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His channel discusses politics, business, tourism, and technology across the Middle East and beyond.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What began as a creative outlet quickly snowballed. \&quot;During the summer in Dubai—when everyone thinks nothing happens—I started a small networking event. Now we&#x27;ve hosted &lt;strong&gt;43 editions&lt;/strong&gt; of &#x27;Dubai Tech Tuesdays&#x27; at the Dubai Opera&#x27;s Belcanto, with over &lt;strong&gt;300 attendees&lt;/strong&gt; regularly joining.\&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;These events have become a magnet for business travelers and digital nomads visiting the UAE. “We’re not a tourism company,” he says, “but we cater to &lt;strong&gt;business tourists all the time&lt;/strong&gt;—people who fly in for work and leave with meaningful connections.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dubai as a Gateway City for Business and Lifestyle&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Einstein emphasized Dubai&#x27;s unmatched accessibility and appeal. “Try organizing a meeting in Frankfurt or Kyiv—it’s a hassle. But say, ‘Meet me in Dubai,’ and people book their flights immediately. There’s an &lt;strong&gt;undeniable magnetic pull&lt;/strong&gt; to this city.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With its &lt;strong&gt;multinational population&lt;/strong&gt;
83, exceptional infrastructure, and streamlined digital services, Dubai has become an ideal destination for both tourism and enterprise. “It’s a plug-and-play city. Unlike other places in the region, you land here and immediately become part of the network.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He added, “Our events offer more than networking. They’re a platform to experience &lt;strong&gt;luxury, culture, and commerce&lt;/strong&gt;—all in one evening.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Rise of Smart Tourism and E-Government&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Einstein was quick to highlight how Dubai’s &lt;strong&gt;e-government infrastructure&lt;/strong&gt; enhances its tourist experience. “Visa extensions, immigration, public services—you do it all online. No waiting, no paperwork. Even the &lt;strong&gt;smart gates at the airport&lt;/strong&gt; make you feel like the future has arrived.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He notes that while other countries may have advanced tech on paper, Dubai implements it with user-friendly efficiency. “Digital governance here is tourism’s silent partner. It makes everything smoother—from hotel check-ins to long-term stays.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tourism with Purpose&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Einstein also shared how unexpected word-of-mouth led to international recognition. “A potential partner in Milan was approached by someone who asked if they attend ‘Dubai Tech Tuesdays.’ That small moment led to a big business opportunity—&lt;strong&gt;a fractal explosion&lt;/strong&gt;, as I like to call it.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He believes this reflects a larger shift: “Post-COVID, people crave movement, connection, and discovery. &lt;strong&gt;Dubai meets all those needs&lt;/strong&gt;—not just for leisure, but for those building something bigger.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion: Dubai, the Future-Ready City&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Einstein’s insights confirm a growing consensus: &lt;strong&gt;Dubai is no longer just a luxury destination—it’s a global meeting point for entrepreneurs, creatives, and innovators.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\&quot;Whether you’re here for tourism, business, or a bit of both, Dubai offers a multimodal experience that leaves a lasting impact,\&quot; he concluded. \&quot;And the best part? &lt;strong&gt;You’ll always want to return.&lt;/strong&gt;\&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1122/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;\&quot;Whether you’re here for tourism, business, or a bit of both, Dubai offers a multimodal experience that leaves a lasting impact, And the best part? You’ll always want to return.\&quot; &quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:3,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:false,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-07-01T17:48:24.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;author&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:2,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;surname&quot;:&quot;Forum&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;global-tourism-forum&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;summary&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/authors/2/avatar.png&quot;,&quot;socials&quot;:{},&quot;adminUserId&quot;:null,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.898+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T01:02:54.833+03:00&quot;,&quot;fullName&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism Forum&quot;},&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:1089,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Bahruz Asgarov: “Tourism Must Be Rooted in Reality, Not Greenwashing”&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;bahruz-asgarov-tourism-must-be-rooted-in-reality-not-greenwashing&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;At the Global Tourism Forum’s Leaders Dinner in Dubai, Bahruz Asgarov, CEO of PASHA Travel LLC and former Deputy CEO of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board, shared insightful reflections on Azerbaijan’s tourism evolution, sustainability, and the importance of genuine, community-driven development.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;At the Global Tourism Forum’s Leaders Dinner in Dubai, &lt;strong&gt;Bahruz Asgarov&lt;/strong&gt;, CEO of &lt;strong&gt;PASHA Travel LLC&lt;/strong&gt; and former Deputy CEO of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board, shared insightful reflections on Azerbaijan’s tourism evolution, sustainability, and the importance of genuine, community-driven development.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div data-video-embed=\&quot;\&quot; class=\&quot;video-embed\&quot; data-provider=\&quot;vimeo\&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe loading=\&quot;lazy\&quot; allow=\&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen\&quot; allowfullscreen=\&quot;true\&quot; frameborder=\&quot;0\&quot; src=\&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1097119585?dnt=1&amp;amp;title=0&amp;amp;byline=0&amp;amp;portrait=0\&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;“It was an amazing night,” Asgarov said, praising the high-level discussions and guest curation at the event. “Sustainability emerged as one of the most vital topics—and rightly so. But we must go beyond greenwashing and ensure our initiatives truly support communities on the ground.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;From Policy to Practice: Azerbaijan’s Sustainable Tourism Journey&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;With a deep background in shaping Azerbaijan’s national tourism policy from the ground up, Asgarov explained how his work with the Azerbaijan Tourism Board laid the foundation for a new era. “We were there from the beginning, and it was five incredible years,” he said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He acknowledged Azerbaijan&#x27;
83s relative newcomer status in global tourism but stressed that the country quickly learned the dangers of unplanned growth. “We experienced firsthand the impact when tourism isn’t managed sustainably,” Asgarov noted. “That’s why we’ve worked hard to embed sustainable development principles across the industry—from hotel infrastructure to community-based tourism.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;PASHA Travel, through its sub-brand &lt;strong&gt;PASHA Holidays&lt;/strong&gt;, continues this mission by encouraging travelers to go beyond the capital city Baku. “We urge our visitors to explore Azerbaijan’s mountains, lakes, and villages. That’s where they meet local communities and discover the real Azerbaijan,” he explained. “But that authentic experience is only possible if it’s built sustainably.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tourism as an Economic Catalyst&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tourism, Asgarov emphasized, has had a transformative economic impact in Azerbaijan. “In the early boom years, tourism brought in around $2 billion USD. It was a powerful boost for the economy—not just for hospitality, but for every related sector.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He described tourism as a “conglomerate of sub-industries,” ranging from restaurants and hotels to car repair shops and retail services. “Tourism lifts them all. And that’s why our government has now identified it as a &lt;strong&gt;strategic development priority&lt;/strong&gt;,” he added.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Collaboration, Exchange, and the Role of GTF&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Asgarov lauded the &lt;strong&gt;Global Tourism Forum&lt;/strong&gt; for creating a “valuable platform for thought leadership.” He emphasized the importance of these international gatherings for exchanging ideas, generating business opportunities, and shaping the future of global tourism. “This is what we need now: strong networks, honest dialogue, and real strategies that lead to tangible outcomes,” he said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Vision for the Future&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Closing on an optimistic note, Asgarov reiterated his commitment to meaningful tourism development. “Azerbaijan has come a long way—but we still have much to build. With the right partnerships and a sincere focus on sustainable growth, we can make tourism a true driver of progress for our people, our economy, and our global image.”&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1089/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;Asgarov reiterated his commitment to meaningful tourism development. “Azerbaijan has come a long way—but we still have much to build. With the right partnerships and a sincere focus on sustainable growth, we can make tourism a true driver of progress for our people, our economy, and our global image.”&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:3,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:false,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-06-28T12:04:58.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;author&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:2,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;surname&quot;:&quot;Forum&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;global-tourism-forum&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;summary&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/authors/2/avatar.png&quot;,&quot;socials&quot;:{},&quot;adminUserId&quot;:null,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.898+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T01:02:54.833+03:00&quot;,&quot;fullName&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism Forum&quot;},&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:1078,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Frederico Fernandes Urges Closer Cooperation at GTF Leaders Dinner: “There Is No Tourism Without Aviation”&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;frederico-fernandes-urges-closer-cooperation-at-gtf-leaders-dinner-there-is-no-tourism-without-aviation&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;At the prestigious GTF Leaders Dinner in Dubai, Frederico Fernandes, Director of both the Arab Aviation Summit and the upcoming European Aviation Summit, delivered a powerful message on the urgent need to unite the tourism and aviation sectors under a shared vision.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;At the prestigious &lt;strong&gt;GTF Leaders Dinner in Dubai&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Frederico Fernandes&lt;/strong&gt;, Director of both the &lt;strong&gt;Arab Aviation Summit&lt;/strong&gt; and the upcoming &lt;strong&gt;European Aviation Summit&lt;/strong&gt;, delivered a powerful message on the urgent need to unite the tourism and aviation sectors under a shared vision.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“People often forget,” Fernandes said, “there is no modern tourism without aviation. It’s nearly impossible to dissociate the two anymore. Many destinations wouldn’t even exist on the global map without it.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div data-video-embed=\&quot;\&quot; class=\&quot;video-embed\&quot; data-provider=\&quot;vimeo\&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe loading=\&quot;lazy\&quot; allow=\&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen\&quot; allowfullscreen=\&quot;true\&quot; frameborder=\&quot;0\&quot; src=\&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1096511445?dnt=1&amp;amp;title=0&amp;amp;byline=0&amp;amp;portrait=0\&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;The aviation executive, who will co-host the &lt;strong&gt;European Aviation Summit in Brussels alongside the Global Tourism Forum&lt;/strong&gt;, emphasized that despite their deep interdependence, the aviation and tourism sectors rarely align strategically. “Me and Blu are trying to change that,” he shared. “It’s time we moved hand-in-hand, forging a joint future.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Aviation: More Than Just Travel&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Fernandes spoke passionately about aviation&#x27;
83s broader impact—beyond just transporting leisure travelers. “Aviation brings business travelers who fall in love with the destination and return as tourists. It brings migrants home to their families. It creates emotional connections, economic bridges, and cultural exchanges,” he explained.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He noted that aviation not only supports tourism, but also relies on it to thrive. “These sectors grow together. But they’ve been acting separately for too long.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Brussels Summit: A Turning Point&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;co-located summits in Brussels&lt;/strong&gt; will aim to address this fragmentation. Fernandes revealed plans to merge his global aviation network with the Global Tourism Forum’s powerful tourism leadership base. “We’re bringing together key decision-makers from both industries. Our goal is to start meaningful conversations, build new partnerships, and address mutual challenges—like &lt;strong&gt;sustainability&lt;/strong&gt;, which is a pressing issue in Europe but underdeveloped elsewhere,” he said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He emphasized the value of cross-regional learning: “We’ll bring expertise from the Middle East and Asia and combine it with European leadership. Together, we can design smarter, more inclusive aviation-tourism strategies.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reflecting on his experience in Dubai, Fernandes praised the GTF team: “I’d heard about Bulut Bagci and his team’s legacy before, but tonight I felt it for the first time. It was outstanding.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With strong momentum heading into Brussels, Fernandes concluded optimistically: “We’re excited to create something magical together. And I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again—&lt;strong&gt;in Brussels, very soon.&lt;/strong&gt;”&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1078/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;“People often forget,” Fernandes said, “there is no modern tourism without aviation. It’s nearly impossible to dissociate the two anymore. Many destinations wouldn’t even exist on the global map without it.”&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:2,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:true,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T11:41:25.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;author&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:2,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;surname&quot;:&quot;Forum&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;global-tourism-forum&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;summary&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/authors/2/avatar.png&quot;,&quot;socials&quot;:{},&quot;adminUserId&quot;:null,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.898+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T01:02:54.833+03:00&quot;,&quot;fullName&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism Forum&quot;},&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:1071,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;ICCA’s Anju Gomes: “Middle East Emerges as a Global Powerhouse for Business Events”&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;iccas-anju-gomes-middle-east-emerges-as-a-global-powerhouse-for-business-events&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;As the global events landscape evolves, the Middle East is emerging as one of the most dynamic and promising regions for large-scale international gatherings. Anju Gomes, Senior Regional Director of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), underscored this shift during her remarks at a recent global tourism and business events forum.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;As the global events landscape evolves, the Middle East is emerging as one of the most dynamic and promising regions for large-scale international gatherings. &lt;strong&gt;Anju Gomes&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Senior Regional Director of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA)&lt;/strong&gt;, underscored this shift during her remarks at a recent global tourism and business events forum.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With over &lt;strong&gt;1,000 members across 104 countries&lt;/strong&gt;, ICCA is a leading global association in the meetings industry, headquartered in Amsterdam. “We are the aggregators of over &lt;strong&gt;24,000 global association meetings&lt;/strong&gt;, helping shape the world through impactful, legacy-driven events,” said Gomes. “Our mission goes beyond tourism. It’s about the transformative effect events can have on cities and societies.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div data-video-embed=\&quot;\&quot; class=\&quot;video-embed\&quot; data-provider=\&quot;vimeo\&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe loading=\&quot;lazy\&quot; allow=\&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen\&quot; allowfullscreen=\&quot;true\&quot; frameborder=\&quot;0\&quot; src=\&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1095925670?dnt=1&amp;amp;title=0&amp;amp;byline=0&amp;amp;portrait=0\&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Middle East Leading the Way&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Gomes highlighted that the &lt;strong&gt;Middle East is now investing in the business events sector faster and more ambitiously than most other regions&lt;/strong&gt;
83, thanks to robust infrastructure and visionary planning. “We are witnessing a sharp rise in global attention towards this region,” she stated. “The UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have already proven their capabilities with mega-events like &lt;strong&gt;FIFA World Cup, COP Summits, and Expo&lt;/strong&gt;.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;She noted that cities across the region are now fully equipped with the infrastructure and hospitality standards necessary to host global conventions and congresses. “The Middle East is no longer on the sidelines. It’s now firmly on the global convention map,” she added.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Building Legacies Through Events&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What sets the region apart, according to Gomes, is the shift in mindset from merely hosting events to &lt;strong&gt;creating long-lasting legacies&lt;/strong&gt;. “We see a commitment not just to logistics, but to &lt;strong&gt;sustainability, knowledge transfer, and societal impact&lt;/strong&gt;,” she emphasized. “It’s a movement driven by changemakers who understand that business events can be powerful catalysts for growth and innovation.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Global Interest in the Region&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With offices in six regions including Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, ICCA has a bird’s-eye view of global trends. “There is strong interest worldwide to engage with the Middle East,” Gomes said. “This region has positioned itself as a leader, and the future is promising.”&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1071/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;With offices in six regions including Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, ICCA has a bird’s-eye view of global trends. “There is strong interest worldwide to engage with the Middle East,” Gomes said. “This region has positioned itself as a leader, and the future is promising.”&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:2,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:false,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-06-24T19:32:35.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;author&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:2,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;surname&quot;:&quot;Forum&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;global-tourism-forum&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;summary&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/authors/2/avatar.png&quot;,&quot;socials&quot;:{},&quot;adminUserId&quot;:null,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.898+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T01:02:54.833+03:00&quot;,&quot;fullName&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism Forum&quot;},&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:1050,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Jamila Aliyeva: “From Conversation to Cooperation—Azerbaijan’s Tourism Embraces Global Dialogue”&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;jamila-aliyeva-from-conversation-to-cooperation-azerbaijans-tourism-embraces-global-dialogue&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;At the prestigious Global Tourism Forum Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai, Jamila Aliyeva, Co-owner of Green Apple Travel Agency and Chairwoman of the Incoming Tourism Commission of Azerbaijan&#x27;s Tourism Agencies Association, delivered a powerful message on collaboration, innovation, and transformation in global tourism.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;At the prestigious &lt;strong&gt;Global Tourism Forum Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Jamila Aliyeva&lt;/strong&gt;, Co-owner of &lt;strong&gt;Green Apple Travel Agency&lt;/strong&gt; and Chairwoman of the Incoming Tourism Commission of Azerbaijan&#x27;
