Tourism industry leaders convened in London for the World Travel Market trade event to discuss the latest trends shaping the sector.
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00:00 Welcome to the World Travel Market trade event in London. We've landed here to check out
00:13 the latest trends shaping the travel and tourism industry now and into the future.
00:26 Thousands of representatives are here to do deals, debate and discuss as the industry
00:31 continues its bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.
00:37 Leisure travel is back to only 10% below 2019 levels, but we've got to remember 2019 was
00:44 a peak year. So the level of travel we're seeing this year has only been surpassed in
00:48 three years in history.
00:51 That recovery coming despite economic and geopolitical uncertainties and a summer of
00:57 high temperatures and devastating wildfires in countries like Greece.
01:04 If I could speak about tourism, I would say that the biggest challenge for the long term
01:11 period in the future is a climate crisis. And Greece has a specific plan until 2030
01:20 in order to achieve sustainability in the environment, tackle climate change consequences
01:26 and of course adapt to the new era.
01:31 Valencia in Spain attracts tourists with its beaches, natural beauty and history. Recognised
01:38 for sustainable tourism, Valencia City has been named European Green Capital 2024.
01:48 The old source of the river, it's now a big green area, a big green boulevard. We're working
01:55 so hard related to public transport. It's very important for us, for new energy technologies,
02:01 just not for one year, but for the rest of our lives.
02:07 Post pandemic, sustainability is also about keeping traveller numbers in check. Venice,
02:13 for example, plans to impose a five euro tax on day trippers next year as it attempts to
02:19 tackle over tourism.
02:23 Other destinations like Croatia are also mulling over what they should do.
02:31 We cannot use the word over tourism, maybe just in a few cities like Dubrovnik. We still
02:38 as a country didn't bring any specific measures, but now this is the right time for the local
02:46 authorities and for the decision makers to start thinking about it. It's important because
02:53 we want to preserve our country as it is today.
02:59 When it comes to traveller numbers, Thailand says its approach is quality over quantity,
03:05 cooling down the traditional hot spots and opening up other places within the country.
03:11 We are more focused in terms of the value that the tourists spend in Thailand. Second
03:17 thing is also about the dispersal of the numbers of tourists, connect to the local community,
03:24 connect to the other destination like a cluster destination. That's the way that we're moving
03:30 forward.
03:32 Traveller tastes are also evolving. For millennials and Gen Z, it's increasingly about experiences
03:38 and bucket lists, according to world travel market research. And there's a wider trend
03:45 of longer stays.
03:48 With sustainability conscience, what we see, they call it slow holidays. So it's fewer
03:53 holidays but they are much longer. And they're more focused rather than on sunbathing, more
03:58 on experience.
04:01 One country that's providing some of those experiences is Morocco. It wants to attract
04:07 26 million tourists a year by 2030, nearly double this year's number.
04:14 People are looking to have authentic experiences. They want to be in touch with nature, taste
04:22 the local cuisine and meet local communities. They're also looking for open air, experiences
04:28 in the wild, long walks and mountains.
04:35 The global travel and tourism sector is expected to fully recover over the next couple of years.
04:41 This is an industry that's also changing as it maps out 2024 and beyond.
04:48 [Music]
04:55 ♪ Oh, let's go, yeah ♪