Leading tourism into balance
communities thrive. Julie Cheetham, CEO, Travalyst says: “The future of tourism needs to be more balanced. We have seen brilliant examples of localised strategies, but our industry needs to move at scale. We need a fairer eco-system that benefits destinations and local communities, and I believe that credible, consistent and compliant data sits at the heart of making this happen. “Coupled with AI in the future, this presents an incredibly powerful opportunity to help drive systems change. It’s why in 2026 we are continuing to scale the Data Hub and we need industry alignment to make it a reality across the sector,” she adds. Lemongrass’ Travel Trend Report 2026 found companies like Byway are using AI to improve complex, analogue systems, such as rail planning to nudge travellers toward “sustainability, accessibility, and the human experience”. Future action Looking to the future ICRT Global Chair Debbie Hindle stresses early intervention: “Destinations that claim they don’t have overtourism should be listening closely to residents and acting quickly when signs of imbalance emerge. We would like to see local sentiment research become standard practice across all destinations.”
ICRT global supports this through its 12-week online course Rebalancing Tourism, offering practical tools and destination case studies. A new 10-week course on Creating Shared Value will also launch this year. Finding the balance requires a fundamental shift from “more visitors” to “better outcomes” for destinations, communities, and visitors. This demands coordinated policy, data-driven decision-making, and strong leadership across both the public and private sectors. The Travel Foundation’s Where Next? Action Agenda provides a global framework for tourism’s climate transition, outlining four interconnected strategies to enhance climate resilience, economic viability, and social equity. CEO Jeremy Sampson says: “The climate crisis is already reshaping tourism. The question is whether we respond piecemeal or take coordinated action.”
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