83s Tourism Agencies Association, delivered a powerful message on &lt;strong&gt;collaboration, innovation, and transformation in global tourism&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Representing Azerbaijan on a Global Stage&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jamila proudly marked Azerbaijan’s debut at the Leaders’ Dinner, stating, “As I understood, we were the &lt;strong&gt;first participants from Azerbaijan&lt;/strong&gt; at this kind of gathering. It was a great experience to represent both my company and my colleagues in the tourism industry.” Her leadership and vision showcased Azerbaijan’s growing engagement with the global tourism economy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div data-video-embed=\&quot;\&quot; class=\&quot;video-embed\&quot; data-provider=\&quot;vimeo\&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe loading=\&quot;lazy\&quot; allow=\&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen\&quot; allowfullscreen=\&quot;true\&quot; frameborder=\&quot;0\&quot; src=\&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1094952419?dnt=1&amp;amp;title=0&amp;amp;byline=0&amp;amp;portrait=0\&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Platform for Global Partnerships&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Highlighting the strength of the event’s international networking, Jamila praised the format: “We met great investors and had meaningful negotiations about how to evolve and contribute as industry representatives from different countries. We moved &lt;strong&gt;from conversation to cooperation&lt;/strong&gt;—a crucial transition in today’s interconnected world.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Post-Pandemic Tourism: A New Era Begins&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reflecting on the changing dynamics of travel, she noted, “The world of tourism has changed after the pandemic. The rules have shifted. We now need &lt;strong&gt;new structures and innovative thinking&lt;/strong&gt;. Companies that adapt and set new standards are thriving.” She emphasized that travel, tourism, and hospitality are no longer just services but emotional experiences that “bring us joy and make us feel alive.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Joining the Global Tourism Institute&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Aliyeva expressed excitement about the opportunity to join the &lt;strong&gt;Global Tourism Institute&lt;/strong&gt;, crediting its leadership for clearly outlining the &lt;strong&gt;value of membership and international collaboration&lt;/strong&gt;. “We were informed about how participation can contribute to our business lives—and I was truly amazed. We will go back to Azerbaijan and share this vision.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jamila Aliyeva’s message was clear: &lt;strong&gt;global dialogue, fresh thinking, and inclusive cooperation&lt;/strong&gt; are the future of tourism. Her participation in the forum marked an important step for Azerbaijan’s integration into high-level tourism diplomacy and global investment networks.&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1050/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;Jamila Aliyeva’s message was clear: global dialogue, fresh thinking, and inclusive cooperation are the future of tourism. Her participation in the forum marked an important step for Azerbaijan’s integration into high-level tourism diplomacy and global investment networks.&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:2,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:false,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-06-20T11:24:16.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;author&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:2,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;surname&quot;:&quot;Forum&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;global-tourism-forum&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;summary&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/authors/2/avatar.png&quot;,&quot;socials&quot;:{},&quot;adminUserId&quot;:null,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.898+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T01:02:54.833+03:00&quot;,&quot;fullName&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism Forum&quot;},&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]}],&quot;heroIds&quot;:[1122,1089,1078,1071,1050],&quot;highlights&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:1043,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Luis Alfonso de Alba: Strengthening Global Tourism Through Multilateral Cooperation&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;luis-alfonso-de-alba-strengthening-global-tourism-through-multilateral-cooperation&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;During the prestigious Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai, Luis Alfonso de Alba, Mexican Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, emphasized the vital role of tourism in global economic and societal development, calling for deeper multilateral cooperation and institutional modernization.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;During the prestigious Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai, &lt;strong&gt;Luis Alfonso de Alba&lt;/strong&gt;, Mexican Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, emphasized the vital role of &lt;strong&gt;tourism in global economic and societal development&lt;/strong&gt;, calling for deeper multilateral cooperation and institutional modernization.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div data-video-embed=\&quot;\&quot; class=\&quot;video-embed\&quot; data-provider=\&quot;vimeo\&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe loading=\&quot;lazy\&quot; allow=\&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen\&quot; allowfullscreen=\&quot;true\&quot; frameborder=\&quot;0\&quot; src=\&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1094667743?dnt=1&amp;amp;title=0&amp;amp;byline=0&amp;amp;portrait=0\&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tourism: A Global Economic Engine&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ambassador de Alba noted that tourism is a key contributor to national economies around the world. “Tourism represents a significant share of the GDP in the United Arab Emirates and is the &lt;strong&gt;third-largest source of income for Mexico&lt;/strong&gt;,” he highlighted. With millions of tourists visiting Mexico each year, the sector remains a powerful engine for economic growth, job creation, and cultural exchange.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Empowering the UN Tourism Body&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A major theme of the evening was the need to &lt;strong&gt;strengthen the role of international institutions&lt;/strong&gt;, particularly the &lt;strong&gt;UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)&lt;/strong&gt;. De Alba advocated for a modernization agenda that includes embracing &lt;strong&gt;new technologies&lt;/strong&gt;, supporting &lt;strong&gt;inclusive growth&lt;/strong&gt;, and helping nations &lt;strong&gt;identify untapped tourism opportunities&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
83“The UN tourism body must evolve to become more capable, efficient, and relevant for countries around the world,” he explained. This, he added, will help maximize the benefits of tourism while ensuring no sector of society is left behind.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Platform for Global Vision and Collaboration&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reflecting on the atmosphere of the event, Ambassador de Alba praised the &lt;strong&gt;UAE’s convening power&lt;/strong&gt; and the &lt;strong&gt;international diversity&lt;/strong&gt; of the gathering. “It’s impressive to see stakeholders from aviation, hospitality, infrastructure, and government all in one room,” he said. “These individuals influence not just local, but &lt;strong&gt;global tourism strategy and decision-making&lt;/strong&gt;.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;De Alba emphasized the importance of events like the Leaders’ Dinner for fostering dialogue, networking, and shared vision: “It’s about building the kind of leadership and institutions needed to guide tourism forward — inclusively and sustainably.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Looking Ahead&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Ambassador concluded by reaffirming Mexico’s commitment to global collaboration in the tourism sector. As the industry continues to transform, &lt;strong&gt;multilateral partnerships&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;strong international institutions&lt;/strong&gt; will be essential to unlocking its full potential — not just economically, but socially and culturally as well.&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1043/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;The Ambassador concluded by reaffirming Mexico’s commitment to global collaboration in the tourism sector. As the industry continues to transform, multilateral partnerships and strong international institutions will be essential to unlocking its full potential — not just economically, but socially and culturally as well.&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:2,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:true,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-06-19T15:26:06.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:null,&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:927,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Gloria Guevara: Vision for a New Era in Global Tourism Leadership&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;gloria-guevara-presents-vision-for-a-new-era-in-global-tourism-leadership-at-gtf-dubai&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;At the prestigious Global Tourism Forum Leaders Dinner held in Dubai, Gloria Guevara, one of the most prominent voices in the global travel and tourism industry, shared her candidacy and forward-looking vision for the future of international tourism governance.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Guevara, a former Minister of Tourism of Mexico, ex-CEO of the World Travel &amp;amp; Tourism Council (WTTC), and former Special Advisor to the Saudi Minister of Tourism, has been officially nominated by Mexico as a candidate for Secretary-General of a major international tourism organization. If elected, she would become the first woman and the first Mexican to hold the role in the institution’s 50-year history.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“I’m very proud that my country has put forward my candidacy,” Guevara stated. “This is not only a personal honor, but a powerful message for all women in tourism. Over 54% of our industry’s workforce are women, and it’s time that global leadership reflects that reality.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div data-video-embed=\&quot;\&quot; class=\&quot;video-embed\&quot; data-provider=\&quot;vimeo\&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe loading=\&quot;lazy\&quot; allow=\&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen\&quot; allowfullscreen=\&quot;true\&quot; frameborder=\&quot;0\&quot; src=\&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1088712095?dnt=1&amp;amp;title=0&amp;amp;byline=0&amp;amp;portrait=0\&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Addressing the forum’s elite gathering of global tourism leaders, Guevara outlined the urgent need for transformative leadership, particularly as the industry stands at a crucial crossroads. “This is a very critical time. On one side, we see unprecedented efforts to force a third term, and on the other, there is a chance to bring in a new vision,” she remarked, referencing the political backdrop surrounding the upcoming election for Secretary-General.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Her vision for the future is built on four core pillars:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Resilience&lt;/strong&gt; – “Every crisis hits our sector first. We must be better prepared to manage disruptions and recover faster.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Inclusion&lt;/strong&gt; – “We need more opportunities for women, youth, and local communities to benefit from tourism’s growth.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sustainability&lt;/strong&gt; – “To ensure long-term growth, we must protect our natural and cultural assets and reduce emissions.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Innovation&lt;/strong&gt; – “Technology, including AI, must be used to enhance travel experiences and improve global connectivity.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Guevara emphasized the need for stronger governance, transparency, and a collaborative platform where public and private sectors work together alongside academia. “We need an organization that adds value to its members and truly serves as a catalyst for unlocking the full potential of tourism across all regions,” she said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Highlighting opportunities in regions like Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and underserved parts of Europe, she stressed that tourism can play a pivotal role in job creation and shared prosperity. “The potential is massive. But we need visionary leadership to harness it.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The dinner, hosted by the Global Tourism Forum, gathered high-level tourism officials, private sector executives, and international delegates, marking it as a key moment in the lead-up to the Secretary-General elections. With 35 member states set to cast their votes, Guevara’s message resonated as both timely and ambitious.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“In this new era, we must not take travel and tourism for granted,” she concluded. “We must ensure that it is recognized for the economic and social impact it delivers—and for the millions of lives it transforms.”&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/927/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;“I’m very proud that my country has put forward my candidacy,” Guevara stated. “This is not only a personal honor, but a powerful message for all women in tourism. Over 54% of our industry’s workforce are women, and it’s time that global leadership reflects that reality.”\n\n&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:2,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:true,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-05-29T16:49:22.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;
83displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:null,&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:910,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Paul Griffiths: Future of Aviation &amp; Shaping the Sky&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;shaping-the-sky-paul-griffiths-on-the-future-of-aviation-at-gtf-leaders-dinner&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;At the exclusive Global Tourism Forum Leaders Dinner held in Dubai, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, delivered an incisive keynote that painted a compelling vision for the future of aviation. Speaking to an elite audience of global tourism and business leaders, Griffiths reflected on the journey of Dubai International Airport (DXB), the strategic promise of Al Maktoum International (DWC), and the bold role technology and sustainability will play in redefining air travel.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;At the exclusive Global Tourism Forum Leaders Dinner held in Dubai, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, delivered an incisive keynote that painted a compelling vision for the future of aviation. Speaking to an elite audience of global tourism and business leaders, Griffiths reflected on the journey of Dubai International Airport (DXB), the strategic promise of Al Maktoum International (DWC), and the bold role technology and sustainability will play in redefining air travel.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div data-video-embed=\&quot;\&quot; class=\&quot;video-embed\&quot; data-provider=\&quot;vimeo\&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe loading=\&quot;lazy\&quot; allow=\&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen\&quot; allowfullscreen=\&quot;true\&quot; frameborder=\&quot;0\&quot; src=\&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1088313795?dnt=1&amp;amp;title=0&amp;amp;byline=0&amp;amp;portrait=0\&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;From Global Gateway to Global Benchmark&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;p&gt;Opening his remarks with a retrospective, Griffiths highlighted Dubai’s meteoric rise in aviation. “When I arrived in 2007, we were at 30 million passengers. Today, we’ve exceeded 92 million,” he stated. That growth has made DXB the world’s busiest international airport for over a decade.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But Griffiths made clear that being the biggest is no longer enough. “The new ambition is to be the best airport in the world—not just the busiest.” With 100 million annual passengers projected by 2026, the focus now shifts to maximizing quality and operational finesse within existing infrastructure.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h2&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Al Maktoum Vision – DWC and the Next Chapter&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;p&gt;Looking to the horizon, Griffiths introduced what he called “the most exciting infrastructure project in global aviation”: the full-scale development of Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). With a future capacity of up to 260 million passengers annually, DXW is designed to be the world’s most advanced airport.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“This is not a twin-airport model. Once DWC is fully operational, DXB will eventually be redeveloped,” Griffiths confirmed. The timeline? Approximately 10 years. The transition, he admitted, is on a scale “ten times that of Hong Kong’s airport relocation in the 1990s.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h2&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Innovation Over Expansion&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;p&gt;Faced with the physical limitations at DXB, Griffiths described how his team has unlocked growth through technology rather than concrete.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“Instead of building more, we’ve focused on moving people faster,” he explained. New technologies have cut processing times and doubled terminal capacity without expanding the footprint. “If a journey takes half the time, you’ve doubled your throughput,” he told the room, drawing nods from aviation leaders.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He credited the UAE’s agile regulatory environment for enabling rapid testing and deployment of biometric systems, automated security, and integrated passenger tracking—innovations many legacy airports struggle to implement.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h2&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Sustainable Flightpath&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;p&gt;In one of the evening’s most compelling moments, Griffiths shifted to sustainability—not as a PR concept, but as a boardroom priority.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“Sustainability is about detail, about managing thousands of parameters daily,” he said. At DXB, efforts are already visible: 60,000 solar panels nearing completion, a dramatic reduction in landfill waste, ground fleet electrification, and AI-powered cooling systems to reduce energy consumption.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Yet he was candid about aviation’s bigger challenge: “80 to 90% of emissions come from aircraft. If we don’t scale production and affordability of sustainable aviation fuel, we won’t meet our targets.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Griffiths proposed a new KPI for airport CEOs: “Let’s measure monthly carbon reductions with the same seriousness as passenger numbers.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Legacy in the Making&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;p&gt;As the evening drew to a close, Griffiths’ remarks resonated with a message of purpose-driven leadership. “It’s no longer enough to manage growth—we have to lead change,” he said, inviting the global tourism sector to embrace innovation, integration, and accountability as the pillars of a future-proof industry.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
