champagne to be delivered).

While your luggage is brought to the room by a baggage robot, your personal digital concierge presents the honeymoon itinerary with all the requested bookings. For the romantic dinner on the first night, you order your food via the restaurant app on the table and settle the bill likewise. So far, you’ve had very little human interaction. But at dinner, the sommelier chats with you in person about the wine. The next day, your sightseeing is made easier by the hotel app and digital guide—and you don’t get lost! With the aid of holographic technology, the virtual tour guide brings historical figures to life and takes your sightseeing experience to a whole new level. Then, as arranged, a local citizen meets you and takes you to their home to enjoy a local family dinner. The trip is seamless, there are no holdups or snags.

This scenario features less human interaction than a traditional trip—but it flows smoothly due to the underlying technology. The human interactions that do take place are authentic, meaningful, and add a special touch to the experience. This may be a far-fetched example, but the essence of the scenario is clear: use technology to ease typical travel pain points such as queues, misunderstandings, or misinformation, and elevate the quality of human interaction.

Travel with less human interaction may be considered a disruptive idea, as many travelers rely on and enjoy the human connection, the “service with a smile.” This will always be the case, but perhaps the time is right to think about bringing a digital experience into the mix. The industry may not need to depend exclusively on human beings to serve its customers. Perhaps the future of travel is physical, but digitally enhanced (and with a smile!).

Digital solutions are on the rise and can help bridge the labor gap

Digital innovation is improving customer experience across multiple industries. Car-sharing apps have overcome service-counter waiting times and endless paperwork that travelers traditionally had to cope with when renting a car. The same applies to time-consuming hotel check-in, check-out, and payment processes that can annoy weary customers. These pain points can be removed. For instance, in China, the Huazhu Hotels Group installed self-check-in kiosks that enable guests to check in or out in under 30 seconds. 9 “Huazhu Group targets lifestyle market opportunities,” ChinaTravelNews, May 27, 2021.

Technology meets hospitality

In 2019, Alibaba opened its FlyZoo Hotel in Huangzhou, described as a “290-room ultra-modern boutique, where technology meets hospitality.” 1 “Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has a hotel run almost entirely by robots that can serve food and fetch toiletries—take a look inside,” Business Insider, October 21, 2019; “FlyZoo Hotel: The hotel of the future or just more technology hype?,” Hotel Technology News, March 2019. The hotel was the first of its kind that instead of relying on traditional check-in and key card processes, allowed guests to manage reservations and make payments entirely from a mobile app, to check-in using self-service kiosks, and enter their rooms using facial-recognition technology.

The hotel is run almost entirely by robots that serve food and fetch toiletries and other sundries as needed. Each guest room has a voice-activated smart assistant to help guests with a variety of tasks, from adjusting the temperature, lights, curtains, and the TV to playing music and answering simple questions about the hotel and surroundings.

The hotel was developed by the company’s online travel platform, Fliggy, in tandem with Alibaba’s AI Labs and Alibaba Cloud technology with the goal of “leveraging cutting-edge tech to help transform the hospitality industry, one that keeps the sector current with the digital era we’re living in,” according to the company.

Adoption of some digitally enhanced services was accelerated during the pandemic in the quest for safer, contactless solutions. During the Winter Olympics in Beijing, a restaurant designed to keep physical contact to a minimum used a track system on the ceiling to deliver meals directly from the kitchen to the table. 10 “This Beijing Winter Games restaurant uses ceiling-based tracks,” Trendhunter, January 26, 2022. Customers around the world have become familiar with restaurants using apps to display menus, take orders, and accept payment, as well as hotels using robots to deliver luggage and room service (see sidebar “Technology meets hospitality”). Similarly, theme parks, cinemas, stadiums, and concert halls are deploying digital solutions such as facial recognition to optimize entrance control. Shanghai Disneyland, for example, offers annual pass holders the option to choose facial recognition to facilitate park entry. 11 “Facial recognition park entry,” Shanghai Disney Resort website.

Automation and digitization can also free up staff from attending to repetitive functions that could be handled more efficiently via an app and instead reserve the human touch for roles where staff can add the most value. For instance, technology can help customer-facing staff to provide a more personalized service. By accessing data analytics, frontline staff can have guests’ details and preferences at their fingertips. A trainee can become an experienced concierge in a short time, with the help of technology.

Apps and in-room tech: Unused market potential

According to Skift Research calculations, total revenue generated by guest apps and in-room technology in 2019 was approximately $293 million, including proprietary apps by hotel brands as well as third-party vendors. 1 “Hotel tech benchmark: Guest-facing technology 2022,” Skift Research, November 2022. The relatively low market penetration rate of this kind of tech points to around $2.4 billion in untapped revenue potential (exhibit).

Even though guest-facing technology is available—the kind that can facilitate contactless interactions and offer travelers convenience and personalized service—the industry is only beginning to explore its potential. A report by Skift Research shows that the hotel industry, in particular, has not tapped into tech’s potential. Only 11 percent of hotels and 25 percent of hotel rooms worldwide are supported by a hotel app or use in-room technology, and only 3 percent of hotels offer keyless entry. 12 “Hotel tech benchmark: Guest-facing technology 2022,” Skift Research, November 2022. Of the five types of technology examined (guest apps and in-room tech; virtual concierge; guest messaging and chatbots; digital check-in and kiosks; and keyless entry), all have relatively low market-penetration rates (see sidebar “Apps and in-room tech: Unused market potential”).

While apps, digitization, and new technology may be the answer to offering better customer experience, there is also the possibility that tourism may face competition from technological advances, particularly virtual experiences. Museums, attractions, and historical sites can be made interactive and, in some cases, more lifelike, through AR/VR technology that can enhance the physical travel experience by reconstructing historical places or events.

Up until now, tourism, arguably, was one of a few sectors that could not easily be replaced by tech. It was not possible to replicate the physical experience of traveling to another place. With the emerging metaverse , this might change. Travelers could potentially enjoy an event or experience from their sofa without any logistical snags, and without the commitment to traveling to another country for any length of time. For example, Google offers virtual tours of the Pyramids of Meroë in Sudan via an immersive online experience available in a range of languages. 13 Mariam Khaled Dabboussi, “Step into the Meroë pyramids with Google,” Google, May 17, 2022. And a crypto banking group, The BCB Group, has created a metaverse city that includes representations of some of the most visited destinations in the world, such as the Great Wall of China and the Statue of Liberty. According to BCB, the total cost of flights, transfers, and entry for all these landmarks would come to $7,600—while a virtual trip would cost just over $2. 14 “What impact can the Metaverse have on the travel industry?,” Middle East Economy, July 29, 2022.

The metaverse holds potential for business travel, too—the meeting, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) sector in particular. Participants could take part in activities in the same immersive space while connecting from anywhere, dramatically reducing travel, venue, catering, and other costs. 15 “ Tourism in the metaverse: Can travel go virtual? ,” McKinsey, May 4, 2023.

The allure and convenience of such digital experiences make offering seamless, customer-centric travel and tourism in the real world all the more pressing.

Three innovations to solve hotel staffing shortages

Is the future contactless.

Given the advances in technology, and the many digital innovations and applications that already exist, there is potential for businesses across the travel and tourism spectrum to cope with labor shortages while improving customer experience. Process automation and digitization can also add to process efficiency. Taken together, a combination of outsourcing, remote work, and digital solutions can help to retain existing staff and reduce dependency on roles that employers are struggling to fill (exhibit).

Depending on the customer service approach and direct contact need, we estimate that the travel and tourism industry would be able to cope with a structural labor shortage of around 10 to 15 percent in the long run by operating more flexibly and increasing digital and automated efficiency—while offering the remaining staff an improved total work package.

Outsourcing and remote work could also help resolve the labor shortage

While COVID-19 pushed organizations in a wide variety of sectors to embrace remote work, there are many hospitality roles that rely on direct physical services that cannot be performed remotely, such as laundry, cleaning, maintenance, and facility management. If faced with staff shortages, these roles could be outsourced to third-party professional service providers, and existing staff could be reskilled to take up new positions.

In McKinsey’s experience, the total service cost of this type of work in a typical hotel can make up 10 percent of total operating costs. Most often, these roles are not guest facing. A professional and digital-based solution might become an integrated part of a third-party service for hotels looking to outsource this type of work.

One of the lessons learned in the aftermath of COVID-19 is that many tourism employees moved to similar positions in other sectors because they were disillusioned by working conditions in the industry . Specialist multisector companies have been able to shuffle their staff away from tourism to other sectors that offer steady employment or more regular working hours compared with the long hours and seasonal nature of work in tourism.

The remaining travel and tourism staff may be looking for more flexibility or the option to work from home. This can be an effective solution for retaining employees. For example, a travel agent with specific destination expertise could work from home or be consulted on an needs basis.

In instances where remote work or outsourcing is not viable, there are other solutions that the hospitality industry can explore to improve operational effectiveness as well as employee satisfaction. A more agile staffing model  can better match available labor with peaks and troughs in daily, or even hourly, demand. This could involve combining similar roles or cross-training staff so that they can switch roles. Redesigned roles could potentially improve employee satisfaction by empowering staff to explore new career paths within the hotel’s operations. Combined roles build skills across disciplines—for example, supporting a housekeeper to train and become proficient in other maintenance areas, or a front-desk associate to build managerial skills.

Where management or ownership is shared across properties, roles could be staffed to cover a network of sites, rather than individual hotels. By applying a combination of these approaches, hotels could reduce the number of staff hours needed to keep operations running at the same standard. 16 “ Three innovations to solve hotel staffing shortages ,” McKinsey, April 3, 2023.

Taken together, operational adjustments combined with greater use of technology could provide the tourism industry with a way of overcoming staffing challenges and giving customers the seamless digitally enhanced experiences they expect in other aspects of daily life.

In an industry facing a labor shortage, there are opportunities for tech innovations that can help travel and tourism businesses do more with less, while ensuring that remaining staff are engaged and motivated to stay in the industry. For travelers, this could mean fewer friendly faces, but more meaningful experiences and interactions.

Urs Binggeli is a senior expert in McKinsey’s Zurich office, Zi Chen is a capabilities and insights specialist in the Shanghai office, Steffen Köpke is a capabilities and insights expert in the Düsseldorf office, and Jackey Yu is a partner in the Hong Kong office.

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Bright Ideas in Travel 2022

By CNT Editors

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

There has never been a more important moment to recognize those shaping the future of travel. It's not just due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which transformed the industry, but also because of the racial reckoning of the last few years, which has reinforced the need for greater access and representation in travel; the rapid advance of technology; and the climate crisis. For the very first time, we're honoring people and businesses who are tackling these issues with fresh, creative thinking to bring us into the future across the realms of tech, design, sustainability, community, inclusion, accessibility, and conservation. From cities focused on urban regeneration and sweeping conservation programs in rural areas to carbon-conscious hotels and airlines introducing new inclusivity measures, these 56 innovators are changing the way we travel.

Read more about the Future of Travel here .

Hotels | Destinations | Air Travel | Cruise | Rail Travel | Space Travel | Planning Tools | Organizations

Tech 🚀 | design 📐 | sustainability 🌱 | community 👨‍👨‍👧‍ | accessibility ♿ | inclusion🤝 | conservation 🦏.

