Tourism is one of the world’s great equalisers – at least in theory. It promises cultural exchange, economic opportunity and shared experience across borders. As the world’s leading tourist destination, Europe both benefits from and shapes these dynamics.
Europe is the world’s most visited region, accounting for more than half of global tourist arrivals. In 2024, it welcomed nearly 750 million international tourists. At the same time, the cracks in the system are becoming harder to ignore.
Soaring housing costs, overstretched infrastructure and crowded public spaces are fuelling a popular backlash against tourism as well as making the experience more stressful for travellers themselves. The model that once brought prosperity is now testing its limits. As the industry begins its next chapter, we must ask: Who is writing the script? And who is being left out of the frame?
This May, UN delegates will be asking these questions when they elect their new Secretary General for Tourism. For Europeans, this will be a chance to decide the kind of tourism future they want. As tourism grows, will we build a system that is inclusive, resilient and climate-aligned, or will we simply expand the old model, with all its embedded inequities?
A sustainable future for tourism
I believe we can make tourism inclusive, climate-aligned and fit for our new global era. Europe can and should continue to be a global tourism leader, while finding ways to make it work for all Europeans. Tourism directly contributes to about 10% of European GDP and employs some 23 million people. The question is how to put equity and regeneration at the heart of global tourism governance.
First, refocus governance and reclaim equity. For too long, a handful of institutions, destinations and gatekeepers have shaped the agenda, often chasing short-term metrics. A more balanced approach rooted in long-term public benefit can give more people a voice at the table. That means advocating for visa reforms, integrated policies and smarter public-private partnerships.
Opportunities abound. Expanding beyond traditional tourism categories into medical, business, wellness, and rural tourism will reach new markets and reduce over-tourism in saturated zones. That means elevating tourism ministries from underrepresented regions, investing in new areas, and redirecting capital toward sustainable infrastructure where it’s needed most. Diversification has always been an asset for Europe.
Second, make tech work for everyone. Technology should not be a luxury afforded only to the world’s flagship cities. Small and medium-sized operators need access to the same digital infrastructure and training as global hotel brands. Let’s deploy virtual platforms and contactless services not just to increase efficiency, but to personalise and humanise the travel experience. Tech shouldn’t widen the gap between those who are connected and those not.
Finally, regeneration, not just recovery, should be the industry’s North Star. That means embedding sustainability into procurement systems, incentivising eco-design, and measuring success not just by arrival counts, but by community wellbeing and environmental stewardship. Tourism workers must no longer be viewed as interchangeable parts of a supply chain. They are the custodians of experience.
These are ambitious goals. But the alternative is business as usual – and business as usual is no longer an option.
Europe has the experience, influence and compelling history to lead a transformation. Beyond the impressive figures lies a deeper truth that tourism is about people. It’s about the opportunity to tell one’s story – and Europe has many compelling stories to tell.
It’s time to transform tourism so it works for everyone, to measure its success by the benefits it creates for society, not just by the volume of arrivals. The future of tourism should not be an inheritance of the powerful: It should be a tool for equity, regeneration and shared growth. That’s the vision I’m offering and the work I intend to do.
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