83From visionary infrastructure to granular carbon audits, Paul Griffiths’ address at the GTF Leaders Dinner was more than a report card—it was a call to action.&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/910/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;“Instead of building more, we’ve focused on moving people faster,” he explained. New technologies have cut processing times and doubled terminal capacity without expanding the footprint. “If a journey takes half the time, you’ve doubled your throughput,” he told the room, drawing nods from aviation leaders.&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:3,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:true,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-05-28T17:12:27.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:null,&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:556,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Beyond Earth: Space Tourism &amp; the Commercial Frontier&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;beyond-earth-space-tourism-the-commercial-frontier&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;As humanity reaches beyond the bounds of our planet, a new era in travel is emerging—one where the final frontier is no longer reserved for astronauts, but open to curious adventurers and visionary entrepreneurs. At the GTF Annual Meeting 2025 in Brussels, the session \&quot;Beyond Earth: Space Tourism &amp; the Commercial Frontier\&quot; brings together leading minds from the aerospace, travel, and regulatory sectors to explore the possibilities—and responsibilities—of venturing beyond our atmosphere.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;As humanity reaches beyond the bounds of our planet, a new era in travel is emerging—one where the final frontier is no longer reserved for astronauts, but open to curious adventurers and visionary entrepreneurs. At the GTF Annual Meeting 2025 in Brussels, the session &lt;strong&gt;\&quot;Beyond Earth: Space Tourism &amp;amp; the Commercial Frontier\&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; brings together leading minds from the aerospace, travel, and regulatory sectors to explore the possibilities—and responsibilities—of venturing beyond our atmosphere.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;From zero-gravity hotels and suborbital joyrides to week-long orbital vacations, the dream of space tourism is rapidly becoming reality. What was once science fiction is now a commercial ambition, with private space companies building reusable spacecraft, modular space habitats, and entirely new ecosystems for leisure beyond Earth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But the journey to the stars comes with challenges: How do we regulate space for commercial use? What ethical and environmental responsibilities must be considered? And when does space travel become truly accessible?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Key topics in this futuristic session include:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Commercial Readiness:&lt;/strong&gt; Assessing the current landscape of private spaceflight and the companies pushing the boundaries of what&#x27;s possible.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Space Infrastructure:&lt;/strong&gt; Innovations in spaceports, orbital habitats, and spacecraft designed for comfort, safety, and repeat travel.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Policy &amp;amp; Regulation:&lt;/strong&gt; Developing international frameworks for commercial space tourism that ensure safety, equity, and sustainability.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cultural and Economic Impact:&lt;/strong&gt; Understanding how space tourism will redefine luxury, inspire new markets, and influence the imagination of future generations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This session will offer a rare glimpse into the early blueprint of an entirely new sector—one that may redefine what it means to be a tourist in the 21st century and beyond.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join us in Brussels and discover how space is no longer the limit, but the next destination.&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/556/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;This session will offer a rare glimpse into the early blueprint of an entirely new sector—one that may redefine what it means to be a tourist in the 21st century and beyond.&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:2,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:true,&quot;categoryId&quot;:46,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-04-16T12:29:32.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;
83displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:46,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Annual Meeting 2025 - Brussels&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;annual-meeting-2025-brussels&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:11,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.948+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.053+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:null,&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:318,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Sustainable Infrastructure and Inclusive Practices&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;sustainable-infrastructure-and-inclusive-practices-article&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;The Global Tourism Forum (GTF) Annual Meeting 2024 brought together a distinguished panel of experts to discuss pressing global issues impacting the tourism sector and the broader socio-economic landscape. The session featured insightful contributions from Bulut Bağcı, President of the World Tourism Forum Institute (WTFI); Yulia Stark, President of the European Women Association; Giorgio Travaini, Executive Director of Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking; Sayed Yaqoob Emad, Leader of the Good Faith Council; and Ambassador Michael B. Christides, former Secretary General of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC).\n\n&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;The Global Tourism Forum (GTF) Annual Meeting 2024 brought together a distinguished panel of experts to discuss pressing global issues impacting the tourism sector and the broader socio-economic landscape. The session featured insightful contributions from Bulut Bağcı, President of the World Tourism Forum Institute (WTFI); Yulia Stark, President of the European Women Association; Giorgio Travaini, Executive Director of Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking; Sayed Yaqoob Emad, Leader of the Good Faith Council; and Ambassador Michael B. Christides, former Secretary General of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Moderated expertly, the panel delved into themes ranging from the role of sustainability to the significance of authentic cultural exchange, shedding light on how various sectors can collaborate for a resilient future.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sustainability and Beyond&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bulut Bağcı opened the discussion by emphasizing the vital role of sustainability in the tourism industry. He highlighted how Turkey has led by example, becoming the first country to implement sustainability certification for its destinations under the approval of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. “This is a huge step,” Bağcı remarked, expressing optimism that more countries and destinations would follow suit. However, he also stressed the urgency of taking action now, noting that sustainability extends beyond environmental concerns to include local agriculture, cultural preservation, and community support.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Yulia Stark built on this perspective, pointing out the importance of integrating sustainability into the economic and social fabric. She argued that empowering women entrepreneurs and local producers is key to achieving a sustainable and inclusive tourism ecosystem. Her organization’s work focuses on providing opportunities for women in tourism, ensuring that local communities thrive alongside the sector.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Infrastructure and Connectivity&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Giorgio Travaini shifted the focus to infrastructure, particularly rail transport, as a cornerstone for sustainable tourism. “Railways offer an eco-friendly alternative to traditional modes of travel and are critical for connecting less-accessible regions,” Travaini said. He discussed Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking’s efforts to revolutionize rail systems, emphasizing how technological advancements can enhance efficiency while reducing carbon footprints. Travaini underscored the role of public-private partnerships in driving these initiatives forward.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cultural Diplomacy and Cooperation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ambassador Michael B. Christides brought his extensive experience with BSEC to highlight the importance of regional cooperation in tourism. He underscored the potential of cultural diplomacy to strengthen ties between nations and foster mutual understanding. Christides advocated for cross-border initiatives that celebrate shared heritage while respecting cultural diversity, noting that tourism can serve as a bridge to peace and prosperity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ethical Leadership and Community Engagement&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sayed Yaqoob Emad provided a philosophical dimension to the discussion by focu
83sing on ethical leadership and the role of good faith in governance. “Tourism is not just about destinations; it’s about people and values,” Emad said. He stressed the need for leaders to prioritize the well-being of communities and uphold ethical standards in their decision-making processes. His vision emphasized the long-term benefits of nurturing trust and collaboration between stakeholders.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Key Takeaways&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;The session concluded with a consensus on several critical points:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Holistic Sustainability:&lt;/strong&gt; Tourism must address environmental, cultural, and economic dimensions of sustainability.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Collaboration:&lt;/strong&gt; Public-private partnerships and cross-sector cooperation are essential for success.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Inclusivity:&lt;/strong&gt; Empowering local communities, especially women and marginalized groups, is vital for a thriving tourism industry.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Innovation:&lt;/strong&gt; Investments in infrastructure and technology, particularly in eco-friendly transport, will shape the future of travel.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cultural Preservation:&lt;/strong&gt; Protecting and promoting cultural heritage fosters meaningful connections and enhances the tourist experience.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As the discussion wrapped up, the speakers expressed optimism for the future of tourism while acknowledging the challenges ahead. The GTF Annual Meeting 2024 once again demonstrated its role as a platform for thought leadership, fostering dialogue that inspires actionable solutions for a more sustainable and inclusive world.&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/318/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;- Bulut Bağcı, President of WTFI - Yulia Stark, President of European Women Association - Giorgio Travaini , Executive Director, Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking - Sayed Yaqoob Emad, Leader of Good Faith Council - Ambassador Michael B. Christides, Secretary General of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization - BSEC (2015-2021)&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:3,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:true,&quot;categoryId&quot;:45,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-01-11T16:26:29.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:45,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Annual Meeting 2024 - Brussels&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;annual-meeting-2024-brussels&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:10,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.946+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.052+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:null,&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:315,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;The Power of Destination Marketing in a Competitive World&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;the-power-of-destination-marketing-in-a-competitive-world-article&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;The Global Tourism Forum Annual Meeting 2024 hosted a highly engaging session titled “The Power of Destination Marketing in a Competitive World.” Moderated by Luca Favetta, International Advisor of WTFI, the discussion brought together prominent speakers, including Kristina Nyström, Head of Partnerships at Visit Sweden, and Özgül Özkan Yavuz, Turkey’s former Deputy Tourism Minister (2017–2023). This session shed light on the critical elements shaping the future of destination marketing, with a special focus on sustainability, authenticity, and collaboration.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;The Global Tourism Forum Annual Meeting 2024 hosted a highly engaging session titled “The Power of Destination Marketing in a Competitive World.” Moderated by Luca Favetta, International Advisor of WTFI, the discussion brought together prominent speakers, including Kristina Nyström, Head of Partnerships at Visit Sweden, and Özgül Özkan Yavuz, Turkey’s former Deputy Tourism Minister (2
83017–2023). This session shed light on the critical elements shaping the future of destination marketing, with a special focus on sustainability, authenticity, and collaboration.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Turkey’s Leadership in Sustainable Tourism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Özgül Özkan Yavuz highlighted Turkey’s pioneering efforts in sustainability. Turkey has become the first destination in the world to implement a comprehensive sustainability certification program approved by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). This bold initiative underscores the country’s commitment to integrating sustainability at a national scale, setting a benchmark for other nations to follow.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“This is a huge step,” noted Yavuz, adding that sustainability is not a distant goal for the future but a pressing priority for today. While sustainability is often associated solely with environmental conservation, Yavuz emphasized its broader implications, encompassing local products, agriculture, suppliers, and culture. “We should protect our environment, yes, but also our local culture and producers,” she said. This holistic approach is vital for fostering resilient and inclusive tourism ecosystems.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;img src=\&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/315/9ba6c8.jpg\&quot; alt=\&quot;EGLH0446231\&quot; data-align=\&quot;center\&quot; style=\&quot;width: 100%;\&quot;&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Authenticity: The Key to Standing Out&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kristina Nyström provided valuable insights into the evolving expectations of global travelers. In an increasingly competitive landscape, authenticity has emerged as the single most critical factor for destinations aiming to differentiate themselves. “It’s about being authentic and planning for the long term,” she stated, stressing the importance of sustainability in its three dimensions—environmental, social, and economic—as a cornerstone for enduring success.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Role of Public-Private Partnerships&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;The session also underscored the importance of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in advancing sustainable tourism. Yavuz credited Turkey’s success to strong collaboration between the public and private sectors, stating, “We should be hand in hand.” Effective PPPs ensure that the interests of stakeholders align, enabling innovative solutions and shared accountability in achieving sustainability goals.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Urgency of Action&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Both speakers agreed on the urgency of acting now to address sustainability challenges. “When we are talking about sustainability, we are usually talking about the future. Actually, it’s already here. We should do something now, not tomorrow,” Yavuz asserted. This sentiment reflects a growing recognition that procrastination in addressing sustainability risks undermining the long-term viability of the tourism industry.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;img src=\&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/315/27f716.jpg\&quot; alt=\&quot;EGLH0410220\&quot; data-align=\&quot;center\&quot; style=\&quot;width: 100%;\&quot;&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Holistic Vision for Sustainable Tourism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;The session concluded with a shared vision of sustainability as a comprehensive framework that integrates environmental protection, cultural preservation, and economic vitality. As Nyström and Yavuz demonstrated, successful destination marketing in today’s world requires more than just showcasing attractions—it demands a commitment to authenticity, inclusivity, and sustainability.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This insightful discussion not only highlighted the innovative strides taken by leaders like Turkey but also served as an inspiring call to action for destinations worldwide. As the tourism industry continues to evolve, embracing these principles will be key to creating meaningful and memorable experiences for travelers while ensuring the well-being of communities and ecosystems.&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/315/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;Özgül Özkan Yavuz, Deputy Tourism Minister of Turkiye (2017 - 2023) - Luca Favetta, International Advisor of WTFI - Kristina Nyström, Head of Partnerships, Visit Sweden\n&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:3,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:true,&quot;categoryId&quot;:45,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-01-07T12:18:16.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;
83displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:45,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Annual Meeting 2024 - Brussels&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;annual-meeting-2024-brussels&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:10,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.946+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.052+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:null,&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:313,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;The Transformative Role of AI in Hospitality: Efficiency, Personalization, and the Future&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;the-transformative-role-of-ai-in-hospitality-efficiency-personalization-and-the-future&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;The hospitality industry stands at the cusp of a significant transformation, driven by artificial intelligence (AI). As businesses strive to enhance customer experience and optimize operations, the integration of AI is proving to be a game-changer. From improving communication to streamlining services, the adoption of AI is reshaping the industry in unprecedented ways.\n\n&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;The hospitality industry stands at the cusp of a significant transformation, driven by artificial intelligence (AI). As businesses strive to enhance customer experience and optimize operations, the integration of AI is proving to be a game-changer. From improving communication to streamlining services, the adoption of AI is reshaping the industry in unprecedented ways.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Sustainability Through Digitalization&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;While sustainability is a prominent topic across industries, its integration with AI in hospitality is subtle yet impactful. Digitalization, facilitated by AI, reduces the need for physical interactions and optimizes resources. For instance, fewer back-and-forth communications and streamlined staffing processes result in resource conservation and reduced environmental impact. Though not always measured directly, the optimization introduced by AI contributes to a more sustainable operational model.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Personalization at Scale&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;One of the most remarkable advancements brought about by AI is in the realm of personalization. Luxury hospitality, which thrives on tailored experiences, is now leveraging AI to exceed customer expectations. Unlike humans, who may struggle with multitasking and emotional biases, AI systems excel at analyzing vast datasets to predict customer preferences and needs. Specialized AI agents, trained on specific tasks, can provide highly customized services, offering recommendations, resolving issues, and even anticipating future needs based on past behavior.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For example, AI-driven systems can analyze guest reviews and feedback to craft responses that are both empathetic and professional, devoid of emotional biases. This level of precision not only enhances customer satisfaction but also reinforces brand credibility.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;img src=\&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/313/c347de.jpg\&quot; alt=\&quot;EGLH1054398\&quot; data-align=\&quot;center\&quot; style=\&quot;width: 100%;\&quot;&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Real-Time Problem Solving&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;In an industry where timely service is paramount, AI’s ability to provide instant responses is invaluable. From addressing room issues to answering guest queries, AI ensures that problems are acknowledged and acted upon immediately. While the actual resolution may take time, the assurance of swift acknowledgment improves the overall guest experience.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Moreover, AI’s ability to operate 24/7 ensures uninterrupted service. This round-the-clock availability is especially beneficial in scenarios like early check-ins, late check-outs, and other time-sensitive requests.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Efficiency and Revenue Generation&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;AI is not just enhancing customer service; it’s also proving to be a significant revenue driver. By analyzing guest behavior, AI systems can predict and suggest upselling opportunities, such as room upgrades or personalized packages. These predictive capabilities, combined with data-driven insights, enable hospital