The idea: Hilton sets meaningful and transparent diversity targets—linking progress directly to corporate leadership compensation and reporting numbers in a public dashboard. Details: Hilton is broadcasting its internal diversity numbers in a live dashboard for the public to track progress toward its targets. Like many hospitality brands, Hilton has publicly committed to improving the diversity of its workforce. In April 2021, it set a target to achieve global gender parity and employ 25 percent people of color at its corporate-leadership levels by 2027. The hotel brand has made the rare move of linking progress toward its diversity-hiring goals directly to leadership compensation—an obvious way to ensure these goals remain a priority long after the press release goes out. Why it matters: Many brands set diversity targets, but Hilton sets a precedent for its transparency and accountability from the top down.

Red rock outcroppings frame a sleek pool at Habitas AlUla in Saudi Arabia’s Ashar Valley

A bartender at Habitas AlUla

Habitas | 📐 🌱

The idea: In once insular Saudi Arabia, this hospitality group aims to dramatically transform the country’s landscape, culture, and attitudes. Details: After decades of restricting travel, Saudi Arabia opened to international visitors and is sharing its treasures with the world. While the restoration and opening of its ancient sites has been international news, the buzz about the area can also be attributed to the arrival of the trailblazing hospitality group Habitas . The brand, which caters to upscale hipsters seeking a wilderness hit (its 2016 flagship hotel is in Tulum), scattered 96 tented, light-touch villas across the area’s Ashar Valley, all decorated with local textiles and equipped with outdoor showers. Nearby is Caravan by Habitas, a newly launched collection of 22 Airstream trailers (and three food trucks) on a lush oasis arranged around tented common areas. Why it matters: Habitas is just part of a growing number of high-end properties built to usher in this fresh age of tourism in Saudi Arabia. It will soon be joined by an outpost of Janu, the recently launched sister brand to Aman, and Sharaan Desert Resort, designed by the French architect Jean Nouvel.

Villa exteriors at Rancho Pescadero

Rancho Pescadero | 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦 🌱

The idea: Fresh off a four-year renovation, this beachside resort has partnered with its local community to create a haven for regenerative and sustainable travel. Details: When Lisa Harper opened Rancho Pescadero in 2009, the 12-room resort was a quiet escape in Todos Santos, a sleepy surf town on Mexico’s Pacific coast. Fast-forward to today, and both the town and hotel have exploded in the tourism world—the latter transforming into a 103-room property, complete with private plunge pools and wellness programs. To support hotel staff and the full-time community, the high-design resort has invested in 170 affordable homes (as well as a slew of educational opportunities) and gone green, adding a solar farm for energy. Why it matters: Rancho Pescadero proves that hotels can (and should) enhance local communities. Aside from plans to be completely solar-powered within the next three years, the resort is introducing a new composting program to the region, manufacturing organic bamboo straws for local businesses, and working with local sanitation providers to ensure proper waste disposal.

Slow | 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦

The idea: Slow has drawn on the insights of the slow movement to build a group of hotels and hospitality offerings that invite a literal change of perspective. Details: Through adaptive reuse, regenerative agriculture, and a community of designers, farmers, writers, artists, and architects, the collective seeks to “build and nourish locally rooted places that offer a deeper, more conscious form of hospitality.” To do this, the brand has established locations and gatherings in Mexico, Spain, Germany, and Portugal that offer immersive journeys that seek to reconnect one with nature, oneself, and the shared human experience—not just an escape from the hectic day-to-day. Cofounded by tourism mogul Claus Sendlinger, who founded Design Hotels, the four organic modern properties utilize decor and materials sourced from the surrounding local communities and the collective of creatives that make up Slow. Why it matters: Their ethos—as it appears on their website —while harkening back to simpler times, is surely one future for the travel space: “To be slow is not merely to decrease the pace of life. It’s about taking the time to reconsider our actions and think more deeply and responsibly about how we live.”

A guest room at Hotel Marcel

Hotel Marcel’s architectural exterior

Hotel Marcel | 📐 🌱

The idea: Two miles from the imposing pseudo-Gothic towers of Yale, this long-vacant 1970 brutalist monolith by Bauhaus master Marcel Breuer has received a second life as the first fossil-fuel-free hotel in the United States. Details: Connecticut architects Becker + Becker acquired the building from IKEA, ripped out asbestos, and restored the distinctive façade. Brooklyn studio Dutch East Design transformed offices and research labs into minimalist concrete-gray-and-caramel rooms and lobbies. Now Marcel lives under the Tapestry Collection by Hilton as a 165-room hotel, which is expected to be Passive House-certified by 2023. “The beauty of Breuer’s precast concrete is that it lends itself to the triple-glazing system and thermal insulation required for a Passivhaus system based on centuries-old efficient heating and cooling building methods,” explains Dieter Cartright of Dutch East Design. Solar paneling and a cunning Power over Ethernet (PoE) lighting system provide energy—and it’s also conserved, with electronic shade treatments, all-electric kitchens, and other eco-ploys. Why it matters: Hotel Marcel is on track to qualify as America’s first net-zero hotel by 2023, creating a crucial blueprint for the country’s hospitality industry.

Churchill Wild | 🦏

The idea: While primarily known for their polar bear safaris, outfitter Churchill Wild is introducing travelers to an even more elusive species: the cloud wolf. Details: Not only does this Manitoba, Canada-based tour operator give travelers a glimpse of the otherwise inaccessible Hudson Bay Lowlands, but it also allows guests to contribute to the study and preservation of species. Churchill Wild’s newest safari , launched in 2021 and titled Cloud Wolves of the Kaska Coast, focuses on the Canis lupus nubilus , a subspecies so remote that no scientists have studied it—and Wikipedia erroneously lists it as extinct. Along with a team of naturalist guides and expert photographers, guests (or “citizen scientists”) embark on 10-day expeditions, snapping photos and taking data-centric notes that are sent to scientists to help keep tabs on the animals. It fits perfectly with the brand’s ethos to simultaneously minimally impact and improve the fragile ecosystems of the Arctic. Why it matters: With melting ice caps and a climate that is constantly affecting Arctic wildlife, seeing wolves in the wild is not only a bucket list experience—it’s an increasingly urgent one that needs to be preserved.

The newly renovated cabins at Camp V

CampV | 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦

The idea: A 1940s mining camp has been transformed into a destination glamping retreat dedicated to bringing art to rural communities. Details: When the mines of southwest Colorado closed in the 1970s, some boomtowns—like Telluride—were able to reinvent themselves as ski resorts. Others, like Naturita, went bust. In 2017, Telluride-based real estate agent Natalie Binder purchased Naturita’s dilapidated mining camp and, with the help of two architects, spent four years repurposing the 120-acre site as an art retreat. Opened in April 2021, CampV hosts guests in historic cabins, Airstreams, and bell tents, and offers dynamic cultural programming (movies, concerts, art workshops, and more) rarely seen in remote communities. The project was recently awarded $2 million from the Colorado Community Revitalization Grant initiative, which will be used to fund a public arts-and-event space set to debut by the end of 2023. Why it matters: Repurposing abandoned boomtowns for tourism revitalizes forgotten places with jobs, creativity, and a sense of community.

Tsingpu | 📐 👨‍👨‍👧‍ 🦏

The idea: Tsingpu has found a way to preserve, honor, and showcase traditional Chinese elements—both aesthetic and cultural—through its thoughtful modern retreats. Details: This series of luxury boutique retreats was founded in 2015 by Wang Gongquan, a Chinese real estate mogul and civil rights activist. Tsingpu joined Design Hotels (a Marriott subsidy) in 2018, transforming rural properties from niche hideaways into mainstream entities. All three remote accommodations—Tsingpu Tulou Retreat, Tsingpu Yangzhou Retreat, and Tsingpu Lijiang Baisha Retreat—are located near significant cultural attractions and feature traditional Chinese architecture. To say that the properties blend seamlessly into their surroundings is no hyperbole: Tsingpu Yangzhou Retreat’s design called for adaptive reuse of structures with a few thoughtful additions, making the entire complex resemble the courtyard houses you’d find in any given Chinese village. Along with the traditional design, the hotels offer hyper-local classes and activities, ranging from paper-cutting classes and cooking demonstrations to expert-led hikes and visits to mountaintop temples. Why it matters: Tsingpu is a model for how to preserve and emphasize culture as a hospitality brand—and could influence a change in the priorities of Chinese travelers—and travelers to China—in favoring traditional over modern, rural over urban, and local over global.

Six Senses Svart on Norway’s Helgeland coastline

Six Senses Svart | 📐 🌱

The idea: A true glimpse into hotels of the future, Six Senses Svart will produce more energy than it uses. Details: Snøhetta, a Norwegian architecture studio, has led the design industry with its supercool, sustainably minded projects over the past several years. (We’re talking about the firm behind Under, the headline-grabbing underwater restaurant that opened on Norway’s southern coast in 2019.) Also in Snøhetta’s portfolio: Six Senses Svart, a 94-room ring-shaped hotel set to open on Norway’s Helgeland coastline in 2024. Aside from being an architectural marvel, the hotel is on track to become the world’s first energy-positive hotel . It will harvest more solar energy than it needs to operate, making it entirely off-grid and self-sustaining, with its own waste and water management, recycling, and renewable infrastructure. Why it matters: In the 21st century, excellent food and design is no longer enough. More and more, new hotels like Six Senses Svart are focusing on big issues (read: sustainability) that hold importance to informed global citizens.

Marriott | 📐

The idea: The world’s largest hotel chain is partnering with robotics companies (yes, really) to pave the way for futuristic guest rooms where people can live and work. Details: While many small and independent companies are drawing up blueprints for what future hotels will look like, big brands are also rethinking the very meaning of hospitality. This fall, at its Bethesda, Maryland, headquarters, Marriott will open its state-of-the-art Design Lab, 10,000 square feet of research space that will be used as an R&D playground where partners like LG Electronics, Carrier, and a constellation of start-ups can ideate and optimize hotel-room design. A recent partnership with Ori—an architecture and robotics company—yielded a guest-room prototype in which the desk pulls out from the wall and the bed ascends to the ceiling, seamlessly transitioning the bedroom into an office. Why it matters: During the pandemic, hotels everywhere made technological leaps to adapt to the times, and now things like contactless check-in and QR-code room-service menus are givens. But what about what’s next? As the past two and a half years have shown, the ways we live and travel can change rapidly, which is why hotels are hard at work designing the guest experience of the future.

Aerial view of DistrictHive

The kitchen at DistrictHive

DistrictHive | 📐 🌱

The idea: A completely self-sustaining, off-the-grid accommodation that can easily be replicated with minimal impact on the natural environment. Details: Perched along a desert gorge in the Sierra Nevada mountains in Granada, Spain, lies a mostly glass “podtel.” The rectangular space shuttle-inspired structure makes enough energy to run four days without the sun, gathers up to 250 liters of water out of the air every day, and converts all waste into ash and irrigation water to be safely discarded. Everything in the house is powered with artificial intelligence that automatically adjusts energy consumption. A DistrictHive app controls the lighting, sound, temperature, and even scents with a touch of a finger. Each capsule hotel is fully transportable and can be deployed on any terrain, even where construction is not possible—and if removed, there will be no impact on the natural environment. Why it matters: DistrictHive looks to launch similar pods elsewhere in the years to come while inspiring others to create self-sustaining short-term rentals.