83ity businesses to optimize their revenue streams while simultaneously improving guest satisfaction.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, AI-powered solutions can significantly reduce operational costs. A single AI agent, costing a fraction of a full-time employee, can perform tasks equivalent to those of several staff members, ranging from answering queries to managing bookings. This efficiency not only improves the return on investment but also frees up human resources to focus on higher-value tasks.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;img src=\&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/313/2de072.jpg\&quot; alt=\&quot;EGLH1012384\&quot; data-align=\&quot;center\&quot; style=\&quot;width: 100%;\&quot;&gt;&lt;h3&gt;The Future of AI in Hospitality&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;While concerns about job displacement due to AI are valid, the industry is more likely to witness a shift rather than a reduction in employment. As AI takes over repetitive and operational tasks, new roles focused on managing, refining, and leveraging these technologies will emerge. Training staff to adapt to these changes will be essential, fostering a workforce that is both technologically savvy and customer-focused.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Collaboration between AI and human staff is key to maintaining the personal touch that defines hospitality. Luxury segments, in particular, will continue to prioritize human interaction, complemented by AI’s efficiency and accuracy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;A Collaborative Vision&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;As industry leaders explore the potential of AI, collaboration between technology providers, hoteliers, and experts is essential. The integration of AI into hospital
83ity is not just about automation; it’s about enhancing human potential and creating a seamless experience for guests. With continuous advancements, the possibilities for AI in hospitality are limitless, promising a future where technology and tradition coexist harmoniously.&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/313/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;Yulia Stark, President of European Women Association - Mario Enzesberger, Founder &amp; CEO Liberty International - Max Rangeley CEO Rebound TAG - Luca Zambello CEO Jurny\n&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:3,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:true,&quot;categoryId&quot;:45,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-01-04T17:36:52.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:45,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Annual Meeting 2024 - Brussels&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;annual-meeting-2024-brussels&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:10,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.946+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.052+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:null,&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:311,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Dato&#x27; Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif Advocates Cross-Border Collaboration at GTF Annual Meeting 2024&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;dato-seri-maimunah-mohd-sharif-advocates-cross-border-collaboration-at-gtf-annual-meeting-2024&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;The 2024 Global Tourism Forum (GTF) Annual Meeting became a powerful stage for thought leaders and policymakers to chart the future of global tourism. Among the highlights was a keynote speech by Dato&#x27; Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Mayor of Kuala Lumpur, who passionately outlined her vision for sustainable and inclusive tourism.\n\n\n&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kuala Lumpur Mayor Highlights the Role of Sustainable Innovation and Twin Cities Model in Shaping Global Tourism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The 2024 Global Tourism Forum (GTF) Annual Meeting became a powerful stage for thought leaders and policymakers to chart the future of global tourism. Among the highlights was a keynote speech by Dato&#x27; Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Mayor of Kuala Lumpur, who passionately outlined her vision for sustainable and inclusive tourism.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Addressing the audience, Dato&#x27; Seri Maimunah began by expressing gratitude to the World Tourism Forum Institute for the opportunity to share Malaysia’s story of innovation and sustainability in tourism. She underscored the importance of forums like GTF in fostering global cooperation to collectively shape the future of the tourism industry.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sustainability at the Core of Tourism Innovation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;The theme of this year’s GTF, &lt;strong&gt;“Sustainable Innovation in Tourism,”&lt;/strong&gt; resonated deeply with Dato&#x27; Seri Maimunah, who drew on her extensive experience as a former Mayor of Penang Island City Council and President of Seberang Perai Municipal Council. During her tenure in Penang, she championed culture-based urban tourism, particularly in Georgetown, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and introduced nature-based initiatives like the Pry River Festival and the Habitat Center at Penang Hill.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“These efforts were not only about attracting visitors but about creating meaningful connections with Malaysia and ensuring repeat visits through culturally enriching experiences,” she said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;She emphasized that sustainable tourism, when managed well, has the power to strengthen cultural identity and preserve natural assets for future generations. “As a grandmother and advisor to COP29, I appeal to all of you to innovate and develop new models of tourism that prioritize sustainability, inclusivity, and resilience,” she urged.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Twin Cities Model: A Blueprint for Collaboration&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dato&#x27; Seri Maimunah spotlighted the &lt;strong&gt;Twin Cities Model&lt;/strong&gt; as a cornerstone of her vision for cross-border collaboration. She described the model as a proven strategy for fostering partnerships between cities across borders to create unique and inclusive tourism experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Highlighting Kuala Lumpur’s partnerships with cities such as Ankara (Turkey), Casablanca (Morocco), Chennai (India), Isfahan (Iran), and Osaka (Japan), she explained how these alliances transcend symbolic agreements to serve as platforms for cooperation in cultural exchange, trade, education, and sustainable development.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“For instance, our partnership with Ankara and Casablanca has enabled us to explore heritage preservation techniques, while collaborations with Chennai and Osaka focus on urban tourism innovations,” she said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tourism as a Catalyst for Economic Growth&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dato&#x27; Seri Maimunah revealed ambitious projections for Kuala Lumpur’s tourism sector, expecting visitor numbers to grow from 20 million in 2023 to 35 million by 2040, generating RM 77 billion in revenue. However, she stressed that tourism’s success must go beyond numbers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“Tourism must generate jobs for locals, and we must ensure that public funds used for c
83onservation projects create tangible benefits for the poorest communities through job creation and the circular economy,” she stated.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Smart Cities and Creative Tourism: A Vision for the Future&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Advocating for people-centered smart cities, she showcased Kuala Lumpur’s adoption of smart city technologies, including AI-powered visitor guides and digital payment systems, which enhance visitor experiences while reducing environmental footprints.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dato&#x27; Seri Maimunah also shared Kuala Lumpur’s aspiration to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a “Creative City of Design.” She highlighted the federal government’s investment in strengthening the creative sector, citing events like the Klang River Festival and the Kuala Lumpur Creative and Cultural Festival as examples of culture-based urban regeneration.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;As she concluded her speech, Dato&#x27; Seri Maimunah called on the global tourism community to embrace collaboration and innovation. “The Twin Cities Model demonstrates the power of partnerships in achieving a shared vision for tourism that unites nations, uplifts communities, and safeguards our planet,” she remarked.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Her powerful address left the audience inspired to pursue transformative collaborations and sustainable practices, setting the tone for the future of global tourism.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With leaders like Dato&#x27; Seri Maimunah at the helm, Kuala Lumpur is not only cementing its position as a premier global destination but also serving as a beacon of innovation and sustainability in tourism development.&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/311/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;Dato&#x27; Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Mayor of Kuala Lumpur&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:3,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:true,&quot;categoryId&quot;:45,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2024-12-30T13:52:19.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:45,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Annual Meeting 2024 - Brussels&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;annual-meeting-2024-brussels&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:10,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.946+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.052+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:null,&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:310,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Bulut Bağcı Delivers Keynote at GTF Annual Meeting 2024&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;bulut-bagci-delivers-keynote-at-gtf-annual-meeting-2024&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;The much-anticipated GTF Annual Meeting 2024 kicked off with an inspiring keynote speech by Bulut Bağcı, President of the World Tourism Forum Institute (WTFI). Addressing a distinguished audience of global leaders, industry professionals, and government representatives, Bağcı outlined the institute’s vision for the future of tourism events and the expansion of its global initiatives.\n\n&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;The much-anticipated GTF Annual Meeting 2024 kicked off with an inspiring keynote speech by &lt;strong&gt;Bulut Bağcı&lt;/strong&gt;, President of the World Tourism Forum Institute (WTFI). Addressing a distinguished audience of global leaders, industry professionals, and government representatives, Bağcı outlined the institute’s vision for the future of tourism events and the expansion of its global initiatives.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“This year marks our fourth year of organizing the GTF in Brussels,” Bağcı began, reflecting on the journey that began during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. “When we first launched this initiative in 2021, we had no idea how much it would evolve. Today, in 2024, we are back in Brussels with a renewed strategy to amplify our impact.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Expansion Plans for 2025&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;In his address, Bağcı unveiled ambitious plans for the next edition of the Global Tourism Forum. Highlighting the growth trajectory of the event, he announced that the 2025 GTF will move to a larger venue with an exhibition space spanning &lt;strong&gt;10,000 square meters&lt;/strong&gt;. This expansion aims to attract a broader audience and provide an enhanced platform for collaboration and networking.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“Next year, we aim to host over 50 ministers and high-level speakers, including heads of state from around the world. This reflects our commitment to fostering dialogue at the highest levels of governance and industry,” Bağcı emphasized.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Partner Country Spotlight: Uzbekistan&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bağcı expressed gratitude to &lt;strong&gt;Uzbekistan&lt;/strong&gt;, the partner country for this year’s GTF. Reflecting on his recent visit to the country, he commended Uzbekistan&#x27;
83s leadership, rich culture, and outstanding hospitality.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“We had the privilege of visiting Uzbekistan just two months ago. The warmth of its people, its vibrant culture, and its incredible cuisine left a lasting impression,” Bağcı said. He also recognized the participation of Uzbek delegates in this year’s forum, underscoring their valuable contributions to the event.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Record-Breaking Attendance&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;This year’s GTF Annual Meeting has seen remarkable participation, with &lt;strong&gt;thousands of online attendees&lt;/strong&gt; joining the live broadcast alongside the in-person audience in Brussels. Bağcı highlighted this as a testament to the growing global interest in the forum and its role as a leading platform for tourism and investment discussions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“We’ve learned to streamline and optimize our programs while ensuring maximum impact. Today’s event is a reflection of that approach, and we’re thrilled to have so many participants, both online and offline,” he said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;A Vision for the Future&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Closing his keynote, Bağcı reiterated his commitment to advancing the Global Tourism Forum’s mission of fostering global tourism and investment opportunities. “With the right partnerships and continued support from our stakeholders, we are poised to take this platform to new heights,” he stated.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The GTF Annual Meeting 2024 continues with a series of panels, presentations, and networking sessions, bringing together stakeholders from across the tourism industry to shape the future of global travel.&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/310/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;Bulut Bağcı, President of the World Tourism Forum Institute (WTFI).&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:3,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:true,&quot;categoryId&quot;:45,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2024-12-29T15:02:16.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:45,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Annual Meeting 2024 - Brussels&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;annual-meeting-2024-brussels&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:10,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.946+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.052+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:null,&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:309,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;The Role of Film and Media in Driving Tourism and International Perception&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;the-role-of-film-and-media-in-driving-tourism-and-international-perception&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;At the recent GTF Annual Meeting , Turkish actor and producer Barış Kışlak delivered a compelling presentation, shedding light on how the global entertainment industry serves as a catalyst for tourism and investment. Kışlak highlighted how well-crafted storytelling, combined with strategic marketing, can turn even the most modest locations into international tourist hotspots.\n\n&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Film Tourism: How Movies and TV Productions Drive Global Travel and Investment&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Film and television productions have long influenced global tourism, transforming ordinary locations into iconic destinations. From the shores of Thailand to the mountains of New Zealand, the power of cinema has not only captivated audiences but also boosted local economies.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;At the recent GTF Annual Meeting , Turkish actor and producer &lt;strong&gt;Barış Kışlak&lt;/strong&gt; delivered a compelling presentation, shedding light on how the global entertainment industry serves as a catalyst for tourism and investment. Kışlak highlighted how 
83well-crafted storytelling, combined with strategic marketing, can turn even the most modest locations into international tourist hotspots.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Case Studies in Film Tourism&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Barış Kışlak shared a range of examples that spanned continents and genres. A Bollywood movie significantly increased Indian tourism to a small Spanish village, illustrating how targeted productions can influence travel patterns. Similarly, \&quot;The Lord of the Rings\&quot; trilogy brought global attention to New Zealand, leading to a surge in international visitors seeking the film’s breathtaking landscapes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Greek tourism received a boost from Hollywood’s Mamma Mia!, while Thailand&#x27;s Maya Bay, featured in The Beach, became so popular it had to be temporarily closed to recover from over-tourism. These examples underscored the power of film in attracting not just tourists but also international investment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kışlak also highlighted a Swedish success story involving the adaptation of a local novel into a British television series. The series, Wallander, resulted in an 18% increase in UK visitors to the village of Ystad, proving that strategic collaboration between local and international production companies can yield significant results.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Beyond Tourism: Cultural Diplomacy and Investment&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;In his presentation, Kışlak emphasized the broader implications of film productions. Beyond attracting tourists, they serve as vehicles for cultural diplomacy, breaking down misconceptions and reshaping global perceptions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“As a Turk living abroad, I’ve often encountered prejudice about my country,” Kışlak shared. “But through our TV series, people learned more about Turkey than I could ever explain. Productions like these bridge cultural gaps and open doors for tourism and investment.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kışlak also discussed the concept of \&quot;soft power,\&quot; noting how Turkish dramas, Bollywood films, and Hollywood blockbusters create goodwill and open economic opportunities. This cultural resonance can be leveraged to introduce other products, investments, or trade opportunities in markets already engaged with a country&#x27;s entertainment exports.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Economic Benefits of Film Productions&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;The economic impact of film productions was another key area of Kışlak&#x27;s presentation. Productions, he noted, create direct and indirect benefits for local economies. With crews ranging from 50 to 200 people, productions generate demand for services such as accommodation, catering, and transport. Larger productions often hire local talent, further integrating communities into the global film industry.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;The Future of Film Tourism&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kışlak concluded his presentation with a forward-looking perspective, emphasizing the need for strategic planning to harness the potential of film tourism. By understanding target audiences, crafting compelling narratives, and leveraging international partnerships, countries and regions can proactively use media productions to enhance their tourism and economic profile.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As Barış Kışlak aptly noted, “With the right approach, the magic of cinema can inspire not just audiences but also travelers and investors. It’s about creating a narrative that resonates globally while bringing tangible benefits to local communities.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With the lines between entertainment, tourism, and trade continuing to blur, the role of film and television in shaping global travel and investment is set to grow even further.&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/309/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;Barış Kışlak, CEO &amp; Producer, SKOPOS Creative\n&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:3,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:true,&quot;categoryId&quot;:45,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2024-12-28T16:44:56.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;
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83, exceptional infrastructure, and streamlined digital services, Dubai has become an ideal destination for both tourism and enterprise. “It’s a plug-and-play city. Unlike other places in the region, you land here and immediately become part of the network.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He added, “Our events offer more than networking. They’re a platform to experience &lt;strong&gt;luxury, culture, and commerce&lt;/strong&gt;—all in one evening.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Rise of Smart Tourism and E-Government&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Einstein was quick to highlight how Dubai’s &lt;strong&gt;e-government infrastructure&lt;/strong&gt; enhances its tourist experience. “Visa extensions, immigration, public services—you do it all online. No waiting, no paperwork. Even the &lt;strong&gt;smart gates at the airport&lt;/strong&gt; make you feel like the future has arrived.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He notes that while other countries may have advanced tech on paper, Dubai implements it with user-friendly efficiency. “Digital governance here is tourism’s silent partner. It makes everything smoother—from hotel check-ins to long-term stays.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tourism with Purpose&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Einstein also shared how unexpected word-of-mouth led to international recognition. “A potential partner in Milan was approached by someone who asked if they attend ‘Dubai Tech Tuesdays.’ That small moment led to a big business opportunity—&lt;strong&gt;a fractal explosion&lt;/strong&gt;, as I like to call it.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He believes this reflects a larger shift: “Post-COVID, people crave movement, connection, and discovery. &lt;strong&gt;Dubai meets all those needs&lt;/strong&gt;—not just for leisure, but for those building something bigger.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion: Dubai, the Future-Ready City&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Einstein’s insights confirm a growing consensus: &lt;strong&gt;Dubai is no longer just a luxury destination—it’s a global meeting point for entrepreneurs, creatives, and innovators.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\&quot;Whether you’re here for tourism, business, or a bit of both, Dubai offers a multimodal experience that leaves a lasting impact,\&quot; he concluded. \&quot;And the best part? &lt;strong&gt;You’ll always want to return.&lt;/strong&gt;\&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1122/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;\&quot;Whether you’re here for tourism, business, or a bit of both, Dubai offers a multimodal experience that leaves a lasting impact, And the best part? You’ll always want to return.\&quot; &quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:3,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:false,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-07-01T17:48:24.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:2,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;surname&quot;:&quot;Forum&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;global-tourism-forum&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;summary&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/authors/2/avatar.png&quot;,&quot;socials&quot;:{},&quot;adminUserId&quot;:null,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.898+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T01:02:54.833+03:00&quot;,&quot;fullName&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism Forum&quot;},&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:1089,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Bahruz Asgarov: “Tourism Must Be Rooted in Reality, Not Greenwashing”&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;bahruz-asgarov-tourism-must-be-rooted-in-reality-not-greenwashing&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;At the Global Tourism Forum’s Leaders Dinner in Dubai, Bahruz Asgarov, CEO of PASHA Travel LLC and former Deputy CEO of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board, shared insightful reflections on Azerbaijan’s tourism evolution, sustainability, and the importance of genuine, community-driven development.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;At the Global Tourism Forum’s Leaders Dinner in Dubai, &lt;strong&gt;Bahruz Asgarov&lt;/strong&gt;, CEO of &lt;strong&gt;PASHA Travel LLC&lt;/strong&gt; and former Deputy CEO of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board, shared insightful reflections on Azerbaijan’s tourism evolution, sustainability, and the importance of genuine, community-driven development.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div data-video-embed=\&quot;\&quot; class=\&quot;video-embed\&quot; data-provider=\&quot;vimeo\&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe loading=\&quot;lazy\&quot; allow=\&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen\&quot; allowfullscreen=\&quot;true\&quot; frameborder=\&quot;0\&quot; src=\&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1097119585?dnt=1&amp;amp;title=0&amp;amp;byline=0&amp;amp;portrait=0\&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;“It was an amazing night,” Asgarov said, praising the high-level discussions and guest curation at the event. “Sustainability emerged as one of the most vital topics—and rightly so. But we must go beyond greenwashing and ensure our initiatives truly support communities on the ground.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;From Policy to Practice: Azerbaijan’s Sustainable Tourism Journey&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;With a deep background in shaping Azerbaijan’s national tourism policy from the ground up, Asgarov explained how his work with the Azerbaijan Tourism Board laid the foundation for a new era. “We were there from the beginning, and it was five incredible years,” he said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He acknowledged Azerbaijan&#x27;
83s relative newcomer status in global tourism but stressed that the country quickly learned the dangers of unplanned growth. “We experienced firsthand the impact when tourism isn’t managed sustainably,” Asgarov noted. “That’s why we’ve worked hard to embed sustainable development principles across the industry—from hotel infrastructure to community-based tourism.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;PASHA Travel, through its sub-brand &lt;strong&gt;PASHA Holidays&lt;/strong&gt;, continues this mission by encouraging travelers to go beyond the capital city Baku. “We urge our visitors to explore Azerbaijan’s mountains, lakes, and villages. That’s where they meet local communities and discover the real Azerbaijan,” he explained. “But that authentic experience is only possible if it’s built sustainably.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tourism as an Economic Catalyst&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tourism, Asgarov emphasized, has had a transformative economic impact in Azerbaijan. “In the early boom years, tourism brought in around $2 billion USD. It was a powerful boost for the economy—not just for hospitality, but for every related sector.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He described tourism as a “conglomerate of sub-industries,” ranging from restaurants and hotels to car repair shops and retail services. “Tourism lifts them all. And that’s why our government has now identified it as a &lt;strong&gt;strategic development priority&lt;/strong&gt;,” he added.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Collaboration, Exchange, and the Role of GTF&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Asgarov lauded the &lt;strong&gt;Global Tourism Forum&lt;/strong&gt; for creating a “valuable platform for thought leadership.” He emphasized the importance of these international gatherings for exchanging ideas, generating business opportunities, and shaping the future of global tourism. “This is what we need now: strong networks, honest dialogue, and real strategies that lead to tangible outcomes,” he said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Vision for the Future&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Closing on an optimistic note, Asgarov reiterated his commitment to meaningful tourism development. “Azerbaijan has come a long way—but we still have much to build. With the right partnerships and a sincere focus on sustainable growth, we can make tourism a true driver of progress for our people, our economy, and our global image.”&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1089/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;Asgarov reiterated his commitment to meaningful tourism development. “Azerbaijan has come a long way—but we still have much to build. With the right partnerships and a sincere focus on sustainable growth, we can make tourism a true driver of progress for our people, our economy, and our global image.”&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:3,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:false,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-06-28T12:04:58.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:2,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;surname&quot;:&quot;Forum&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;global-tourism-forum&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;summary&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/authors/2/avatar.png&quot;,&quot;socials&quot;:{},&quot;adminUserId&quot;:null,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.898+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T01:02:54.833+03:00&quot;,&quot;fullName&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism Forum&quot;},&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:1078,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Frederico Fernandes Urges Closer Cooperation at GTF Leaders Dinner: “There Is No Tourism Without Aviation”&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;frederico-fernandes-urges-closer-cooperation-at-gtf-leaders-dinner-there-is-no-tourism-without-aviation&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;At the prestigious GTF Leaders Dinner in Dubai, Frederico Fernandes, Director of both the Arab Aviation Summit and the upcoming European Aviation Summit, delivered a powerful message on the urgent need to unite the tourism and aviation sectors under a shared vision.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;At the prestigious &lt;strong&gt;GTF Leaders Dinner in Dubai&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Frederico Fernandes&lt;/strong&gt;, Director of both the &lt;strong&gt;Arab Aviation Summit&lt;/strong&gt; and the upcoming &lt;strong&gt;European Aviation Summit&lt;/strong&gt;, delivered a powerful message on the urgent need to unite the tourism and aviation sectors under a shared vision.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“People often forget,” Fernandes said, “there is no modern tourism without aviation. It’s nearly impossible to dissociate the two anymore. Many destinations wouldn’t even exist on the global map without it.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div data-video-embed=\&quot;\&quot; class=\&quot;video-embed\&quot; data-provider=\&quot;vimeo\&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe loading=\&quot;lazy\&quot; allow=\&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen\&quot; allowfullscreen=\&quot;true\&quot; frameborder=\&quot;0\&quot; src=\&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1096511445?dnt=1&amp;amp;title=0&amp;amp;byline=0&amp;amp;portrait=0\&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;The aviation executive, who will co-host the &lt;strong&gt;European Aviation Summit in Brussels alongside the Global Tourism Forum&lt;/strong&gt;, emphasized that despite their deep interdependence, the aviation and tourism sectors rarely align strategically. “Me and Blu are trying to change that,” he shared. “It’s time we moved hand-in-hand, forging a joint future.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Aviation: More Than Just Travel&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Fernandes spoke passionately about aviation&#x27;
83s broader impact—beyond just transporting leisure travelers. “Aviation brings business travelers who fall in love with the destination and return as tourists. It brings migrants home to their families. It creates emotional connections, economic bridges, and cultural exchanges,” he explained.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He noted that aviation not only supports tourism, but also relies on it to thrive. “These sectors grow together. But they’ve been acting separately for too long.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Brussels Summit: A Turning Point&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;co-located summits in Brussels&lt;/strong&gt; will aim to address this fragmentation. Fernandes revealed plans to merge his global aviation network with the Global Tourism Forum’s powerful tourism leadership base. “We’re bringing together key decision-makers from both industries. Our goal is to start meaningful conversations, build new partnerships, and address mutual challenges—like &lt;strong&gt;sustainability&lt;/strong&gt;, which is a pressing issue in Europe but underdeveloped elsewhere,” he said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He emphasized the value of cross-regional learning: “We’ll bring expertise from the Middle East and Asia and combine it with European leadership. Together, we can design smarter, more inclusive aviation-tourism strategies.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reflecting on his experience in Dubai, Fernandes praised the GTF team: “I’d heard about Bulut Bagci and his team’s legacy before, but tonight I felt it for the first time. It was outstanding.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With strong momentum heading into Brussels, Fernandes concluded optimistically: “We’re excited to create something magical together. And I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again—&lt;strong&gt;in Brussels, very soon.&lt;/strong&gt;”&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1078/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;“People often forget,” Fernandes said, “there is no modern tourism without aviation. It’s nearly impossible to dissociate the two anymore. Many destinations wouldn’t even exist on the global map without it.”&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:2,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:true,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-06-26T11:41:25.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:2,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;surname&quot;:&quot;Forum&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;global-tourism-forum&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;summary&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/authors/2/avatar.png&quot;,&quot;socials&quot;:{},&quot;adminUserId&quot;:null,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.898+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T01:02:54.833+03:00&quot;,&quot;fullName&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism Forum&quot;},&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:1071,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;ICCA’s Anju Gomes: “Middle East Emerges as a Global Powerhouse for Business Events”&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;iccas-anju-gomes-middle-east-emerges-as-a-global-powerhouse-for-business-events&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;As the global events landscape evolves, the Middle East is emerging as one of the most dynamic and promising regions for large-scale international gatherings. Anju Gomes, Senior Regional Director of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), underscored this shift during her remarks at a recent global tourism and business events forum.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;As the global events landscape evolves, the Middle East is emerging as one of the most dynamic and promising regions for large-scale international gatherings. &lt;strong&gt;Anju Gomes&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Senior Regional Director of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA)&lt;/strong&gt;, underscored this shift during her remarks at a recent global tourism and business events forum.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With over &lt;strong&gt;1,000 members across 104 countries&lt;/strong&gt;, ICCA is a leading global association in the meetings industry, headquartered in Amsterdam. “We are the aggregators of over &lt;strong&gt;24,000 global association meetings&lt;/strong&gt;, helping shape the world through impactful, legacy-driven events,” said Gomes. “Our mission goes beyond tourism. It’s about the transformative effect events can have on cities and societies.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div data-video-embed=\&quot;\&quot; class=\&quot;video-embed\&quot; data-provider=\&quot;vimeo\&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe loading=\&quot;lazy\&quot; allow=\&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen\&quot; allowfullscreen=\&quot;true\&quot; frameborder=\&quot;0\&quot; src=\&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1095925670?dnt=1&amp;amp;title=0&amp;amp;byline=0&amp;amp;portrait=0\&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Middle East Leading the Way&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Gomes highlighted that the &lt;strong&gt;Middle East is now investing in the business events sector faster and more ambitiously than most other regions&lt;/strong&gt;
83, thanks to robust infrastructure and visionary planning. “We are witnessing a sharp rise in global attention towards this region,” she stated. “The UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have already proven their capabilities with mega-events like &lt;strong&gt;FIFA World Cup, COP Summits, and Expo&lt;/strong&gt;.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;She noted that cities across the region are now fully equipped with the infrastructure and hospitality standards necessary to host global conventions and congresses. “The Middle East is no longer on the sidelines. It’s now firmly on the global convention map,” she added.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Building Legacies Through Events&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What sets the region apart, according to Gomes, is the shift in mindset from merely hosting events to &lt;strong&gt;creating long-lasting legacies&lt;/strong&gt;. “We see a commitment not just to logistics, but to &lt;strong&gt;sustainability, knowledge transfer, and societal impact&lt;/strong&gt;,” she emphasized. “It’s a movement driven by changemakers who understand that business events can be powerful catalysts for growth and innovation.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Global Interest in the Region&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With offices in six regions including Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, ICCA has a bird’s-eye view of global trends. “There is strong interest worldwide to engage with the Middle East,” Gomes said. “This region has positioned itself as a leader, and the future is promising.”&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1071/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;With offices in six regions including Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, ICCA has a bird’s-eye view of global trends. “There is strong interest worldwide to engage with the Middle East,” Gomes said. “This region has positioned itself as a leader, and the future is promising.”&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:2,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:false,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-06-24T19:32:35.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:2,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;surname&quot;:&quot;Forum&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;global-tourism-forum&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;summary&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/authors/2/avatar.png&quot;,&quot;socials&quot;:{},&quot;adminUserId&quot;:null,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.898+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T01:02:54.833+03:00&quot;,&quot;fullName&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism Forum&quot;},&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:1050,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Jamila Aliyeva: “From Conversation to Cooperation—Azerbaijan’s Tourism Embraces Global Dialogue”&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;jamila-aliyeva-from-conversation-to-cooperation-azerbaijans-tourism-embraces-global-dialogue&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;At the prestigious Global Tourism Forum Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai, Jamila Aliyeva, Co-owner of Green Apple Travel Agency and Chairwoman of the Incoming Tourism Commission of Azerbaijan&#x27;s Tourism Agencies Association, delivered a powerful message on collaboration, innovation, and transformation in global tourism.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;At the prestigious &lt;strong&gt;Global Tourism Forum Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Jamila Aliyeva&lt;/strong&gt;, Co-owner of &lt;strong&gt;Green Apple Travel Agency&lt;/strong&gt; and Chairwoman of the Incoming Tourism Commission of Azerbaijan&#x27;