DESTINATIONS

Mossman gorge centre | 🌱 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦 🤝.

The idea: Australia’s Daintree rain forest is one of the longest continuously occupied regions on Earth, and descendants of those who lived there first are shaping how the world interacts with their ancestral homeland. Details: Between 2013 and 2019, interest in Indigenous-led tourism from domestic and international visitors rose 40 percent in Australia. ​​This momentum helped many regain custody of their ancestral lands—including the hand-back of Daintree to its traditional custodians, the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people, who now manage the national park alongside the Queensland state government. Strengthening this watershed moment for Indigenous-led tourism is the Mossman Gorge Centre , an ecotourism hub whose workforce is 73 percent Indigenous. Before the center opened, tourists would tear through the region, crashing their motorbikes and disturbing the peace with loud parties. Now, walking the land with a traditional custodian as a guide is not only infinitely more respectful, but it also opens travelers’ eyes to wildlife and folklore-ridden landmarks they never would have seen otherwise. Why it matters: Spending time with these traditional custodians is a reminder of just how much landscapes can command awe and demand reverence—and just how far other countries have to go when it comes to land hand-backs.

Clockwise from left: Street art on Weena, a major thoroughfare; De Zure Bom restaurant at Weelde, a complex just outside the city center; inside Stadshaven Brouwerij; Weelde’s skate park

The Luchtsingel, an elevated walkway that connects the Schieblock building to the former Hofplein train station

Rotterdam | 📐

The idea: Rotterdam was taken down to the studs during World War II. Three quarters of a century later, Europe’s largest port town has earned a new image as a city of the future . Details: While Amsterdam , Utrecht, and The Hague have long been bastions of the arts and cultural wealth, Rotterdam was seen as a no-frills workers’ city up until about a decade ago. It’s possible to trace the beginning of the city’s evolution into a pioneer of thoughtful urban regeneration to 2007, when Rotterdam joined C40 Cities, a network of 96 metropolises worldwide that confront climate change with ambitious, target-based actions. It has since reinforced its commitment to environmental action, signing its own Climate Agreement in 2019 to halve CO 2 and greenhouse-gas emissions by 2029. Steps towards that goal have materialized in the city, from breweries that make beer with rainwater to a space-saving Floating Farm perched atop the harbor. Why it matters: By investing in green spaces and incentivizing smart design, Rotterdam has not only caught up to its cosmopolitan Dutch siblings, but it has also become a leader in its own right—and honestly, it all looks so good we imagine other cities will want to follow suit.

Duke University Press | 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦 🤝

The idea: Detours is a series of destination guides unlike any other—one that, as the introduction to its inaugural Hawaii guide states, “does not put tourist desires at the center.” Details: Rather than making it easier for travelers to parachute in and mine destinations for picture-perfect experiences, Detours invites readers to learn about the complex past and present of places they visit—effectively, to consider the reality behind postcard images. The first installation in the series is a nearly 500-page tome on Hawaii which includes personal essays, artwork, maps, and even tour itineraries from dozens of local contributors aimed at entirely changing how travelers understand the islands. A Detours guide to Guam is next, expected for release in 2024, with editions on Palestine, Singapore, and Korea to follow. At a time when travelers want more than ever to learn from locals in the places they visit, this series is a satisfying reply. Why it matters: It’s rare to find such an honest, deeply informative overview of a destination; the Detours guide to Hawaii should be required reading for anyone planning to visit the islands, and the same will surely be true of future Detours issues about other spots.

The 161,000-square-foot garden at Singapore’s ParkRoyal Collection Pickering hotel

Singapore | 🌱

The idea : Already one of the greenest cities in the world, Singapore has a detailed plan in place to become the sustainable city of the future by 2030. Details : Lee Kuan Yew, the city’s first prime minister, launched the idea of Singapore as a garden city back in 1967. The initiative started as a tree-planting drive and has since evolved into a sustainability blueprint called the SGP 2030. Organized around five pillars of improvement for the next decade, it aims to promote city development while reducing greenhouse-gas emissions and increasing public adoption of cleaner forms of energy, such as solar. There are laudable short-term goals, like developing more than 300 acres of new parks and ensuring that every household is within a 10-minute walk of a green space; tripling the amount of cycling trails; developing a circular economy (like turning ash from trash incinerators into a sand alternative used for concrete); and more. Why it matters: What’s more impressive is the long-term investment that the plan sets out, like funding training programs for future jobs in sustainable building, solar technology, and green finance.

Presidio Tunnel Tops | 📐 🌱 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦

The idea: In collaboration with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the Presidio Tunnel Tops campaign raised $98 million to add 14 new acres to San Francisco ’s national park of the same name. Details: In 2014, co-chairs Lynne Benioff, Mark Buell, and Randi Fisher established one of the largest fundraising campaigns for public open space in the city’s history. The project was not only dedicated to the local community but also led by the community; from the organizers’ interactions with people yearning to use the public space, things like sustainable design and youth programs rose to the top. Now, after the free-to-use site opened in July, 200,000 plants have been planted using state-of-the-art irrigation practices that maximize water conservation for the desert area and three buildings have been built (or rehabbed) to create centers for youth programming, like sensory-based science activities and environmental literacy. Why it matters: Using public space to serve the local communities first, and in a positive way, will also draw tourists and develop economic support.

Klahoose Wilderness Resort

Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada | 🌱 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦 🤝 🦏

The idea: This nonprofit is bringing Indigenous-owned companies to the forefront of Canada’s tourism industry. Details: Founded in 2015, this nonprofit in Vancouver has partnered with industry leaders and government organizations to boost Indigenous-based tourism across the country. Members of the ITAC consist of tourism businesses in all 10 provinces and the three territories, ranging from art galleries to wildlife tour companies. While COVID-19 put a pause on travel, ITAC has plans to get its membership numbers back to pre-pandemic levels—including 1,900 Indigenous-owned businesses and 40,000 Indigenous tourism employees—by 2025. Why it matters: Boosting Indigenous representation in the tourism sector not only benefits local communities, but it also accurately reflects travelers’ growing interest in authentic, sustainable, and nonintrusive tourism helmed by the people who know their country the best.

Neom | 🚀 📐 🌱

The idea : In the current moment, there are any number of plans afoot to create model metropolises . One of the most ambitious is Neom, an almost statelike entity that will occupy a Belgium-size swath of land in the northwest of Saudi Arabia. Details : For nearly as long as there have been cities, there have been efforts to create ideal cities—and the desire endures. Neom is perhaps the grandest of all the “gigaprojects” of the Saudi Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund. (Another, the “entertainment city” called Qiddiya, with a Six Flags park, was master-planned by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels’s firm BIG.) Neom exists as a series of renderings for now, but the $500 billion plan consists of a streetless “linear city,” a tourism complex with a man-made lake and year-round skiing, and a floating industrial complex (also the work of BIG) boasting 100 percent clean energy. Neom is hardly the first project to propose buoyant urbanism as a response to climate-change scenarios, but it is by far the most ambitious, with a hopeful launch date of 2025. Why it matters: The implication of Neom is that it can overcome, via smart planning and technological advances, some of the traditional contradictions that plague cities: It will be dense, but with access to nature; walkable without congestion.

Air4All | 🤝 ♿

The idea: This newly designed seating system aims to make air travel safer, more accessible, and more dignified for power-wheelchair users. Details: Air travel poses a distinct hardship for many power-wheelchair users who are unable to roll their chairs onto a commercial aircraft. Air4All offers a practical solution . Unveiled in late 2021 by design firm PriestmanGoode, SWS Aircraft Certification, and campaigners Flying Disabled, Air4All is a game-changing seating and locking system that enables power-wheelchair users to board a plane and securely anchor their chair for the flight. When not in use by a power-wheelchair user, the system can easily convert back into front-row seating. Air4All is currently piloting the program with an airline subsidiary and plans to roll out the service more widely to major carriers within the next few years. Why it matters: Air4All aims to eliminate a barrier that keeps many passengers with reduced mobility from flying.

Revolve Air’s folding wheelchair

Revolve Air | 📐 🤝 ♿

The idea: Introducing a folding wheelchair so compact that it can fit in overhead airplane lockers—the first of its kind. Details: Andrea Mocellin—the designer behind the original patent for the folding wheel—has created a wheelchair that’s a whopping 60 percent more compact than standard folding wheelchairs . The rim and spokes of the wheels fold down along their common axle, then tuck into the seatback unit, allowing for compact storage. According to Mocellin, it takes no longer to unfold a Revolve than any conventional folding chair. The first models are expected to become available for sale in late 2023 and will start at $2,500. Mocellin plans to also offer them to airports and train stations so they can be accessed by travelers, too. Why it matters: Storing a Revolve Air wheelchair could be as easy as packing an item in an overhead locker, making it easier for wheelchair-using travelers to fly—and less likely for in-transit damage to occur.

Istanbul Airport | 🚀 📐

The idea: Create a “smart airport” with state-of-the-art technology that makes the passenger journey seamless and more intuitive. Details: Since first opening its doors to fliers in 2018, the Istanbul Airport has continually added technology based on biometric data , augmented reality, and artificial intelligence to its terminals. Travelers will find innovations like e-passport gates, smart translation services, smart parking, smart security, and roaming robots focused on assisting travelers. Next up for the hub: rolling out facial recognition to eliminate the need for travel documents and simplifying each step of the journey, including improved security checkpoints, lounge access, boarding gates, and retail stores. Why it matters: The smart airport concept reduces lines and wait times for passengers: A six-month trial of the biometric scanners found that the tech shortened boarding times by 30 percent and the passport e-gates verified travelers’ identities in as little as 18 seconds.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines | 🤝

The idea: Alaska Airlines launches gender-neutral uniforms—the first U.S. carrier to do so, breaking down the industry’s rigid gender norms . Details: Until recently, women-identifying flight attendants were prohibited from wearing ties on Alaska Airlines flights, and nonbinary employees had to conform to narrowly defined “male” or “female” attire. That was due to the strict and rigid uniform and grooming policies that remain commonplace at many major airlines. Thankfully, that’s starting to change. In March, Alaska Airlines replaced its binary uniform and grooming categories with revised policies. No longer must employees adhere to arbitrary norms such as wearing scarves versus ties or makeup versus tinted moisturizer. Additionally, the airline commissioned Seattle designer Luly Yang to develop new, genderless uniform pieces. These actions show the airline constructively responding to allegations raised by the American Civil Liberties Union in 2021 that Alaska’s former policies were discriminatory. Why it matters: This important step toward gender equity in the industry makes the workplace less hostile toward nonbinary and gender-nonconforming employees.

The idea: JSX offers “hop-on jet service” throughout the U.S. , initially focusing on the West Coast and since expanding to Colorado, New York, Florida, and other spots over the past year. Details: “Time and simplicity are the ultimate luxuries,” says Alex Wilcox, who founded JSX in 2016. One of the company’s biggest perks is cutting down time spent at the airport. Check-in happens 20 minutes before departure, with features like valet parking and speedy thermal scanning in lieu of TSA screenings—and you can find one-way tickets as low as $249. Carriers like JSX cut costs and time by flying out of smaller airports, and many are working with the major airlines, forging code-sharing and reciprocal travel-booking arrangements. And don’t worry about the size of your carbon footprint: JSX’s planned expansion relies on small hybrid, electric, and hydrogen-powered planes. Why it matters: Perhaps the greatest proof of JSX’s success is that its routes are increasingly influencing travelers’ vacation choices. “It’s not just making something they already wanted to do easier—now we’re changing behavior,” says Wilcox.

Pittsburgh International Airport | 📐 🌱

The idea: This is the first major U.S. airport to be completely powered by its own microgrid, fueled by natural gas and solar energy. Details: In July 2021, officials at Pittsburgh International Airport switched on an independent power grid built exclusively for the facility. The so-called microgrid runs off energy from five natural gas wells and nearly 10,000 solar panels perched atop a repurposed landfill. In its first year of operation, it saved the airport $1 million in energy costs. The project has been so successful, airport officials are considering doubling the number of solar panels in the near future. In addition to saving money, the microgrid cut PIT’s carbon dioxide emissions by a whopping 8.2 million pounds per year. Why it matters: Aside from cutting down on energy costs, the project also means the airport is much less susceptible to power outages or cyberattacks, which have shut down other major hubs in the past.

One of Aero’s private jets

Aero Technologies | 🚀

The idea: With first-class flights between private terminals across the world, Aero is one of several semiprivate carriers trying to restore the lost luster of 1950s air travel. Details: “There’s an opportunity to make flying magical again,” says Uma Subramanian, CEO of Aero Technologies , which launched in 2019 with a focus on underserved routes connecting premium leisure destinations, such as Ibiza to Mykonos. The company expanded to North America in 2021, offering flights from Los Angeles to Aspen and Los Cabos (among others). Though one-way tickets start around $1,080 and reach up to $2,500, the experience reflects the price tag: Think hand-stitched Italian leather seats (16 per plane), a bar, and a boarding process free from long security lines and strict baggage policies. Why it matters: Companies like Aero aim to eliminate the hurdles and hassles of flying today, with streamlined check-in and breeze-through security, often at rates that are squarely within the realm of affordability for many travelers.

Hidden Disabilities Sunflower | 🤝 ♿

The idea: Within the last several years, the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard program has scaled to North American airports—making air travel more accessible to travelers with non-visible disabilities. Details: Travelers with hidden disabilities face many challenges when flying, especially when navigating stressful and hectic airport environments. The Sunflower lanyard program gives travelers a discreet symbol that indicates to staff that they may need additional assistance or time. Pioneered at London’s Gatwick Airport in 2016, the program first touched down in North America in mid-2020 and has since expanded into many of the continent’s major air-travel hubs, such as John F. Kennedy International Airport (specifically, Terminal 4) and Toronto Pearson International Airport, with others, including Boston Logan, forthcoming. By quickly extending its network to over 160 airports around the world, with more than 60 in the U.S. and Canada, the program creates a common system and consistent experience for travelers with hidden disabilities. It gives lanyard-wearers the confidence that they can receive support when they travel independently. Why it matters: The widespread adoption of the Sunflower lanyard keeps travelers with hidden disabilities from having to explain themselves, making flying less stressful.

United Airlines | 🤝

The idea: The carrier aims to increase racial and gender diversity among its ranks via its newly launched pilot academy. Details: In January 2022, United Airlines became the first major U.S. carrier to open its own flight school. This is one way it hopes to address the national pilot shortage, which has made hiring difficult for most airlines in recent years. But United has bolder ambitions: It’s committed that 50 percent of the pilots trained and hired through its United Aviate Academy by 2030 will be women and people of color. To achieve these goals, United Airlines is working with groups such as the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP) and Sisters in the Sky, and partnering with JP Morgan Chase to offer $2.4 million in scholarships to make the program more accessible to a diverse cohort of students. Why it matters: The airline plans to boost racial and gender equity in the industry by tackling the various barriers that have historically blocked many would-be pilots.

Hurtigruten Group | 🤝

The idea: The Norwegian cruise line diversifies its media campaigns and creative talent pool to boost Black representation . Details: Cruise companies often exclude the Black community from their campaigns. Recognizing these shortcomings, Hurtigruten Group is committed to working with Black content creators in every media campaign—but this focus on representation is only one step for the global cruising brand, known for its popular Antarctic cruises . In February, it announced the formation of its Black Traveler Advisory Board, a first for an expedition-cruising brand. The founding six-member board includes respected leaders like Martinique Lewis, the Black Travel Alliance’s president; Stephanie Jones, founder and CEO of the Cultural Heritage Economic Alliance; and Naledi Khabo, CEO of the Africa Tourism Association. In addition to compensating each board member, Hurtigruten has publicly committed to funding Black-led organizations in tourism with $5,000 to each inaugural member’s venture of choice. Why it matters: The move brings together a diverse group of Black travel professionals to advise Hurtigruten on better serving Black travelers while also leading conversations across the industry.

The Marquee, a food a drinks venue on Silversea’s Silver Nova

Silversea | 🚀 📐 🌱

The idea: Thanks to a mix of hybrid technology, Silversea ’s Silver Nova will be the first low-emissions luxury cruise ship in the brand’s new fleet when it launches next July. Details: This cruise ship will be entirely emissions-free while at port (marking an industry first), with suites that generate 40 percent fewer greenhouse-gas emissions than the company’s previous class of ships. The fleet can achieve these results through powering the vessels with liquid natural gas (which emits 97 percent fewer particles than CO 2 ), shore power, hydrogen-based cells, and a hydrodynamic design. And it accomplishes all of this without sacrificing the luxurious cabins and attentive service to which guests have become accustomed during a Silversea sailing. Why it matters: With these strides in innovation, Silversea is setting a high bar for the industry, leading it toward a more sustainable standard.

RAIL TRAVEL

Swiss federal railways | 🚀.

The idea: When Switzerland’s GoldenPass Express (a line on Swiss Federal Railways) launches in December, it will mark the first time in history that a train will be able to switch between different types of tracks. Details: Rather than tearing up and replacing track—which would be a lengthy and challenging process that would interrupt the route completely—the SBB decided to partner with Alstom to create a variable gauge bogie. The contraption has the ability to expand and raise, allowing the train to change from what is called the metric track to the normal track while adapting to the different platform heights. This has been a conversation for more than a century, and the result will connect Montreux in the west with Interlaken in the east allowing for quicker and more sustainable routes. Why it matters: The innovation could easily revolutionize international train travel by allowing additional nonstop routes, especially between European countries that have different rail sizing.

A suite on-board the Orient Express La Dolce Vita

The idea : The long-standing French hospitality company (parent to brands like Sofitel and Raffles) has big plans to bring back the nostalgic glamour of train travel . Details : Since its founding in 1967, Accor ’s portfolio features thousands of hotels and luxury brands in 110 countries—and the company continues to move forward while looking toward the past. In 2023, Accor will get in on the nostalgia, launching Orient Express La Dolce Vita , six trains inspired by Italy’s glamorous 1960s, on routes including Rome to Paris; Split, Croatia; and Istanbul. The train will feature 12 deluxe cabins, 18 suites (plus one “Honor Suite”), and a restaurant, all sumptuously decorated with retro furniture and Italian textiles. Trips are expected to run between one to three days, and reservations will open in November 2022. Why it matters: Since the pandemic, travelers are increasingly embracing slow travel and the notion that taking trains can reduce their carbon footprints (per passenger, planes emit roughly two to three times more carbon than trains).

SPACE TRAVEL

The idea : French company Orbite is turning our growing appetite for extraterrestrial exploration into a luxury experience. Details : For decades, the idea of commercial space travel existed only in the realm of fantasy. No longer. Tech entrepreneurs Nicolas Gaume and Jason Andrews founded Orbite in 2019 so people could get a taste of the zero-gravity experience before dropping fortunes on space vacations available to the world’s most affluent travelers. During Orbite’s four-day astronaut-training courses, attendees participate in a kind of space boot camp (a luxe boot camp, where meals feature lobster and 1969 Mumm Champagne), hopping on zero-gravity flights, studying rocket science, and taking part in virtual-reality simulations. “You have to have a certain amount of training to be able to go through an experience in space,” says Gaume. “But what we really want is for you to have fun and enjoy every bit of it, with an experience that focuses not just on the technical but also the mental and spiritual.” Camps are based on France’s Atlantic coast and in Orlando, Florida. The company has commissioned Philippe Starck to design a permanent training complex in an as-yet-undisclosed U.S. location in 2024. Why it matters: While the arrival of space tourism isn’t a surprise, the velocity of change is very quick—including Orbite’s foray into ultra-luxe training camps.

SpaceX rendering of Red Dragon on Mars

The idea: Elon Musk has big plans to colonize Mars; but for now, the billionaire’s spacecraft company is working on taking tourists around the moon by 2023. Details: While noteworthy, it wasn’t too surprising when four executives hired SpaceX to get them to the International Space Station for a 17-day stay this past April—the first fully commercial visit to the station. For more than a decade, Elon Musk’s plan has been to take non-trained astronauts (albeit ones with huge pocketbooks) to space. The SpaceX CEO tends to wax poetic about multiplanet civilizations—and the company’s much-touted Starship , a low-orbit “cruise liner” that carried out flight trials in Texas this past summer, will eventually take tourists to Mars —but for now, the company has its sights set squarely on Earth’s moon. NASA has already booked Starship to send two American astronauts to the lunar surface as early as 2025, including the first woman to step foot on the moon. Why it matters: A constant backdrop to SpaceX’s efforts is the idea that real trips to space are getting closer and more possible—even if a journey into orbit still costs north of $55 million.

Blue Origin | 🚀

The idea: This Jeff Bezos-backed spaceflight company now regularly takes tourists on 10-minute flights into space, with just a few days’ training. Details: Jeff Bezos founded Blue Origin in 2000, and the company has been developing suborbital and orbital technology for the past two decades. Shortly after Bezos took his inaugural orbit in 2021, the company’s New Shepard vessel began operating commercial flights. Each 10-minute journey takes tourists 62 miles above the West Texas wilderness, before stopping just beyond the Kármán line (which some agencies consider the edge of space) so passengers can briefly experience weightlessness at the edge of the infinite darkness. New Shepard ’s latest launch took place on August 4, carrying American YouTube stars and Egyptian biomedical engineers. Why it matters: While each astrotourism company offers something different, the common thread is the same: opening up space for humanity—without a professional astronaut’s level of training.

Virgin Galactic’s spaceplane SpaceShipTwo

Virgin Galactic | 🚀

The idea: Richard Branson’s company is taking reservations for 90-minute flights, set to launch next year. Details: Founded by Richard Branson, Virgin Galactic has been at the forefront of commercial spaceflight since 2004. After decades of test flights and delays, the company has finally started taking reservations for 90-minute space flights, with plans to launch in spring 2023. Each $450,000 trip is more like a futuristic plane ride than a traditional, preparation-heavy rocket launch: Passengers board a space plane at New Mexico’s state-of-the-art Spaceport America, which will take off from a runway and climb to 50,000 feet before receiving a Mach 3 boost into space. Once there, they will enjoy several minutes of zero-gravity sightseeing before strapping back in for the 62-mile descent back to Earth. Why it matters: The charismatic billionaire’s desire to see the world from a different perspective is infectious, indeed: Virgin Galactic already has a customer pool of around 700 people, with another 800 placed on a wait list. Considering that only somewhere around 600 people have ever been to space in the history of humanity, this is clearly a huge leap forward.