83s Tourism Agencies Association, delivered a powerful message on &lt;strong&gt;collaboration, innovation, and transformation in global tourism&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Representing Azerbaijan on a Global Stage&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jamila proudly marked Azerbaijan’s debut at the Leaders’ Dinner, stating, “As I understood, we were the &lt;strong&gt;first participants from Azerbaijan&lt;/strong&gt; at this kind of gathering. It was a great experience to represent both my company and my colleagues in the tourism industry.” Her leadership and vision showcased Azerbaijan’s growing engagement with the global tourism economy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div data-video-embed=\&quot;\&quot; class=\&quot;video-embed\&quot; data-provider=\&quot;vimeo\&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe loading=\&quot;lazy\&quot; allow=\&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen\&quot; allowfullscreen=\&quot;true\&quot; frameborder=\&quot;0\&quot; src=\&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1094952419?dnt=1&amp;amp;title=0&amp;amp;byline=0&amp;amp;portrait=0\&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Platform for Global Partnerships&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Highlighting the strength of the event’s international networking, Jamila praised the format: “We met great investors and had meaningful negotiations about how to evolve and contribute as industry representatives from different countries. We moved &lt;strong&gt;from conversation to cooperation&lt;/strong&gt;—a crucial transition in today’s interconnected world.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Post-Pandemic Tourism: A New Era Begins&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reflecting on the changing dynamics of travel, she noted, “The world of tourism has changed after the pandemic. The rules have shifted. We now need &lt;strong&gt;new structures and innovative thinking&lt;/strong&gt;. Companies that adapt and set new standards are thriving.” She emphasized that travel, tourism, and hospitality are no longer just services but emotional experiences that “bring us joy and make us feel alive.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Joining the Global Tourism Institute&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Aliyeva expressed excitement about the opportunity to join the &lt;strong&gt;Global Tourism Institute&lt;/strong&gt;, crediting its leadership for clearly outlining the &lt;strong&gt;value of membership and international collaboration&lt;/strong&gt;. “We were informed about how participation can contribute to our business lives—and I was truly amazed. We will go back to Azerbaijan and share this vision.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jamila Aliyeva’s message was clear: &lt;strong&gt;global dialogue, fresh thinking, and inclusive cooperation&lt;/strong&gt; are the future of tourism. Her participation in the forum marked an important step for Azerbaijan’s integration into high-level tourism diplomacy and global investment networks.&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1050/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;Jamila Aliyeva’s message was clear: global dialogue, fresh thinking, and inclusive cooperation are the future of tourism. Her participation in the forum marked an important step for Azerbaijan’s integration into high-level tourism diplomacy and global investment networks.&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:2,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:false,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-06-20T11:24:16.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:2,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;surname&quot;:&quot;Forum&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;global-tourism-forum&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;summary&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/authors/2/avatar.png&quot;,&quot;socials&quot;:{},&quot;adminUserId&quot;:null,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.898+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T01:02:54.833+03:00&quot;,&quot;fullName&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism Forum&quot;},&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:1043,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Luis Alfonso de Alba: Strengthening Global Tourism Through Multilateral Cooperation&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;luis-alfonso-de-alba-strengthening-global-tourism-through-multilateral-cooperation&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;During the prestigious Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai, Luis Alfonso de Alba, Mexican Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, emphasized the vital role of tourism in global economic and societal development, calling for deeper multilateral cooperation and institutional modernization.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;During the prestigious Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai, &lt;strong&gt;Luis Alfonso de Alba&lt;/strong&gt;, Mexican Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, emphasized the vital role of &lt;strong&gt;tourism in global economic and societal development&lt;/strong&gt;, calling for deeper multilateral cooperation and institutional modernization.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div data-video-embed=\&quot;\&quot; class=\&quot;video-embed\&quot; data-provider=\&quot;vimeo\&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe loading=\&quot;lazy\&quot; allow=\&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen\&quot; allowfullscreen=\&quot;true\&quot; frameborder=\&quot;0\&quot; src=\&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1094667743?dnt=1&amp;amp;title=0&amp;amp;byline=0&amp;amp;portrait=0\&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tourism: A Global Economic Engine&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ambassador de Alba noted that tourism is a key contributor to national economies around the world. “Tourism represents a significant share of the GDP in the United Arab Emirates and is the &lt;strong&gt;third-largest source of income for Mexico&lt;/strong&gt;,” he highlighted. With millions of tourists visiting Mexico each year, the sector remains a powerful engine for economic growth, job creation, and cultural exchange.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Empowering the UN Tourism Body&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A major theme of the evening was the need to &lt;strong&gt;strengthen the role of international institutions&lt;/strong&gt;, particularly the &lt;strong&gt;UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)&lt;/strong&gt;. De Alba advocated for a modernization agenda that includes embracing &lt;strong&gt;new technologies&lt;/strong&gt;, supporting &lt;strong&gt;inclusive growth&lt;/strong&gt;, and helping nations &lt;strong&gt;identify untapped tourism opportunities&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
83“The UN tourism body must evolve to become more capable, efficient, and relevant for countries around the world,” he explained. This, he added, will help maximize the benefits of tourism while ensuring no sector of society is left behind.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Platform for Global Vision and Collaboration&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reflecting on the atmosphere of the event, Ambassador de Alba praised the &lt;strong&gt;UAE’s convening power&lt;/strong&gt; and the &lt;strong&gt;international diversity&lt;/strong&gt; of the gathering. “It’s impressive to see stakeholders from aviation, hospitality, infrastructure, and government all in one room,” he said. “These individuals influence not just local, but &lt;strong&gt;global tourism strategy and decision-making&lt;/strong&gt;.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;De Alba emphasized the importance of events like the Leaders’ Dinner for fostering dialogue, networking, and shared vision: “It’s about building the kind of leadership and institutions needed to guide tourism forward — inclusively and sustainably.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Looking Ahead&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Ambassador concluded by reaffirming Mexico’s commitment to global collaboration in the tourism sector. As the industry continues to transform, &lt;strong&gt;multilateral partnerships&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;strong international institutions&lt;/strong&gt; will be essential to unlocking its full potential — not just economically, but socially and culturally as well.&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1043/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;The Ambassador concluded by reaffirming Mexico’s commitment to global collaboration in the tourism sector. As the industry continues to transform, multilateral partnerships and strong international institutions will be essential to unlocking its full potential — not just economically, but socially and culturally as well.&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:2,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:true,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-06-19T15:26:06.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:2,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;surname&quot;:&quot;Forum&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;global-tourism-forum&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;summary&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/authors/2/avatar.png&quot;,&quot;socials&quot;:{},&quot;adminUserId&quot;:null,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.898+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T01:02:54.833+03:00&quot;,&quot;fullName&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism Forum&quot;},&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:1030,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Raki Phillips: Ras Al Khaimah Eyes Bold Tourism Growth with Mega Projects and Sustainability Goals&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;raki-phillips-ras-al-khaimah-eyes-bold-tourism-growth-with-mega-projects-and-sustainability-goals&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), shared an ambitious vision for the emirate’s tourism future during the recent Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai. As one of the fastest-growing destinations in the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah is embracing transformation on all fronts — from infrastructure and hotel development to sustainability and international partnerships.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), shared an ambitious vision for the emirate’s tourism future during the recent Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai. As one of the fastest-growing destinations in the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah is embracing transformation on all fronts — from infrastru
83cture and hotel development to sustainability and international partnerships.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div data-video-embed=\&quot;\&quot; class=\&quot;video-embed\&quot; data-provider=\&quot;vimeo\&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe loading=\&quot;lazy\&quot; allow=\&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen\&quot; allowfullscreen=\&quot;true\&quot; frameborder=\&quot;0\&quot; src=\&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1093683596?dnt=1&amp;amp;title=0&amp;amp;byline=0&amp;amp;portrait=0\&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tourism: A Pillar of Economic Growth&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“Tourism contributes 12% to the UAE’s GDP and employs over 750,000 people,” said Phillips. “Ras Al Khaimah is no exception to this growth story.” The emirate plans to &lt;strong&gt;triple its tourist arrivals&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;double its hotel room inventory&lt;/strong&gt; in the next five years, marking a new chapter in its economic development.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The tourism sector is also the &lt;strong&gt;fastest-growing contributor to Ras Al Khaimah’s GDP&lt;/strong&gt;, and Phillips expects it to account for a third of the emirate’s economy within a decade.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Landmark Projects and Global Brands&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Leading the wave of development is the &lt;strong&gt;Wynn Integrated Resort&lt;/strong&gt; on Al Marjan Island — a first-of-its-kind 1,500-room resort that will redefine the hospitality landscape in the region. “It’s our biggest project to date,” Phillips noted.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In addition, Ras Al Khaimah is attracting some of the world’s top luxury brands. Recent announcements include &lt;strong&gt;Four Seasons&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Nobu Hotel&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;W Hotel&lt;/strong&gt;, and &lt;strong&gt;Fairmont&lt;/strong&gt;, demonstrating the emirate’s rising appeal to upscale travelers and investors alike.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sustainability as a Strategic Priority&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As global attention on sustainability intensifies, Ras Al Khaimah is taking a leadership role. The emirate was recently &lt;strong&gt;certified Silver as the first sustainable tourism destination in the region&lt;/strong&gt;, working with &lt;strong&gt;EarthCheck&lt;/strong&gt; from Australia to implement a comprehensive, responsible growth strategy aligned with the &lt;strong&gt;United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Phillips emphasized that sustainability is not just a buzzword for Ras Al Khaimah — it’s a roadmap. “We’ve created a tourism development floor plan that integrates economic growth with environmental and cultural preservation,” he said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;International Recognition and Collaboration&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reflecting on his participation at the Leaders’ Dinner, Phillips expressed enthusiasm for the level of global engagement at the event. “It was an unbelievable networking opportunity. I met ambassadors, tourism heads, and stakeholders from across the world — from Barbados to the Caribbean,” he said. “These are the kinds of conversations that spark collaboration and inspire new possibilities.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ras Al Khaimah is positioning itself as a powerhouse destination — one that balances growth with purpose. With world-class hospitality brands, pioneering sustainability credentials, and a strategic vision for expansion, the emirate is not just following the UAE’s tourism success story — it’s helping to write the next chapter.&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1030/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;Ras Al Khaimah is positioning itself as a powerhouse destination — one that balances growth with purpose. With world-class hospitality brands, pioneering sustainability credentials, and a strategic vision for expansion, the emirate is not just following the UAE’s tourism success story — it’s helping to write the next chapter.&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:2,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:false,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-06-16T17:42:20.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;
83displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:2,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;surname&quot;:&quot;Forum&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;global-tourism-forum&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;summary&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/authors/2/avatar.png&quot;,&quot;socials&quot;:{},&quot;adminUserId&quot;:null,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.898+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T01:02:54.833+03:00&quot;,&quot;fullName&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism Forum&quot;},&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:1011,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;John Sage and Accessible Travel: The Last Untapped Market in Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;accessible-travel-the-last-untapped-market-in-global-tourism&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;At the Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai, John Sage — CEO of Accessible Travel Solutions and a recognized global leader in inclusive tourism — delivered a compelling call to action for the travel industry. As a manual wheelchair user and founder of three companies dedicated to accessible travel — Sage Traveling, Sage Inclusion, and Accessible Travel Solutions — Sage is not only a passionate advocate but also a proven entrepreneur in this often-overlooked sector.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;At the Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai, John Sage — CEO of Accessible Travel Solutions and a recognized global leader in inclusive tourism — delivered a compelling call to action for the travel industry. As a manual wheelchair user and founder of three companies dedicated to accessible travel — Sage Traveling, Sage Inclusion, and Accessible Travel Solutions — Sage is not only a passionate advocate but also a proven entrepreneur in this often-overlooked sector.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Market Hiding in Plain Sight&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;According to Sage, approximately 20% of the global population lives with some form of disability. Yet this significant demographic is routinely underserved by travel providers. \&quot;Accessible travel is the last untapped travel demographic,\&quot; he explained. “Many people with disabilities don’t travel — not because they don’t want to, but because of the barriers they face. From inaccessible facilities to a lack of reliable information, the hurdles are everywhere.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sage believes that the current system discourages a vast number of potential travelers. The lack of clear, detailed accessibility information prevents millions from feeling confident enough to leave their homes. “Information is power,” he said. “If someone with a disability doesn’t know whether a hotel room, a tour, or a transportation option will meet their needs, they won’t take the risk.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div data-video-embed=\&quot;\&quot; class=\&quot;video-embed\&quot; data-provider=\&quot;vimeo\&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe loading=\&quot;lazy\&quot; allow=\&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen\&quot; allowfullscreen=\&quot;true\&quot; frameborder=\&quot;0\&quot; src=\&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1093070927?dnt=1&amp;amp;title=0&amp;amp;byline=0&amp;amp;portrait=0\&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Three Pillars of Accessible Tourism&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sage outlined what he calls the “three pillars of accessible travel”:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Facilities&lt;/strong&gt; – Infrastructure must accommodate a range of mobility and sensory needs, from wheelchair-accessible entrances to auditory and visual aids.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Customer Service&lt;/strong&gt; – This includes policies, processes, and staff training that reflect awareness and inclusivity at every touchpoint.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Accessibility Information&lt;/strong&gt; – Arguably the most overlooked element, providing comprehensive, transparent details about what travelers can expect is key to building trust and encouraging bookings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Two of Sage’s companies operate as accessible tour providers, addressing these pillars by delivering reliable, tailored experiences for travelers with disabilities. His third company focuses on consulting, training, and strategy development to help destinations and businesses become more inclusive and competitive.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Aging Demographic and a Booming Opportunity&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sage emphasized that the accessible travel market is poised for explosive growth — not only because of increased awareness but due to shifting demographics. “People are living longer and aging into disability,” he said. “It might be a mobility issue, a heart condition, or hearing loss — these are not people who were born with disabilities, but they now require additional support.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This group is also financially empowered. Retirees typically have the time and disposable income to travel, often during non-peak seasons — a trend that helps address overtourism and supports sustainability efforts.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;“Accessible tourism is not only a moral imperative,” Sage explained, “it’s a smart, strategic move for destinations. The demand is there. The spending power is real. The only thing missing is action.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A Call to the Global Tourism Industry&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;John Sage’s message in Dubai was clear: the tourism industry must evolve to meet the needs of travelers with disabilities. By investing in accessibility — not only in physical infrastru
83cture but in training and communication — destinations can unlock a rapidly growing market, improve their reputation, and build a more sustainable tourism future.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As the world continues to prioritize inclusion and equity, accessible travel is no longer a niche — it’s the future.&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1011/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;John Sage’s message in Dubai was clear: the tourism industry must evolve to meet the needs of travelers with disabilities. By investing in accessibility — not only in physical infrastructure but in training and communication — destinations can unlock a rapidly growing market, improve their reputation, and build a more sustainable tourism future.&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:3,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:false,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-06-13T17:40:08.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:2,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;surname&quot;:&quot;Forum&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;global-tourism-forum&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;summary&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/authors/2/avatar.png&quot;,&quot;socials&quot;:{},&quot;adminUserId&quot;:null,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.898+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T01:02:54.833+03:00&quot;,&quot;fullName&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism Forum&quot;},&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:989,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Martin Boyle: “Business Events Are the Silent Architects of Societal Progress”&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;martin-boyle-business-events-are-the-silent-architects-of-societal-progress&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;Martin Boyle, CEO of the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO), leads a network that delivered over 20,000 global events in 2024—ranging from major government forums to complex medical and legal congresses. Speaking at the GTF Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai, Boyle highlighted the far-reaching impact of the business events sector on both the global economy and human progress.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Martin Boyle&lt;/strong&gt;, CEO of the &lt;strong&gt;International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO)&lt;/strong&gt;, leads a network that delivered over &lt;strong&gt;20,000 global events in 2024&lt;/strong&gt;—ranging from major government forums to complex medical and legal congresses. Speaking at the GTF Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai, Boyle highlighted the far-reaching impact of the business events sector on both the global economy and human progress.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div data-video-embed=\&quot;\&quot; class=\&quot;video-embed\&quot; data-provider=\&quot;vimeo\&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe loading=\&quot;lazy\&quot; allow=\&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen\&quot; allowfullscreen=\&quot;true\&quot; frameborder=\&quot;0\&quot; src=\&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1091730062?dnt=1&amp;amp;title=0&amp;amp;byline=0&amp;amp;portrait=0\&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;“My members are the companies delivering large-scale conferences and events—everything from 500 to 50,000 delegates. In 2024 alone, those events generated approximately &lt;strong&gt;