The idea: A Houston-based company of predominantly ex-NASA staff is building the world’s first commercial space station . Details: Axiom has been around since 2016, but the company most recently made headlines when it backed the private SpaceX flight that took four astronauts to the ​​International Space Station (ISS) in April 2022. They are now building the first commercial space station (due to open in early 2024), with accommodations designed by Philippe Starck. It will connect to the ISS before separating when the station is retired around 2030. And while the ISS is literally unattached to Earth, the work and research performed on the vessel bring real benefits to humanity on the ground. Why it matters: Allowing more people with different backgrounds passage to the ISS will, in theory, break new ground in the fields of drugs and medicine, stem cell research, age-related diseases, and much more.

Space Perspective exterior

Space Perspective | 🚀 🌱

The idea: Using carbon-neutral, balloon-like spaceships, Space Perspective not only has plans to take tourists on luxury trips past Earth’s atmosphere, but it also dreams of eliminating human environmental impacts on the planet completely. Details: Cape Canaveral-based Space Perspective is the brainchild of Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum, who met when training for the infamous Biosphere 2 vivarium in Arizona. They’re working on a capsule called Spaceship Neptune —they call it a “lounge”—that will carry eight people up 100,000 feet (19 miles) under a balloon. Instead of solid-fuel rockets, weightlessness, and g-forces, the six-hour trip will include two hours of gentle, carbon-neutral floating above 99 percent of the atmosphere, with your own cocktail bar and views of the curvature of Earth. The first commercial flights are due to start in 2024, with tickets starting at $125,000. Why it matters: Space Perspective’s mission to limit the environmental impact of space exploration—plus the lower-than-expected ticket prices—makes galactic travel more accessible (and palatable) to a much wider audience.

EOS-X Space | 🚀

The idea: Entrepreneur Kemel Kharbachi has the goal of inventing a way to travel to space that doesn’t utilize rocket fuels and other emissions that are toxic to the environment. Details: This eco-friendly space tourism company is scheduling commercial launches to space next year. The leading-edge vessel, which looks like a toy soldier’s parachute, offsets its minimal carbon footprint and uses helium and hydrogen—both zero-emission gasses—to generate the least possible impact with its stratospheric balloon-powered pods. Each capsule can host seven passengers and one crew member in a pressurized, temperature-controlled cabin with comfortable ergonomic seats, a lavatory, and a personal “control panel.” The five-hour experience begins at dawn, the capsule slowly rising to its cruising altitude (about 20 miles from the earth’s surface), where it’s possible to see the global curve and the darkness of space. So far, it will take off from Spain, Mexico, and the UAE—locations that were selected specifically for climate predictability. Why it matters: Space travel is here. Companies in the new tourism space race must start with sustainability, and EOS-X Space is leading the charge.

PLANNING TOOLS

Booking.com | 🚀 🤝.

The idea: The travel marketplace’s comprehensive training and certification program helps its global lodging properties respectfully welcome LGBTQ+ travelers . Details: For several years, Booking.com has comprehensively researched the distinct challenges LGBTQ+ travelers face. Building on those insights, the marketplace has launched a dedicated hospitality training and certification system available to any accommodation listed on the platform. The Travel Proud program aims to address the unwelcoming and unsafe experiences many LGBTQ+ travelers report—50 percent of LGBTQ+ Americans have dealt with discrimination while traveling, according to Booking.com’s most recent survey. The program offers accommodation staff free online training that educates them on the LGBTQ+ travel experience and provides them with skills to more authentically welcome guests. To receive the Travel Proud badge—displayed on property pages—accommodation partners must make the “Travel Proud Customer Toolkit” available to all customer-facing team members and designate a representative who ensures staff are trained. And the program is scaling quickly: Since launching in August 2021, more than 10,000 properties across 95 countries and territories have completed the certification process. Why it matters: Booking.com’s massive network of lodging properties means this certification program can effectively reach lodging properties on a global scale.

Fora Advisor Gaya Vinay

The Fora app

Fora | 🚀 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦

The idea: The “sell big or go home” ethos of the travel agency world is changing with Fora , a subscription-based digital platform where amateurs passionate about trip planning become travel advisers. Details: Fora believes that people known as the go-to person for travel among their friends can also earn income from their advice—and even create a fun and passion-driven part- or full-time job. New York City-based Henley Vazquez launched the brand last year to empower advisers who aren’t traditional travel agents. Lawyers, teachers, psychologists, and stay-at-home moms make up a wait list of 30,000 people. These individuals, often side hustlers, will gain access to a training library and tools like an SEO-optimized profile page and automatic commission collection. Why it matters: Fora empowers everyday travelers with the tools to utilize their first-hand expertise, diversify the buttoned-up industry , and open up another personal revenue stream.

Regenerative Travel | 🌱 🤝

The idea: Regenerative Travel empowers tourism to foster social and environmental impact. Details: Regenerative Travel—cofounded by Amanda Ho in 2019—enables travelers, industry professionals, and destinations to use tourism as a force for good by reversing negative impacts and focusing on regeneration. In May, the company launched its RegenerativeTravel+ subscription to help travelers carefully consider their mindset when embarking on a journey, from packing and planning to experiencing places more authentically. The membership, which costs $99 per year, provides guidance and educational content, including destination guides, tour operators, and activities committed to regenerative work, and offers hotel credits and exclusives with partners like Jamaica’s Rockhouse Hotel and Bhutan’s Gangtey Lodge. “We believe that being a regenerative traveler starts with your intention and how you choose to engage with the destination,” says Ho. Why it matters: With these values in mind, Ho hopes to encourage the broader industry’s transition to more regenerative models.

One of Origin’s custom-made adventures in Antarctica

Origin App | 🚀 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦

The idea: The new Origin app offers a truly tech-first travel experience by pairing users with an expert travel curator to plan your dream trip. Details: The questionnaire is what sets Origin apart from other online travel-planning services. The roughly 10-minute process asks you about basics like pricing, location, and duration, but then dives into personal interests such as travel priorities and previous trip favorites to help its own staff of eight (human) travel experts create a completely customized itinerary. Once all is planned, you can access everything on the app, in one place, before, during, and after the vacation—from information around COVID-19-related requirements to dinner reservations. The best part is that the app learns from your previous trips and applies this information for even more tailored suggestions in the future, making it perhaps the smartest innovation in digital trip planning. Why it matters: Overall, the app cuts down the effort of trip planning for a tech-savvy audience.

Planeterra | 🌱 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦

The idea : This organization’s new grant program, the Global Community Tourism Fund, supports community-based tourism initiatives, ultimately making the future of travel more responsible and equitable. Details: Tourism generates some $8 trillion globally, yet local communities barely see a sliver, if any, of it. Planeterra has spent two decades working to fix that—the Toronto-based NGO bolsters small, community-owned tourism enterprises around the world with training, logistical support, and mentorship. Planeterra’s new initiative, the Global Community Tourism Fund, is one of the industry’s first programs to provide grants ranging from $1,500 to $3,000 specifically for community-based tourism organizations. It awarded grants to seven businesses during its first funding round in May, including Lavender Jeep Siem Reap, a Cambodian adventure outfitter led by female entrepreneurs, and ASTURS PERÚ, a Peruvian homestay network operated by local Indigenous families. “Most of these are fairly small grants that have a huge impact in relieving out-of-pocket expenses for small community enterprises,” says Tricia Schers, the NGO’s director of partnerships and development. Why it matters: Many community-tourism enterprises struggle to secure bank loans; this program helps fill that funding gap, providing grants to help local entrepreneurs and communities benefit from tourism.

Sammy Ocheng Akatch, a guide at Kenya’s andBeyond Bataleur

Beyond Green’s Ashford Castle in County Mayo, Ireland

Beyond Green | 📐 🌱

The idea: An offshoot of parent company Preferred Hotel Group, Beyond Green is a global portfolio of hotels, resorts, and lodges leading the charge in sustainability . Details: If a Relais & Châteaux hotel is measured by the quality of its spa and the prestige of its Michelin-starred restaurants, then a Beyond Green property can be judged by its carbon-emission benchmarks, hiring practices, and use of locally sourced materials. “Moving forward, the successful hotels will be the ones that really invite guests to actively be a part of something, and to be able to feel the impact that they’re having while they’re there,” says Lindsey Ueberroth, CEO of Preferred Hotel Group. The collection currently features 26 properties around the world—like The Brando in French Polynesia, which cosponsored the island nation’s recent Blue Climate Summit, and Vermejo Reserve in New Mexico, which has restored and preserved more than 500,000 acres of natural habitat and provides guests with guided conservation tours. Why it matters: By collating these properties under one banner, Beyond Green has done the legwork for environmentally minded guests looking for an eco-hotel—a blueprint other hotel consortiums can follow to make it easy for travelers to choose the best place to stay.

Airbnb | 🤝 ♿

The idea: With its accessibility reviews powered by a team of specialists, Airbnb aims to personally verify every rental’s accessibility features . Details: An unfortunately common issue physically disabled people face when they travel is arriving at a vacation home to find it isn’t as accessible as advertised—something that can make booking short-term rentals a stressfully inconsistent experience. It’s a problem Airbnb hopes to eliminate with its accessibility reviews. Introduced in late 2021 alongside streamlined accessibility search filters , the new review process requires hosts to upload photos of any accessibility features they list, ranging from step-free entrances and showers to ceiling and mobile hoists. In the past year, Airbnb’s team of dedicated accessibility specialists has manually reviewed and verified 150,000 accessibility features in nearly 100,000 listings around the world. Why it matters: Unlike hotels, short-term vacation rentals are not closely regulated for accessibility—Airbnb’s accessibility reviews set a new standard for the short-term rental market.

AccessNow | ♿

The idea: This pioneering accessibility app is mapping trails to empower people of all abilities to explore the outdoors. Details: Stretching 17,000 miles, the Trans Canada Trail is the longest network of multi-use paths in the world. Now there’s a new movement to use first-person reviews and artificial intelligence to identify which segments are accessible to people with disabilities. In 2021, it partnered with AccessNow—a tech platform that shares crowd-sourced accessibility data worldwide—to map its barrier-free paths, using insights from real people (some of them Paralympic athletes ) and sensor and image data. Founded by Maayan Ziv, a Toronto-based activist, photographer, and entrepreneur with muscular dystrophy, AccessNow launched in 2015 as a grassroots tool to help people find and rate venues like restaurants and hotels based on accessibility features like ramps and braille. To date, the first-of-its-kind app has mapped about a million places worldwide in 35 countries. Why it matters: A platform like AccessNow could be key in helping the world recognize the value of designing and promoting accessible-first experiences.

ORGANIZATIONS

Great plains conservation | 🦏.

The idea: Project Rewild Zambezi is the biggest relocation of animals in history. Details: Great Plains Conservation was cofounded in South Africa in 2006 by Dereck and Beverly Joubert, conservationists and filmmakers focused on big cats in the Okavango Delta. It’s now a standard-bearer in eco-luxury safari, with camps in Botswana , Kenya, and Zimbabwe. The Jouberts concentrate on emergency conservation in the fight against environmental degradation, mass extinction, and the effects of poaching and the bushmeat trade. The $5.5 million Project Rewild Zambezi, which launched in June 2022, centers on relocating 3,000 animals—including elephant herds, lions, buffalo, impalas, zebras, painted dogs, and eland—from the overpopulated Savé Valley Conservancy in Zimbabwe’s south to the hunting-degraded concession Sapi Reserve on the Zambezi. Guests at Great Plains’ Tembo Plains Camp can witness the conservation in action, too. Why it matters: If successful, this will be a blueprint for safely moving—and saving—large numbers of animals in the future.

Dehouche | 🌱 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦 🦏

The idea : Thanks to a partnership with a newly created community-tourism experience based between five different Indigenous villages in Northern Brazil—a first of its kind in the country—trip operator Dehouche is allowing travelers to experience village life deep in the Amazon rain forest. Details : Dehouche’s new community-based tourism itineraries promise a rare immersion in the remote territories of the Rio Negro, the Amazon River tributary named for its dark waters—albeit on these communities’ terms. The villages have organized collectively, and with the help of Brazilian NGO Instituto Socioambiental, share responsibilities for the different roles required to show visitors the best of the region and to make sure everyone is fairly compensated, from jungle guides and boat drivers to cooks, musicians, farmers, foragers, and artisans. Travelers can take a speedboat to villages where, until recently, outsiders were forbidden, where they might be joined by an anthropologist who can give insight into the local communities, or take hikes into the Serras Guerreiras mountains, where nights are spent in hammocks in a simple hut. Aside from delivering an unforgettable experience that provides a direct benefit to these communities, guests also learn firsthand about the Amazon’s many threats, from illegal farming and mining to drug trafficking. Why it matters: From jump, these communities work hand in hand with Dehouche to design and approve itineraries and a pricing model—and in doing so, offers a reconceptualization of what “community-based tourism” means. This isn’t conventional luxury tourism that operates like an NGO or a charity; rather, it’s a community tourism model that ensures communities have an equal voice in setting the terms of tourism—and what they stand to gain—from the very beginning.

A sandbank on one of the 80 islands in the Whitsundays

The Great Reef Census | 🌱 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦 🦏

The idea: Using boats with existing routes along the Great Barrier Reef, a new citizen science project hopes to preserve one of the world’s most treasured places. Details: The Great Barrier Reef has been affected by coral bleaching for years, but the hope that one of the natural world’s greatest wonders can be saved is growing. Part of a new wave of tourism operators focusing on the reef’s sustained health is environmentalist Andy Ridley, founder and CEO of Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef . In late 2020, he assembled what he calls a “motley flotilla” of any vessel he could find—from tour and dive boats to yachts and tugboats—to form the Great Reef Census. Using underwater cameras, participants on board document coral and marine life, then upload their images so that scientists around the world can make informed decisions about the health and future care of the larger reef. The census is now an annual affair, with the third set to take place in October 2022. Why it matters: The greater impact of this initiative is its replicability in other vulnerable corners of the planet, where it can be tailored for large-scale conservation studies .

African Leadership University | 🤝

The idea: For the past several years, this university program has helped 500 African students grow their entrepreneurial skills and land jobs across the world. Details: Established in 2015 by Ghanaian entrepreneur Fred Swaniker to address the dearth of African leaders in industries across the continent, the African Leadership University seeks to train and promote diverse locals. “There has been this thought that if you want real expertise, you have to import it from other countries,” says Richard Vigne, executive director of ALU’s School of Wildlife Conservation, one of the institution’s most in-demand programs. The university has campuses in Rwanda and Mauritius, plus pop-up learning hubs across the continent (the third hub just opened in Kigali, Rwanda, this past July). To date, ALU has placed 85 percent of alumni with jobs within six months of graduation. Why it matters: Slowly but surely, industries are realizing that gender and racial underrepresentation is an economic pitfall. And although the Eurocentric mindset is deeply embedded in corporations around the world—and particularly in the United States— establishments like ALU are chipping away at the status quo .

Niarra Travel | 🤝 🦏

The idea: London-based tour operator Niarra Travel is hoping to change industry norms by halving the standard 20 percent commission on bookings and investing the other 10 percent in conservation and communities in the destinations it serves. Details: Byron Thomas started Niarra Travel in 2020 with a new industry standard in mind. The company seeks to make the trip planning process as collaborative as possible while hosting conservation-forward offerings like game drives in Australia’s Arkaba Conservancy and sustainable accommodations in the continents they operate. As much as possible, Niarra funnels tourism dollars from these experiences to the local people and the places they live. So, scout the best of Kenya’s wildlife or venture into the cloud forests of Costa Rica with ease of mind, knowing that your holiday is not only going to be uplifting for you but also for the local economy, animals, and the natural environment as well. Why it matters: Through establishing this commission model, other tour operators will be encouraged to offer similar programs in order to remain competitive.

Rashad Frazier, co-founder of Camp Yoshi

One of Camp Yoshi’s bookable trips

Camp Yoshi | 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦 🤝

The idea: Camp Yoshi reimagines guided adventure trips for Black travelers and their allies—disrupting the white-dominated group travel space. Details: Historically, everything from exclusionary marketing to legal restrictions have hindered Black people from experiencing the outdoors, but Portland, Oregon-based startup Camp Yoshi is in the business of closing the so-called “adventure gap” by reimagining how group trips are planned and promoted. The impetus for Camp Yoshi came on a trip to Montana’s Glacier National Park in 2020, when its founders were overwhelmed with messages from family and friends concerned about their outdoor trip. In response, they launched a Black-owned company to serve as an example of how the group travel industry can better serve this often-excluded segment of the market. It has quickly gained traction, leading sold-out trips throughout the American west and beyond. Why it matters: Camp Yoshi has spearheaded a new inclusionary model to help establish the outdoors as a space for all communities.

Voygr Expeditions | 🌱 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦 🦏

The idea: This expedition company has taken conservation-based tourism to the next level by introducing travelers to the communities and ecosystems of Central Asia. Details: Since 2012, Voygr has operated guided tours along the ancient Silk Road, the Himalayas, and North India. Travelers with the expedition company won’t sleep in conventional beds or hotels when exploring Central Asia. Instead, simple, traditional yurts and snug sleeping bags will leave the terrain practically untouched, helping travelers to their ultimate reward: unparalleled access to elusive snow leopards (and more). Sustainability and conservation are the two pillars of the company—Voygr calculates the carbon footprint for every itinerary and plants pine trees to help offset the impact. Plus, more than 20 percent of its annual profits go toward the conservation of snow leopards, Siberian tigers, and other endangered species. Why it matters: Instead of nonlocal middlemen arranging tours and building intrusive hotels, the company engages local communities and truly leaves spaces better than they found them. (Voygr is not just carbon-neutral, but carbon-negative.)

Vast landscapes outside of Salta, Argentina

Fundación Rewilding Argentina | 🌱 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦 🦏

The idea: Argentina’s arresting landscapes are getting an eco-friendly tourism boost with the help of a group of determined environmentalists and a conservation model imported from Africa. Details: Notorious for the ravages of its beef industry, Argentina has recently undergone the most wide-reaching conservation efforts in the country’s history. Two foundations— Fundación Rewilding Argentina and Fundación Rewilding Chile—are responsible for 15 million protected acres that will be in large part sustained by tourism income, which are being donated in stages to the public as national parks. Meanwhile, the foundations are creating lodges and visitor centers, training rangers and guides, and reintroducing or stabilizing keystone species. Rewilding’s long-term vision is to create a circuit of parks, from the Amazon-like El Impenetrable and Iberá Wetlands in the far north to high-plateau Parque Patagonia in the south. Why it matters: The Rewilding foundations are writing the textbook on ecological restoration in South America. Thanks to their efforts, Argentina could easily become the world’s next big conservation destination.

Saira Hospitality | 🤝

The idea: This nonprofit is reimagining conventional hotel education and hiring practices, focusing on marginalized workers to make the industry more representative . Details: Historically, specific kinds of people—usually male, often white—have held the loftier jobs of hospitality. But the events of summer 2020 sped up the travel sector’s reckoning with statistics showing that only 2 percent of hospitality executives come from the Black community and only 22 percent identify as female. Now the industry is taking measures to become more representative. Saira , launched in 2014 by Harsha L’Aqua, focuses on refugees, single mothers, unhoused people, and other marginalized workers, partnering with brands like Nobu and Citizen M to train and employ them. In May, the organization opened its first brick-and-mortar school, in London’s East End, to keep up with the demand for hospitality jobs created by COVID-19. Why it matters: To date, there are 361 graduates, and 80 percent of students hope to reach managerial positions.

Inclucare | 🤝 ♿

The idea: A new hospitality certification program that audits hospitality brands to ensure people with disabilities are included at every phase of their journey. Details: Numerous hospitality certification programs tackle elements of accessibility, but Inclucare aims to take a more comprehensive view of inclusion for disabled travelers. In July, Amilla Maldives Resort and Residences became the first property to complete the certification which required the resort to complete the Inclusion in Hospitality Property Audit, facilitated by a remote auditing app that helps verify details of the overall experience and identify necessary adaptations. At launch, the new certification scheme’s key focus is on the overall built environment and guest rooms, but extends to a digital accessibility review of a brand’s website and staff training. Living up to its ambitions will be challenging in ensuring inclusion for a population as diverse as disabled travelers, but it’s a promising first step for the industry that’s already having an impact at Amilla. As a result of the certification, the resort plans to roll out calming spaces designed for neurodivergent travelers , adaptive yoga and snorkeling, and experiences tailored to vision- and hearing-impaired guests. Why it matters: Inclucare goes beyond a narrow focus on the accessibility of the built environment to ensure the full destination is inclusive to people with both visible and hidden disabilities.

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What is travel and tourism’s role in future global prosperity?

The travel and tourism sector faces many challenges in a disrupted world, from geopolitical tensions to climate change. Image:  Unsplash.

.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo{-webkit-transition:all 0.15s ease-out;transition:all 0.15s ease-out;cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:none;color:inherit;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:hover,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:focus,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-focus]{box-shadow:0 0 0 3px rgba(168,203,251,0.5);} Maksim Soshkin

Marion karl.

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Stay up to date:, travel and tourism.

• The travel and tourism sector faces many challenges in a disrupted world, from geopolitical tensions to climate change.
• The sector can be a powerful driver of sustainable economic prosperity – supporting people and places.
• The latest Travel and Tourism Development Index benchmarks the factors and policies that enable resilient and sustainable development.

With 2023 at an end, the Travel and Tourism (T&T) sector is finally positioned to move past the impact of the pandemic, with international tourist arrivals anticipated to reach levels reminiscent of the pre-pandemic era . However T&T sector stakeholders and destinations are navigating a complex terrain marked by external challenges such as geopolitical and economic uncertainty, inflation and dangers from the proliferation of extreme weather events like wildfires.

Many of these issues represent broader ongoing and longer-term economic, environmental, societal, geopolitical and technological trends. Within this context, consumers, policy-makers and advocates have expressed growing apprehension about the sector’s record on sustainability and its role in issues such as climate change, overcrowding, and overall impact on local communities.

Against this dynamic backdrop, it becomes imperative for the leaders and visionaries of the T&T industry to not only comprehend the impending trends but also acknowledge the sector's potential to tackle global challenges. When managed thoughtfully, travel and tourism emerge as potent drivers of resilient and sustainable development, contributing to the collective well-being of our planet.