83€18 billion in economic value&lt;/strong&gt; for host cities around the world.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;But economic value is only part of the story. Boyle emphasizes the &lt;strong&gt;societal legacy&lt;/strong&gt; created by these gatherings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;“When 5,000 surgeons meet in Dubai, yes, they spend money—but more importantly, they exchange knowledge, collaborate, and sometimes develop solutions that impact the world. One such legacy is the &lt;strong&gt;HPV vaccine&lt;/strong&gt;, which was born out of a serendipitous meeting between two doctors at a Sydney conference. That vaccine has since saved millions of lives.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;This, Boyle argues, is the &lt;strong&gt;true power of business events&lt;/strong&gt;—their ability to ignite collaboration that transcends industries and borders.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Toward a More Sustainable Industry&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;Boyle acknowledges that the events industry faces &lt;strong&gt;serious sustainability challenges&lt;/strong&gt;, but says meaningful progress is underway.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;“We’re not the most sustainable industry, and we know that. But we’re working hard to improve. IAPCO is part of the &lt;strong&gt;Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC)&lt;/strong&gt;, which has launched a &lt;strong&gt;carbon measurement and offsetting tool&lt;/strong&gt; endorsed by the United Nations. It helps us track and report carbon footprints, so we can benchmark and improve over time.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;h3&gt;First Time at GTF – and Building Future Partnerships&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;p&gt;It was Boyle’s first time attending a GTF event, and the experience left a strong impression.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;“It was a pleasure to receive the invitation. The real power of such gatherings is evident when you meet people from all corners of the world. I spoke with ministers from Mexico and Madagascar—connections I wouldn&#x27;t have made otherwise. My wife is involved in a project in Madagascar, and I was able to discuss that directly with the minister. It’s not even tourism-related, but it shows how truly interconnected our world is.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;Looking ahead, Boyle expressed a keen interest in future collaboration between IAPCO and the Global Tourism Forum.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;“We’re exploring ways to align with GTF’s upcoming events, including the one in &lt;strong&gt;Brussels this October&lt;/strong&gt;. IAPCO is all about building bridges and partnerships. This is only the beginning.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/989/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;“We’re exploring ways to align with GTF’s upcoming events, including the one in Brussels this October. IAPCO is all about building bridges and partnerships. This is only the beginning.”&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:2,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:false,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-06-09T13:44:11.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:2,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;surname&quot;:&quot;Forum&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;global-tourism-forum&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;summary&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/authors/2/avatar.png&quot;,&quot;socials&quot;:{},&quot;adminUserId&quot;:null,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.898+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T01:02:54.833+03:00&quot;,&quot;fullName&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism Forum&quot;},&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:968,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Sayed Mohammed Siam Hosseini: Building a Global Tech Hub&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;building-a-global-tech-hub-a-conversation-with-sayed-mohammed-siam-hosseini-co-founder-of-dubai-tech-tuesdays&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;At a recent high-level gathering in Dubai hosted by the World Tourism Forum Institute, we caught up with one of the city’s rising innovation leaders: Sayed Mohammed Siam Hosseini, Co-Founder of Dubai Tech-Tuesdays. In a warm and insightful conversation, Hosseini spoke passionately about Dubai’s role as a global platform for te
83chnology and entrepreneurship, as well as the fast-growing community he’s helping build.\n&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;At a recent high-level gathering in Dubai hosted by the World Tourism Forum Institute, we caught up with one of the city’s rising innovation leaders: Sayed Mohammed Siam Hosseini, Co-Founder of Dubai Tech-Tuesdays. In a warm and insightful conversation, Hosseini spoke passionately about Dubai’s role as a global platform for technology and entrepreneurship, as well as the fast-growing community he’s helping build.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div data-video-embed=\&quot;\&quot; class=\&quot;video-embed\&quot; data-provider=\&quot;vimeo\&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe loading=\&quot;lazy\&quot; allow=\&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen\&quot; allowfullscreen=\&quot;true\&quot; frameborder=\&quot;0\&quot; src=\&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1090810385?dnt=1&amp;amp;title=0&amp;amp;byline=0&amp;amp;portrait=0\&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“Dubai Is Laying the Foundations for the Future”&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Expressing his appreciation for the event and the people he met there, Hosseini began by acknowledging the UAE’s exceptional infrastructure and visionary leadership:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;“The UAE is at the forefront of everything that matters for community growth—especially in technology and innovation. What’s unique is that they’re not just building for today, but creating the foundational infrastructure for the future—from the ground up.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;For Hosseini, Dubai’s progress is deeply rooted in bold leadership. He credits leaders like &lt;strong&gt;Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed&lt;/strong&gt; for transforming vision into reality:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;“They’re ruling this country with big, bold visions. It’s this leadership that makes people around the world say, ‘Yes, we can trust this place with our lives, our families, and our futures.’”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Creating a Community Through Tech&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sayed is the co-founder of &lt;strong&gt;Dubai Tech-Tuesdays&lt;/strong&gt;, a weekly gathering that has rapidly become one of the city’s most dynamic platforms for tech networking and collaboration.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;“At its core, Tech-Tuesdays is about &lt;strong&gt;connecting people&lt;/strong&gt;,” he explained. “We bring together entrepreneurs, investors, engineers, and innovators from around the world. Some make deals, others just make meaningful connections—and that’s success either way.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;The event isn’t just about mingling. Each week, top-tier speakers from cutting-edge technology sectors take the stage. Recent highlights include appearances by &lt;strong&gt;Brock Pierce&lt;/strong&gt;, crypto pioneer and philanthropist, and &lt;strong&gt;Sandeep Nailwal&lt;/strong&gt;, Co-Founder of Polygon.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;“We’re lucky to have world-class voices share their insights here in Dubai,” he said. “Even those who don’t live here—like Brock Pierce—talk about how they feel the &lt;strong&gt;impact of Dubai’s leadership globally&lt;/strong&gt;. That says something powerful about this city.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;As Dubai continues to grow into a magnet for tech talent, entrepreneurs like Hosseini are helping shape its narrative—not just as a business-friendly city, but as a global beacon of innovation and opportunity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;“We’re just getting started,” he smiled. “With the right mindset and leadership, Dubai will continue to be a launchpad for the boldest ideas and the brightest people.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/968/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;As Dubai continues to grow into a magnet for tech talent, entrepreneurs like Hosseini are helping shape its narrative—not just as a business-friendly city, but as a global beacon of innovation and opportunity.&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:2,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:false,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-06-05T17:00:52.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;
83displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:2,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;surname&quot;:&quot;Forum&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;global-tourism-forum&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;summary&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/authors/2/avatar.png&quot;,&quot;socials&quot;:{},&quot;adminUserId&quot;:null,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.898+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T01:02:54.833+03:00&quot;,&quot;fullName&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism Forum&quot;},&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:958,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Şekip Hardal: Shaping the Future of Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;shaping-the-future-of-global-tourism-an-interview-with-sekip-hardal-vice-president-of-the-wtfi&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;During the recent Leaders Dinner hosted as part of the Global Tourism Forum’s high-level gathering in Dubai, we had the opportunity to speak with Şekip Hardal, Vice President of the World Tourism Forum Institute (WTFI) and the organization’s ambassador to the United States. In a conversation that reflected both vision and ambition, Hardal shared insights on the power of global dialogue, upcoming initiatives, and WTFI’s role in driving the tourism agenda forward.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;During the recent Leaders Dinner hosted as part of the Global Tourism Forum’s high-level gathering in Dubai, we had the opportunity to speak with Şekip Hardal, Vice President of the World Tourism Forum Institute (WTFI) and the organization’s ambassador to the United States. In a conversation that reflected both vision and ambition, Hardal shared insights on the power of global dialogue, upcoming initiatives, and WTFI’s role in driving the tourism agenda forward.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div data-video-embed=\&quot;\&quot; class=\&quot;video-embed\&quot; data-provider=\&quot;vimeo\&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe loading=\&quot;lazy\&quot; allow=\&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen\&quot; allowfullscreen=\&quot;true\&quot; frameborder=\&quot;0\&quot; src=\&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1090023682?dnt=1&amp;amp;title=0&amp;amp;byline=0&amp;amp;portrait=0\&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;An Elite Gathering in Dubai&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Reflecting on the atmosphere at the Leaders Dinner, Hardal was visibly energized by the level of participation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;“It was truly amazing,” he said. “Ambassadors, ministers, and high-level representatives from the private sector were all present. Events like this provide rare opportunities for genuine, high-impact networking.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Next Stop: Davos, Brussels, and Miami&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As WTFI continues to expand its global footprint, Hardal shared news of several major events in the pipeline.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;“Following Dubai, we are planning another exclusive networking dinner in Davos during the World Economic Forum,” he said.&lt;br&gt;“We’re also preparing for one of our flagship events—a major summit in Brussels on &lt;strong&gt;October 20–21, 2025&lt;/strong&gt;. And in what we see as a milestone for our work in the Americas, we’re planning a significant Global Tourism Forum summit in &lt;strong&gt;Miami, Florida&lt;/strong&gt; next year.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;These events are designed not just as conferences, but as platforms for thought leadership and policy development—bringing together tourism ministers, CEOs, investors, and strategists from around the world.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tourism’s Global Brainstorming Table&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hardal emphasized that WTFI’s events are more than ceremonial gatherings—they are engines of transformation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;“These summits are about brainstorming and collective vision. We bring decision-makers and private sector leaders into one room to shape the future of global tourism,” he explained.&lt;br&gt;“We discuss everything—artificial intelligence, sustainability, economic impact, and innovation—both at government level and from the perspective of private enterprise.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why It Matters&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In a world where tourism is increasingly influenced by technology, environmental imperatives, and geopolitical shifts, Hardal argues that WTFI plays a crucial role as a convening force.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;“The Global Tourism Forum is, in my opinion, the &lt;strong&gt;most prestigious tourism event in the world&lt;/strong&gt;,” he stated. “Any government or company involved in tourism must be part of this conversation. Together, we are building the future of the industry.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;From Dubai to Davos, Brussels to Miami, the World Tourism Forum Institute continues to position itself as a central actor in shaping global tourism policy. As its calendar fills with strategic gatherings, the organization’s mission remains clear: to drive tourism forward through collaboration, innovation, and influence at the highest levels.&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/958/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;From Dubai to Davos, Brussels to Miami, the World Tourism Forum Institute continues to position itself as a central actor in shaping global tourism policy. As its calendar fills with strategic gatherings, the organization’s mission remains clear: to drive tourism forward through collaboration, innovation, and influence at the highest levels.&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:2,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:false,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:false,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-06-03T18:58:01.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;
83displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:2,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;surname&quot;:&quot;Forum&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;global-tourism-forum&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;summary&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/authors/2/avatar.png&quot;,&quot;socials&quot;:{},&quot;adminUserId&quot;:null,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.898+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T01:02:54.833+03:00&quot;,&quot;fullName&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism Forum&quot;},&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]},{&quot;id&quot;:952,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Dr. Ronen Dagon Unveils the Future of AI for Travel at GTF Leaders Dinner&quot;,&quot;subtitle&quot;:null,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;ai-visionary-dr-ronen-dagon-unveils-the-future-of-travel-at-gtf-leaders-dinner&quot;,&quot;summary&quot;:&quot;Speaking at the Global Tourism Forum Leaders Dinner, Dr. Ronen Dagon, Chairman of leading AI companies Compass and Resonai, delivered a compelling glimpse into how artificial intelligence is poised to transform the global tourism industry. From airports and hotels to shopping centers and entire cities, Dagon outlined a sweeping digital revolution that promises to reshape the traveler experience over the next decade.&quot;,&quot;body&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Speaking at the Global Tourism Forum Leaders Dinner, Dr. Ronen Dagon, Chairman of leading AI companies Compass and Resonai, delivered a compelling glimpse into how artificial intelligence is poised to transform the global tourism industry. From airports and hotels to shopping centers and entire cities, Dagon outlined a sweeping digital revolution that promises to reshape the traveler experience over the next decade.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div data-video-embed=\&quot;\&quot; class=\&quot;video-embed\&quot; data-provider=\&quot;vimeo\&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe loading=\&quot;lazy\&quot; allow=\&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; fullscreen\&quot; allowfullscreen=\&quot;true\&quot; frameborder=\&quot;0\&quot; src=\&quot;https://player.vimeo.com/video/1089670791?dnt=1&amp;amp;title=0&amp;amp;byline=0&amp;amp;portrait=0\&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;While not directly rooted in tourism, Dr. Dagon’s role as chairman of major investment groups specializing in AI has placed him at the forefront of next-generation technologies with wide applications across the sector. “Everything in tourism—from hotels and airlines to airports—will soon be driven by artificial intelligence,” he said. “We’re only at the beginning of this revolution.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One of the standout projects discussed was Resonai’s work on digital twin technology, currently being deployed at Dubai Mall. The concept involves creating a three-dimensional virtual replica of a physical space, enabling real-time interaction and insights. “It’s not just a map,” explained Dr. Dagon. “It’s a living simulation of the environment, down to the electrical wiring and plumbing. Whether you’re a maintenance technician or a customer, you can navigate, interact, and manage everything from your phone—or soon, your smart glasses.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In hotels, Dagon predicts a complete transformation: AI-powered check-ins, robotic room service, personalized in-room experiences controlled via voice or gesture, and comprehensive automation of human resources. “Your phone—or wearable device—will be your room key, your concierge, and your remote control,” he said. “The guest experience will become seamless, intuitive, and entirely digital.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
83He also emphasized the role of AI in enhancing airport efficiency, safety, and customer service. “Airports will be run like intelligent ecosystems,” he said. “From centralized operations to flight data and passenger navigation, everything will be optimized by AI.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dr. Dagon offered a futuristic view of travel in 10 years’ time, where smartphones will give way to AI-powered glasses equipped with embedded cameras and microphones. “We will no longer need to type or touch screens,” he said. “You’ll speak to your glasses, see the menu of a restaurant before you arrive, order your meal, and navigate through unfamiliar buildings—all hands-free and instantly.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;While the AI transition will inevitably reshape job roles, Dr. Dagon stressed that the overall effect will be increased efficiency and improved customer satisfaction. “Some jobs will evolve, but the industry will be more cost-effective for management and far more convenient for travelers,” he said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Calling artificial intelligence “our future best friend,” Dr. Dagon urged industry stakeholders to embrace the changes ahead. “This is not just innovation—it’s a full-scale revolution in how tourism operates. In five to ten years, nothing will look the same.”&lt;/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;coverImage&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/952/cover.jpg&quot;,&quot;coverCaption&quot;:&quot;Calling artificial intelligence “our future best friend,” Dr. Dagon urged industry stakeholders to embrace the changes ahead. “This is not just innovation—it’s a full-scale revolution in how tourism operates. In five to ten years, nothing will look the same.”&quot;,&quot;durationMinutes&quot;:2,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;status&quot;:&quot;published&quot;,&quot;viewCount&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;isOnHomepage&quot;:true,&quot;isHighlighted&quot;:false,&quot;categoryId&quot;:48,&quot;authorId&quot;:2,&quot;displayCreatedAt&quot;:&quot;2025-06-02T20:29:59.000+03:00&quot;,&quot;displayUpdatedAt&quot;:null,&quot;scheduledAt&quot;:null,&quot;category&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:48,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;leaders-dinner-dubai-2025&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:null,&quot;color&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;displayOrder&quot;:13,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.951+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T00:49:40.055+03:00&quot;},&quot;author&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:2,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism&quot;,&quot;surname&quot;:&quot;Forum&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;global-tourism-forum&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;summary&quot;:null,&quot;image&quot;:&quot;https://media.globaltourismforum.org/authors/2/avatar.png&quot;,&quot;socials&quot;:{},&quot;adminUserId&quot;:null,&quot;createdAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-08T23:02:26.898+03:00&quot;,&quot;updatedAt&quot;:&quot;2026-07-10T01:02:54.833+03:00&quot;,&quot;fullName&quot;:&quot;Global Tourism Forum&quot;},&quot;relatedArticles&quot;:[]}],&quot;total&quot;:90,&quot;perPage&quot;:12,&quot;currentPage&quot;:1,&quot;lastPage&quot;:8},&quot;seo&quot;:{&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Articles&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:&quot;In-depth features, analysis and long reads on the future of travel and tourism.&quot;,&quot;canonical&quot;:&quot;https://globaltourismforum.org/media/articles&quot;}},&quot;deferredProps&quot;:{},&quot;mergeProps&quot;:[],&quot;deepMergeProps&quot;:[]}"><div class="group/site relative flex min-h-screen flex-col has-promo-strip pb-28 md:pb-20"><div class="relative overflow-hidden bg-onyx text-white" data-top-promo="true"><div class="site-container flex h-[var(--site-promo-bar-height)] items-center gap-4 text-sm"><span class="cat-badge hidden shrink-0 md:inline-flex">World Tourism Awards 2026</span><p class="flex-1 text-[0.84rem] leading-snug text-white/90 line-clamp-2 md:line-clamp-1">Applications are still open for some categories — submit yours before the deadline closes!</p><a class="group inline-flex min-h-7 shrink-0 items-center gap-1.5 whitespace-nowrap text-[0.85rem] font-semibold text-white transition-colors hover:text-primary-bright" href="/world-tourism-awards-2026-application-form">Submission<span aria-hidden="true" class="inline-block translate-x-0 transition-transform group-hover:translate-x-1">→</span></a><button aria-label="Dismiss announcement" class="inline-flex size-7 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full border border-white/20 text-white/70 transition hover:border-primary hover:text-primary" type="button"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-x h-3.5 w-3.5" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M18 6 6 18"></path><path d="m6 6 12 12"></path></svg></button></div></div><header class="top-0 z-50 text-white sticky transition-[transform,background-color] duration-300 ease-out motion-reduce:transition-none bg-masthead" data-header-hidden="false" data-header-transparent="false" data-site-header="true"><a class="sr-only rounded-full bg-brass px-4 py-2 text-[0.875rem] font-semibold text-navy-950 focus:not-sr-only focu