The TTDI benchmarks and measures “the set of factors and policies that enable the sustainable and resilient development of the T&T sector, which in turn contributes to the development of a country”. The TTDI is a direct evolution of the long-running Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI), with the change reflecting the index’s increased coverage of T&T development concepts, including sustainability and resilience impact on T&T growth and is designed to highlight the sector’s role in broader economic and social development as well as the need for T&T stakeholder collaboration to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, bolster the recovery and deal with future challenges and risks. Some of the most notable framework and methodology differences between the TTCI and TTDI include the additions of new pillars, including Non-Leisure Resources, Socioeconomic Resilience and Conditions, and T&T Demand Pressure and Impact. Please see the Technical notes and methodology. section to learn more about the index and the differences between the TTCI and TTDI.

Why travel and tourism have a role to play in future global prosperity

The recently released World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report 2024 sheds light on the short- and long-term risks that the world faces. According to the report’s survey results, economic and societal risks, such as inequality, inflation, migration, and economic downturns, take center stage in the next two years, while environmental concerns, including extreme weather events and biodiversity loss, dominate the global risks for the next decade.

Given that T&T accounts for 7.6% of global GDP and close to 300 million jobs , the sector plays a critical role in addressing societal and economic challenges. The sector's significance magnifies as it empowers small- and medium-sized enterprises, with over 80% of T&T businesses falling under this category. It also plays a pivotal role in employing women, youth, migrants, and informal workers, thereby contributing significantly to economic opportunities .

T&T is also a major driver of global connectivity at a time when geopolitical tensions and conflict are on the rise, while globalization seems to be slowing. In the coming decade, T&T’s role in mitigating socioeconomic risks will only climb, with the World Travel and Tourism Council forecasting T&T sector GDP to grow at nearly double the rate of the broader global economy in the 10 years to 2033, thereby adding more than 100 million new jobs.

On an environmental level, T&T is a key stakeholder in addressing climate change and protecting the environment. The sector is not only affected by these challenges but also contributes to climate change with around 8% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions stemming from tourism activities. Therefore, actions in the sector, especially in hard-to-abate segments like aviation, are important to helping meet global climate change targets. Moreover, many destinations' dependence on nature-based attractions makes T&T a means to generate economic value for protecting nature.

Have you read?

What is overtourism and how can we overcome it , this is how to leverage community-led sustainable tourism for people and biodiversity, are we finally turning the tide towards sustainable tourism, the podcasts to listen to during davos #wef24, unlocking travel and tourism's potential.

To unlock the full potential of T&T as a tool for addressing many of the world’s ongoing and future challenges, sector leaders must prioritize sustainability and resilience in their development strategies.

The Global Future Council on Sustainable Tourism emphasizes the importance of creating standards and metrics for sustainability, cultivating a well-trained and inclusive workforce, prioritizing and engaging with local communities, aligning visitors with destinations carrying capacity and making appropriate investments in relevant infrastructure .

Achieving these goals necessitates a high degree of collaboration among sector and non-sector businesses, employees, and government actors at national and local levels, including tourism and environmental agencies, civil society, and international organizations.

In the coming months, the Forum, in collaboration with the University of Surrey, will unveil the latest edition of the Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI). This index promises to provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors and policies that enable the sustainable and resilient development of the T&T sector.

Drawing on the latest data encompassing environmental and social impacts of T&T, labour markets, infrastructure, natural and cultural resources, and demand sustainability, the TTDI offers insights into the challenges ahead, the sector's readiness for risks and opportunities, and how it can be leveraged to address global issues. The importance of T&T for global prosperity will only grow in the years, creating new opportunities for shared commitment to a sustainable and inclusive future.

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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• Entertainment

Future is bright for four travel and tourism learners who have already secured jobs in the industry

Four final year students have shown they are going places in their careers after securing exciting job opportunities in the travel industry ready for when they leave their studies.

The travel and tourism learners all attend Halesowen College.

Kiera Cooper-Kite and Poppie Totney have been hired as cabin crew with easyJet.

Hollie Owen has landed a position as cabin crew with Jet2.com and Jet2holidays.

All three will be based at Birmingham Airport.

Heidi Poole has been offered a role as a trainee travel consultant at Holbeache Travel, an independent travel agency with a 40-year history.

After a successful work experience placement, Heidi was offered an apprenticeship opportunity.

Lucy Hall, managing director of Holbeache Travel, said: “We were so impressed with Heidi’s attitude and willingness to learn.

"We are sure she will be an amazing addition to our ever-growing team and we can't wait for her to start.”

Emma Allen, head of division for travel and catering, said: “We are delighted by the accomplishments of these four young women and extend our heartfelt wishes for success in their future endeavours.

"Throughout their college journey, each of them has flourished, demonstrating remarkable growth in confidence, skills, and understanding of the travel and tourism sector.”

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Planning to Combine Business and Leisure Travel? You’re Not Alone.

As employees increasingly add leisure time to their business trips, companies are trying to figure out where their duty of care obligations begin and end.

Credit... Aart-Jan Venema

Supported by

By Amy Zipkin

• April 7, 2024

On a Sunday in late January, Melinda Buchmann, who lives in Florida and supervises client relations for RevShoppe, a 30-person remote company advising organizations on sales techniques and strategies, arrived in Banff, Alberta, to help set up a four-day company meeting.

The last day of the event, her husband, Josh, a director of strategic partnerships for the delivery company DoorDash , who also works remotely, joined her. They spent two leisurely days hiking in Banff National Park and visiting Lake Louise.

“I take advantage, because I don’t know when I’m going to return,” Ms. Buchmann said of the decision to combine downtime with a business trip.

As postpandemic work life has changed, and arrangements now include full-time office attendance as well as hybrid and remote work, so, too, has business travel. The phenomenon known as bleisure, or blended business and leisure travel, was initially embraced largely by digital nomads . But such combined travel is now also popular with people outside that group . Allied Market Research, a subsidiary of Allied Analytics, based in Portland, Ore., estimated that the bleisure travel market was $315.3 billion in 2022 and would reach $731.4 billion by 2032.

As employees increasingly add leisure time to their business trips, companies are struggling to determine where their legal obligation to protect employees from harm — their so-called duty of care — begins and ends. And workers may think that because their trip started with business, they will get all the help they need if something goes wrong on the leisure end. Instead, they should generally consider the leisure part of a trip as a regular vacation where they cover all expenses and contingencies.

Companies are responsible for knowing where their employees are during a business trip, covering expenses if an accident or emergency occurs, securing new lodging if a hotel is damaged, even swapping out a broken down rental car. Still, it’s not entirely clear if that coverage ends completely after the conference or the last client meeting.

Companies recognize that threats are increasing, said Robert Cole, senior research analyst focusing on lodging and leisure travel at Phocuswright, a market research company. They are trying to figure out how to take care of a valuable company resource, the employee, without leaving themselves open to financial risk or potential litigation.

“Crafting a comprehensive policy that balances business objectives, employee well-being and legal considerations can be challenging,” Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos, head of tourism at ICF, a consulting and technology services company in Reston, Va., wrote in an email.

Employees may be on their own without realizing it and may be surprised by out-of-pocket expenses if they require hospital care abroad or evacuation, said Suzanne Morrow, chief executive of InsureMyTrip , an online insurance travel comparison site in Warwick, R.I.

Ms. Morrow said medical coverage provided by a company “is generally only for the dates of the actual business trip abroad.” If travelers are extending the trip for personal travel, she added, “they would want to secure emergency medical coverage for that additional time abroad.”

Employers and employees are left to figure out when the business portion of the trip ends and the leisure segment begins, a significant detail if an employee has a medical emergency. “Where does the corporation liability end?” said Kathy Bedell, senior vice president at BCD Travel, a travel management company.

Companies have varying policies to deal with the new travel amalgam. The chief executive of RevShoppe, Patricia McLaren, based in Austin, Texas, said the company provided flexible travel options and allowed employees to work anywhere they choose.

Even so, there are constraints. The company requires all employees, including executives, to sign liability and insurance waivers when they are on a voluntary company-sponsored trip, such as an off-site meeting. Such waivers typically place responsibility on employees for their own well-being. And if they bring someone, they are responsible for that person’s expenses.

Employees are responsible for requesting the paid time off and notifying their managers of their whereabouts, although that part is not a requirement. Managers have to ensure adequate staffing, Ms. McLaren said.

Elsewhere, employees may not bother to mention the leisure portion of their trip. Eliot Lees, a vice president and managing director at ICF, said he had been on trips as a child with his parents when they combined business and leisure. His parents were academics, who would piggyback vacations onto conferences.

Now he does the same. “I don’t think I ever asked for approval,” he said. (ICF has no formal business-leisure travel policy. It’s allowed as part of personal time off.) After a conference in the Netherlands last year, he spent four days hiking in the northern part of the country.

“I go anywhere, and take more risks than I should,” he said. He said he didn’t carry personal travel or accident insurance.

Any nonchalance may quickly evaporate if a threat emerges. Security experts say even low-risk locations can become high-risk for a few days or weeks of the year.

“Companies are concerned about losing visibility into a traveler’s whereabouts if they booked flights and hotels outside their corporate travel management company,” Benjamin Thorne, senior intelligence manager in London for Crisis24, a subsidiary of GardaWorld, wrote in an email. “The company may think the traveler is in one city when, in reality, they could have booked a holiday package to another nearby city. This lack of visibility by the company makes it difficult to support travelers when a disaster occurs.”

He also raised the possibility that “a traveler with bleisure travel reservations and expectations may find their work trip canceled due to changes in the risk environment or company policy, disrupting their leisure plans.”

Will a company step in off hours if there’s a problem? “That depends on how you are booked,” Mr. Cole, the senior research analyst at Phocuswright, said. A rule of thumb is the further you get from corporate control, the greater the gray area gets.

Half of GoldSpring Consulting’s clients take the responsibility for the entire trip, said Will Tate, a partner at the consultancy based in Cross Roads, Texas, and a certified public accountant. They don’t want the reputational risk. The other half say: “The business trip ended Friday. That’s when we end our duty of care.”

Some companies are trying to define and narrow the gray area. “If you are clearly on personal time, there is no legal requirement for your employer to provide for you,” said Nicole Page, a lawyer whose practice includes employment law at Reavis Page Jump in New York.

Uber provides employees with advisories before a trip, travel assessments, safety tips while traveling and emergency travel assistance, including medical aid, airport travel support, urgent and emergency assistance, and lost or stolen personal property insurance whether they are on business or pleasure travel or a combination.

And at DoorDash, Chris Cherry, head of global safety and security, wrote in an email that “while personal travel is not something we track, we have received requests to extend our travel support capabilities to personal travel.” Mr. Cherry said in those cases, the company has manually added employee leisure itineraries to its travel risk management system and “provided the same level of overwatch that we do for regular business travel.”

The Buchmanns plan to travel this month to Barcelona, Spain, for the McDonald’s Worldwide Convention. DoorDash will have a booth, and Mr. Buchmann will work on the exhibit floor and also entertain clients.

Ms. Buchmann will accompany him. She plans to go sightseeing in the morning, and work in the afternoons and evenings Barcelona time. She will also take three days of paid time off and has shared her plans with Ms. McLaren, the RevShoppe chief executive.

They will stay a day after the conference and plan to visit the Dalí Theater and Museum in Figueres. “I’m sure there will be no shortage of tapas and window shopping along way,” Mr. Buchmann said. He expects to be back at work the next Monday.

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Q&A: the emerging tech trends impacting travel and tourism

A s the global travel and tourism sector continues to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, emerging technologies are becoming increasingly key for businesses within the sector.

In particular, artificial intelligence (AI) is being touted as part of the solution to the industry’s staffing crisis.

As Nicholas Wyatt, head of analysis for travel and tourism at GlobalData, told Verdict’s sister site Hotel Management Network in December: “Hotels have struggled to lure back some of the workers that left the industry at the height of the pandemic as the travel sector virtually ground to a halt. This situation has been exacerbated by struggles to attract new workers and the result is an almost worldwide issue with staffing.”

Cybersecurity, meanwhile, has been a rising concern for some time, and that is not going to change. GlobalData associate analyst Megan Cross explained in the same article: “2023 saw several high-profile data breaches, including international hotel chain MGM Resorts’ cybersecurity incident in September. With the scale and sensitivity of data held on travellers, ensuring strong protection measures is imperative.”

Speaking to Hotel Management Network ahead of the Key Themes in Travel & Tourism for 2024 webinar on 20 March , for which registration is now open, GlobalData analyst Monia Borawi discussed the growth of cybersecurity as a critical area of focus, the use of data for customer-focused personalisation and the importance for businesses of investing in emerging technologies like AI.

What has been the most significant tech theme in travel and tourism over recent years?

Borawi: One significant theme for the travel and tourism space in recent years has been cybersecurity. The travel industry holds hugely valuable and sensitive data on every traveller. If these data points are not well protected, there are significant risks for customers, who could have their data stolen. Such breaches can damage a company's reputation. Several high-profile companies within the sector have made negative headlines due to poor cybersecurity measures.

Cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities within a cybersecurity strategy, so a rigorous approach is central to effective risk management. To tackle cyber threats, a company’s cybersecurity strategy must involve contingency planning, outlining immediate actions, post-breach responses, and an understanding of the company’s current cyber risks. The travel and tourism sector is one of the most susceptible to cyberattacks, ranking third in incidents according to the 2020 Trustwave Global Security Report . With attacks becoming more common and increasingly sophisticated, the risk and impact of cyber-ignorance are escalating.

What will be the most significant tech themes during 2024 and why?

AI has seen a large rise in relevance for the travel and tourism industry. AI is not a new theme but has been incorporated into devices, business applications and productivity tools for some time. The advent of ChatGPT, the language model launched in November 2022 by OpenAI, paved the way for the current hype surrounding this technology. Companies are keen to take advantage of these new capabilities, particularly in areas such as sales, marketing and customer support.

Airlines, airports and travel intermediaries would benefit from investing in the human-AI interaction layer to improve operational efficiency. The lodging and cruises sectors would benefit from computer vision technologies for check-in and boarding processes, while attraction operators could use them for occupancy monitoring. Pattern recognition, planning and forecasting capabilities are extremely useful across all travel industry segments.

Travel executives have also increasingly realised that building more relevant and personalised customer experiences is critical because it helps differentiate their brands in an increasingly competitive market. From hotels to booking sites to social media, executives and CEOs are thinking about the ways personalisation can help them reach and sell to customers more effectively. With more choices open to consumers, travel brands face significant pressure to attract and retain customers. This means even more importance is placed on driving success from the company’s website and marketing channels.

The customer experience is becoming more personalised and the only way to do it is to know enough about each customer. The road to personalisation is paved with data. Customer knowledge comes from the collection and analysis of customer data, which is why data is so important to personalisation. The data collected enables companies to better understand their customers' needs and expectations, make faster and more informed decisions and provide customers with the personalised experiences they crave.

How will the current key themes shape the industry today and in the future?

The integration of AI into the travel and tourism industry is revolutionizing various aspects, from customer service to predictive analytics. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants streamline customer interactions, providing personalised recommendations and assistance 24/7. Moreover, AI algorithms analyse vast amounts of data to forecast travel trends, optimize pricing strategies and enhance operational efficiency. As AI continues to advance, its role in automating routine tasks and personalizing experiences will be pivotal in shaping the industry's future, driving greater convenience and satisfaction for travellers while optimizing resources for businesses.

Personalisation has become a cornerstone of the travel and tourism industry, as travellers increasingly expect tailored experiences that cater to their preferences and interests. From personalised recommendations based on past behaviours to curated travel itineraries, companies are leveraging data and technology to create bespoke experiences at every touchpoint of the customer journey.

As advancements in AI and machine learning enable deeper insights into consumer behaviour and preferences, personalised marketing campaigns, dynamic pricing strategies and hyper-targeted offerings will become more sophisticated, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. Furthermore, personalisation fosters a deeper emotional connection with travellers, leading to enhanced brand loyalty and advocacy in an increasingly competitive landscape.

How are companies innovating and investing in current key themes?

Companies are investing in AI-powered technologies to enhance customer experiences and operational efficiency. This includes the development of intelligent chatbots and virtual assistants for personalised customer service, predictive analytics for demand forecasting and pricing optimization and AI-driven recommendation engines to tailor offerings to individual preferences. Major players are also exploring AI applications in robotics for tasks such as luggage handling and cleaning, improving overall service quality and reducing labour costs.

Companies are investing in data analytics and machine learning capabilities to deliver personalised experiences at every stage of the customer journey. This includes leveraging customer data to offer customised recommendations for accommodations, activities and dining options, as well as creating tailored marketing campaigns based on individual preferences and behaviours. Some companies are also implementing dynamic pricing models that adjust rates in realtime based on demand and customer profiles, maximising revenue while ensuring competitive pricing.

How can travel and tourism companies harness key themes for success?

Companies should invest in AI-driven technologies to enhance customer experiences and operational efficiency. By leveraging AI-powered chatbots, virtual assistants and predictive analytics, companies can provide personalised recommendations, streamline booking processes and optimize resource allocation. Embracing emerging technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) can also create immersive and engaging experiences for travellers, setting companies apart from competitors.

Companies should prioritize personalisation throughout the customer journey, from pre-booking to post-trip engagement. By leveraging data analytics and machine learning algorithms, companies can tailor offerings to individual preferences, anticipate customer needs and deliver targeted marketing campaigns. Personalised experiences not only enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty but also drive revenue growth through upselling and cross-selling opportunities.

Overall, by embracing the key themes of AI and personalisation, travel and tourism companies can differentiate themselves in a competitive market, drive customer satisfaction and loyalty and position themselves for long-term success in an evolving industry landscape.

GlobalData’s Key Themes in Travel & Tourism for 2024 webinar on 20 March will examine the impact of several key themes on the travel and tourism sector in 2024, including AI, ESG and personalisation.

"Q&A: the emerging tech trends impacting travel and tourism" was originally created and published by Verdict , a GlobalData owned brand.

The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.

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Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow.   Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station  is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station  was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

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Columnists | Mike Bianchi: It’s been a great season, but…

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Columnists | it’s been a great season, but magic need to be hungry and greedy heading into the playoffs | commentary.

Don’t you dare repeat what you are about to hear.

And whatever you do, please do not — under any circumstances — let the Orlando Magic in on our little secret.

As the Magic head into the playoffs this weekend, we don’t want them to get complacent.

We don’t want them to be satisfied.

We don’t want them to think their hopes and dreams and goals have already been accomplished.

So, please, keep this under wraps because we don’t want them to know what I’m about to tell you.

We don’t want the Orlando Magic to believe the actual, factual truth; that their season has already been a resounding success no matter what they do in the playoffs.

I’m telling you this in confidence: There is absolutely nothing the Magic can do now to put a damper on a season in which they outperformed all expectations and solidified in our minds that they are a team on a rise with championship potential for years to come.

And that’s not just me, the hometown columnist, talking.

It’s what the national boys are saying, too.

Just listen to Zach Harper of The Athletic .

“What would make this season a success? It already is,” Harper wrote a few days ago. “I think the Magic could get hammered in the first round, but we’d still have to consider this a wildly successful season for them. They showed the last two-thirds of last season weren’t a fluke. This team is a fantastic defensive unit despite its youth. And Paolo Banchero is already an All-Star with superstar potential. The Magic know they need to add veteran perimeter help, but this team is on its way. I think Orlando will have a good showing in the playoffs, even if it’s a first-round exit. All possible stock for the future of this franchise should be unavailable.”

Shush, Josh!

I told you to keep it down.

We don’t want the Magic to hear any of these kudos before they face the Cavaliers on Saturday in Game 1 of the playoffs.

We want them hungry.

We want them on edge.

We want them greedy.

We need to prod them and provoke them into wanting to achieve more than just making the playoffs.

We need to remind them that they came thisclose to blowing it and only avoided the Play-In tournament by beating a Giannis-less Milwaukee Bucks in the final game of the regular season.

We want them feeling disrespected by the Cavaliers, who seemingly tanked their final regular-season game Sunday against the lowly Charlotte Hornets just so they could face the Magic in the first round of the playoffs instead of the winner of the Play-In game between two more proven teams — the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers.

We absolutely, positively don’t want the Magic to be full of themselves and feeling good about what they’ve accomplished.

We want them to think they still have something to prove even though they’ve already proven that this season is only the beginning of something bigger down the road. They have proven that they are not only good; they are good and young.

The Magic entered this season with the fifth-youngest roster in the league (average age: 24.8 years old) and yet they were still able to win nearly 50 games. In fact, in the last quarter-century since 1999, there is only one NBA team that has recorded 45 wins or more with their top three scorers (Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs) 22 years old or younger. That one team is the Orlando Magic.

Banchero, the NBA Rookie of Year last season and an All-Star this season, is one of the most versatile players in the league. When the regular season ended on Sunday, Banchero was 21 years, 154 days old, which made him the youngest player in NBA history to ever lead his team in the top three statistical categories — scoring, rebounding and assists.

“When your top three scorers are 22 and under, I think about our 10- and 11-year-old fans and I want them to still be fans when they’re 21-years-old,” says Jeff Weltman , Magic president of basketball operations and man in charge of putting this roster together. “We’re not going to burn through the candle right now. We’re going to slowly simmer it and continue to invest in the players that we have on our roster and grow and develop them. We’ll always be opportunistic. We’ll always be seeking the next move to improve the team. And if we can take a leap, we will. But I have no problem doubling down on these guys right now.”

In other words, Weltman is confident about what he and his staff have built and where this team is headed — as he should be.

I urge you to keep all of this between you, me and the fence post.

This is not the time or place for Magic players and coaches to feel good about what they have accomplished and how bright their future is.

It’s a time for them to go into the postseason on a mission.

It’s time for them to think they are being undervalued and overlooked.

So keep it on the down low and hush up about how much the Magic have already proven themselves.

Pipe down about how this season has already been a spectacular success.

This is not the place nor the time.

It’s playoff time, baby.

A time where reputations are built and legacies are formed.

Time for the Orlando Magic to stay hungry and humble.

Email me at [email protected]. Hit me up on X (formerly Twitter) @BianchiWrites and listen to my Open Mike radio show every weekday from 6 to 9:30 a.m. on FM 96.9, AM 740 and 969TheGame.com/listen

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