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83acity-0 border-b border-white/10 lg:border-b-0" style="transition-delay:0ms" data-nav-panel="forum"><h2 class="font-display tracking-[-0.03em]"><button aria-controls="site-nav-forum" aria-expanded="false" class="group flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-4 py-4 text-left text-[1.3rem] font-bold transition-colors lg:hidden focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-white/70 text-white/80" type="button"><span>Forum</span><span aria-hidden="true" class="grid h-8 w-8 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-full transition-all duration-300 bg-white/[0.06] text-white/60"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-chevron-down h-4 w-4" aria-hidden="true"><path d="m6 9 6 6 6-6"></path></svg></span></button><span class="hidden pb-5 text-[1.35rem] font-bold text-white lg:block">Forum</span></h2><div class="nav-collapse" data-expanded="false" id="site-nav-forum"><div><div class="pb-5 lg:pb-0"><div class="mb-8 last:mb-0 lg:mb-10"><p class="text-[0.8rem] font-bold uppercase tracking-[0.11em] text-white/60">About GTF</p><ul class="mt-2"><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/about"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">About</span><span class="mt-0.5 block text-[0.83rem] leading-snug text-white/65">An initiative of the World Tourism Forum Institute</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/secretary-general"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Secretary General</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/secretariat"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Secretariat</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/testimonials"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Testimonials</span></a></li></ul></div><div class="mb-8 last:mb-0 lg:mb-10"><p class="text-[0.8rem] font-bold uppercase tracking-[0.11em] text-white/60">Network</p><ul class="mt-2"><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/speakers"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Speakers</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/partnership"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Partners</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/verification"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Verification</span></a></li></ul></div><div class="mb-8 last:mb-0 lg:mb-10"><p class="text-[0.8rem] font-bold uppercase tracking-[0.11em] text-white/60">President</p><ul class="mt-2"><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/president"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">President</span></a></li></ul></div></div></div></div></div><div class="transition-[opacity,transform] duration-500 ease-out motion-reduce:transition-none translate-y-3 op
83acity-0 border-b border-white/10 lg:border-b-0" style="transition-delay:0ms" data-nav-panel="events"><h2 class="font-display tracking-[-0.03em]"><button aria-controls="site-nav-events" aria-expanded="false" class="group flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-4 py-4 text-left text-[1.3rem] font-bold transition-colors lg:hidden focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-white/70 text-white/80" type="button"><span>Events</span><span aria-hidden="true" class="grid h-8 w-8 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-full transition-all duration-300 bg-white/[0.06] text-white/60"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-chevron-down h-4 w-4" aria-hidden="true"><path d="m6 9 6 6 6-6"></path></svg></span></button><span class="hidden pb-5 text-[1.35rem] font-bold text-white lg:block">Events</span></h2><div class="nav-collapse" data-expanded="false" id="site-nav-events"><div><div class="pb-5 lg:pb-0"><div class="mb-8 last:mb-0 lg:mb-10"><p class="text-[0.8rem] font-bold uppercase tracking-[0.11em] text-white/60">Upcoming</p><ul class="mt-2"><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/events/annual-meeting-2026"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Annual Meeting 2026 · Brussels</span><span class="mt-0.5 block text-[0.83rem] leading-snug text-white/65">9–10 November · Royal Museums of Fine Arts</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/events/world-tourism-awards-2026"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">World Tourism Awards 2026</span><span class="mt-0.5 block text-[0.83rem] leading-snug text-white/65">Held alongside the Annual Meeting</span></a></li></ul></div><div class="mb-8 last:mb-0 lg:mb-10"><p class="text-[0.8rem] font-bold uppercase tracking-[0.11em] text-white/60">Archive</p><ul class="mt-2"><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="https://globaltourismforum.org/events/investment-summit-angola-2026"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Angola Investment Summit 2026</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/events/annual-meeting-2025"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Annual Meeting 2025</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/events/annual-meeting-2024"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Annual Meeting 2024</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/events/investment-forum-fergana"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Fergana Investment Forum</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/events/annual-meeting-2023"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Annual Meeting 2023</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/events"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">All events</span></a></li></ul></div></div></div></div></div><div class="transition-[opacity,transform] duration-500 ease-out motion-reduce:transition-none translate-y-3 op
83acity-0 border-b border-white/10 lg:border-b-0" style="transition-delay:0ms" data-nav-panel="media"><h2 class="font-display tracking-[-0.03em]"><button aria-controls="site-nav-media" aria-expanded="true" class="group flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-4 py-4 text-left text-[1.3rem] font-bold transition-colors lg:hidden focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-white/70 text-white" type="button"><span>Media</span><span aria-hidden="true" class="grid h-8 w-8 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-full transition-all duration-300 rotate-180 bg-white/15 text-white"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-chevron-down h-4 w-4" aria-hidden="true"><path d="m6 9 6 6 6-6"></path></svg></span></button><span class="hidden pb-5 text-[1.35rem] font-bold text-white lg:block">Media</span></h2><div class="nav-collapse" data-expanded="true" id="site-nav-media"><div><div class="pb-5 lg:pb-0"><div class="mb-8 last:mb-0 lg:mb-10"><p class="text-[0.8rem] font-bold uppercase tracking-[0.11em] text-white/60">Content platform</p><ul class="mt-2"><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/media"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Media Center</span><span class="mt-0.5 block text-[0.83rem] leading-snug text-white/65">The Forum’s media platform</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/media/news"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">News</span></a></li><li><a aria-current="page" class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none bg-white/[0.09]" href="/media/articles"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white">Articles</span></a></li></ul></div><div class="mb-8 last:mb-0 lg:mb-10"><p class="text-[0.8rem] font-bold uppercase tracking-[0.11em] text-white/60">Watch &amp; read</p><ul class="mt-2"><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/media/sessions"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Sessions</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/media/townhalls"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Townhalls</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/media/reports"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Reports</span></a></li></ul></div><div class="mb-8 last:mb-0 lg:mb-10"><p class="text-[0.8rem] font-bold uppercase tracking-[0.11em] text-white/60">Galleries</p><ul class="mt-2"><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/gtf-on-media"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">GTF on media</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/event-reports"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Event reports</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/video-gallery"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Highlight Videos</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/photo-gallery"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Photo Gallery</span></a></li></ul></div></div></div></div></div><div class="transition-[opacity,transform] duration-500 ease-out motion-reduce:transition-none translate-y-3 op
83acity-0 border-b border-white/10 lg:border-b-0" style="transition-delay:0ms" data-nav-panel="participate"><h2 class="font-display tracking-[-0.03em]"><button aria-controls="site-nav-participate" aria-expanded="false" class="group flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-4 py-4 text-left text-[1.3rem] font-bold transition-colors lg:hidden focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-white/70 text-white/80" type="button"><span>Participate</span><span aria-hidden="true" class="grid h-8 w-8 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded-full transition-all duration-300 bg-white/[0.06] text-white/60"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-chevron-down h-4 w-4" aria-hidden="true"><path d="m6 9 6 6 6-6"></path></svg></span></button><span class="hidden pb-5 text-[1.35rem] font-bold text-white lg:block">Participate</span></h2><div class="nav-collapse" data-expanded="false" id="site-nav-participate"><div><div class="pb-5 lg:pb-0"><div class="mb-8 last:mb-0 lg:mb-10"><p class="text-[0.8rem] font-bold uppercase tracking-[0.11em] text-white/60">Attend</p><ul class="mt-2"><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/purchase-pass"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Purchase a pass</span><span class="mt-0.5 block text-[0.83rem] leading-snug text-white/65">Delegate, investor and press access</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/membership"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Membership</span></a></li></ul></div><div class="mb-8 last:mb-0 lg:mb-10"><p class="text-[0.8rem] font-bold uppercase tracking-[0.11em] text-white/60">Apply</p><ul class="mt-2"><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/speaker-form"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Speak at GTF</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/world-tourism-awards-2026-application-form"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Awards nomination</span></a></li><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/partnership"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Partnership</span></a></li></ul></div><div class="mb-8 last:mb-0 lg:mb-10"><p class="text-[0.8rem] font-bold uppercase tracking-[0.11em] text-white/60">Reach us</p><ul class="mt-2"><li><a class="group/link -mx-3 block rounded-xl px-3 py-2 transition-colors duration-200 hover:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:bg-white/[0.07] focus-visible:outline-none" href="/contact"><span class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[0.95rem] font-semibold transition-colors group-hover/link:text-white group-focus-visible/link:text-white text-white/80">Contact</span></a></li></ul></div></div></div></div></div><div class="transition-[opacity,transform] duration-500 ease-out motion-reduce:transition-none translate-y-3 op
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83acity-0 mt-10 flex flex-col gap-2.5 sm:flex-row lg:hidden" style="transition-delay:0ms"><a class="group inline-flex select-none items-center justify-center gap-2 rounded-full font-semibold tracking-[-0.005em] transition-[background-color,color,box-shadow,transform] duration-200 focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring focus-visible:ring-offset-2 focus-visible:ring-offset-transparent h-11 px-6 text-[0.9375rem] md:h-10 md:px-5 md:text-[0.875rem] bg-brass text-navy-950 shadow-prestige hover:bg-brass-bright active:translate-y-px disabled:pointer-events-none disabled:opacity-55 w-full sm:flex-1" data-cta="true" href="/purchase-pass">Purchase pass</a></div><div class="transition-[opacity,transform] duration-500 ease-out motion-reduce:transition-none translate-y-3 opacity-0 mt-auto flex flex-wrap items-center gap-x-5 gap-y-2 border-t border-white/10 pt-4" style="transition-delay:0ms"><a class="inline-flex min-h-9 items-center text-[0.8125rem] font-medium 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80">Articles</h1><p class="mt-4 max-w-2xl text-[1.02rem] leading-relaxed text-ink/65">In-depth features, analysis and long reads on the future of travel and tourism.</p></header><nav aria-label="Categories" class="relative mt-4 border-b border-ink/15 pb-4"><div class="flex items-center"><span class="mr-3 hidden shrink-0 text-[0.8125rem] font-semibold text-ink/45 sm:inline">Topics</span><div class="relative min-w-0 flex-1"><div class="scrollbar-none flex items-center gap-2 overflow-x-auto scroll-smooth py-1"><a class="shrink-0 whitespace-nowrap rounded-full bg-ink/5 px-4 py-2 text-[0.875rem] font-semibold text-ink/70 transition-colors hover:bg-primary hover:text-primary-foreground focus-visible:bg-primary focus-visible:text-primary-foreground" href="/media/category/destinations">Destinations</a><a class="shrink-0 whitespace-nowrap rounded-full bg-ink/5 px-4 py-2 text-[0.875rem] font-semibold text-ink/70 transition-colors hover:bg-primary hover:text-primary-foreground focus-visible:bg-primary focus-visible:text-primary-foreground" href="/media/category/hospitality">Hospitality</a><a class="shrink-0 whitespace-nowrap rounded-full bg-ink/5 px-4 py-2 text-[0.875rem] font-semibold text-ink/70 transition-colors hover:bg-primary hover:text-primary-foreground focus-visible:bg-primary focus-visible:text-primary-foreground" href="/media/category/innovation">Innovation</a><a class="shrink-0 whitespace-nowrap rounded-full bg-ink/5 px-4 py-2 text-[0.875rem] font-semibold text-ink/70 transition-colors hover:bg-primary hover:text-primary-foreground focus-visible:bg-primary focus-visible:text-primary-foreground" href="/media/category/investment">Investment</a><a class="shrink-0 whitespace-nowrap rounded-full bg-ink/5 px-4 py-2 text-[0.875rem] font-semibold text-ink/70 transition-colors hover:bg-primary hover:text-primary-foreground focus-visible:bg-primary focus-visible:text-primary-foreground" href="/media/category/brussels">Brussels</a><a class="shrink-0 whitespace-nowrap rounded-full bg-ink/5 px-4 py-2 text-[0.875rem] font-semibold text-ink/70 transition-colors hover:bg-primary hover:text-primary-foreground focus-visible:bg-primary focus-visible:text-primary-foreground" href="/media/category/dubai">Dubai</a><a class="shrink-0 whitespace-nowrap rounded-full bg-ink/5 px-4 py-2 text-[0.875rem] font-semibold text-ink/70 transition-colors hover:bg-primary hover:text-primary-foreground focus-visible:bg-primary focus-visible:text-primary-foreground" href="/media/category/jakarta">Jakarta</a><a class="shrink-0 whitespace-nowrap rounded-full bg-ink/5 px-4 py-2 text-[0.875rem] font-semibold text-ink/70 transition-colors hover:bg-primary hover:text-primary-foreground focus-visible:bg-primary focus-visible:text-primary-foreground" href="/media/category/year-2100-summit">Year 2100 Summit</a><a class="shrink-0 whitespace-nowrap rounded-full bg-ink/5 px-4 py-2 text-[0.875rem] font-semibold text-ink/70 transition-colors hover:bg-primary hover:text-primary-foreground focus-visible:bg-primary focus-visible:text-primary-foreground" href="/media/category/annual-meeting-2023">Annual Meeting 2023</a><a class="shrink-0 whitespace-nowrap rounded-full bg-ink/5 px-4 py-2 text-[0.875rem] font-semibold text-ink/70 transition-colors hover:bg-primary hover:text-primary-foreground focus-visible:bg-primary focus-visible:text-primary-foreground" href="/media/category/annual-meeting-2024-brussels">Annual Meeting 2024 - Brussels</a><a class="shrink-0 whitespace-nowrap rounded-full bg-ink/5 px-4 py-2 text-[0.875rem] font-semibold text-ink/70 transition-colors hover:bg-primary hover:text-primary-foreground focus-visible:bg-primary focus-visible:text-primary-foreground" href="/media/category/annual-meeting-2025-brussels">Annual Meeting 2025 - Brussels</a><a class="shrink-0 whitespace-nowrap rounded-full bg-ink/5 px-4 py-2 text-[0.875rem] font-semibold text-ink/70 transition-colors hover:bg-primary hover:text-primary-foreground focus-visible:bg-primary focus-visible:text-primary-foreground" href="/media/category/annual-meeting-2016">Annual Meeting 2016</a><a class="shrink-0 whitespace-nowrap rounded-full bg-ink/5 px-4 py-2 text-[0.875rem] font-semibold text-ink/70 transition-colors hover:bg-primary hover:text-primary-foreground focus-visible:bg-primary focus-visible:text-primary-foreground" href="/media/category/leaders-dinner-dubai-2025">Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025</a><a class="shrink-0 whitespace-nowrap rounded-full bg-ink/5 px-4 py-2 text-[0.875rem] font-semibold text-ink/70 transition-colors hover:bg-primary hover:text-primary-foreground focus-visible:bg-primary focus-visible:text-primary-foreground" href="/media/category/angola-investment-summit-2026">Angola Investment Summit 2026</a></div><span aria-hidden="true" class="pointer-events-none absolute inset-y-0 w-10 transition-opacity duration-200 left-0 bg-linear-to-r from-background to-transparent opacity-0"></span><span aria-hidden="true" class="pointer-events-none absolute inset-y-0 w-10 transition-opacity duration-200 right-0 bg-linear-to-l from-background to-transparent opacity-0"></span></div></div></nav><section aria-label="Featured" class="mt-10"><div class="grid gap-8 lg:grid-cols-12"><div class="group relative flex flex-col lg:col-span-7"><div class="relative overflow-hidden rounded-lg bg-muted aspect-[16/10]"><img alt="" class="h-full w-full object-cover transition-transform duration-700 ease-out group-hover:scale-[1.04]" loading="lazy" src="https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1122/cover.jpg"/><a aria-label="Browse Leaders&#x27; 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Dinner Dubai 2025" class="cat-chip" href="/media/category/leaders-dinner-dubai-2025">Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025</a><h3 class="font-display mt-2 line-clamp-3 text-[1.02rem] font-semibold leading-snug text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary"><a class="stretched-link" href="/media/articles/bahruz-asgarov-tourism-must-be-rooted-in-reality-not-greenwashing">Bahruz Asgarov: “Tourism Must Be Rooted in Reality, Not Greenwashing”</a></h3><span class="meta-text meta-text--sm mt-2 block text-ink/55">28 Jun 2025</span></div></div><div class="group relative flex gap-4"><div class="relative aspect-[4/3] w-28 shrink-0 overflow-hidden rounded-lg bg-muted sm:w-36"><img alt="" class="h-full w-full object-cover transition duration-700 group-hover:scale-105" loading="lazy" src="https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1078/cover.jpg"/></div><div class="min-w-0 flex-1"><a aria-label="Browse Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025" class="cat-chip" href="/media/category/leaders-dinner-dubai-2025">Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025</a><h3 class="font-display mt-2 line-clamp-3 text-[1.02rem] font-semibold leading-snug text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary"><a class="stretched-link" href="/media/articles/frederico-fernandes-urges-closer-cooperation-at-gtf-leaders-dinner-there-is-no-tourism-without-aviation">Frederico Fernandes Urges Closer Cooperation at GTF Leaders Dinner: “There Is No Tourism Without Aviation”</a></h3><span class="meta-text meta-text--sm mt-2 block text-ink/55">26 Jun 2025</span></div></div><div class="group relative flex gap-4"><div class="relative aspect-[4/3] w-28 shrink-0 overflow-hidden rounded-lg bg-muted sm:w-36"><img alt="" class="h-full w-full object-cover transition duration-700 group-hover:scale-105" loading="lazy" src="https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1071/cover.jpg"/></div><div class="min-w-0 flex-1"><a aria-label="Browse Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025" class="cat-chip" href="/media/category/leaders-dinner-dubai-2025">Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025</a><h3 class="font-display mt-2 line-clamp-3 text-[1.02rem] font-semibold leading-snug text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary"><a class="stretched-link" href="/media/articles/iccas-anju-gomes-middle-east-emerges-as-a-global-powerhouse-for-business-events">ICCA’s Anju Gomes: “Middle East Emerges as a Global Powerhouse for Business Events”</a></h3><span class="meta-text meta-text--sm mt-2 block text-ink/55">24 Jun 2025</span></div></div><div class="group relative flex gap-4"><div class="relative aspect-[4/3] w-28 shrink-0 overflow-hidden rounded-lg bg-muted sm:w-36"><img alt="" class="h-full w-full object-cover transition duration-700 group-hover:scale-105" loading="lazy" src="https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1050/cover.jpg"/></div><div class="min-w-0 flex-1"><a aria-label="Browse Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025" class="cat-chip" href="/media/category/leaders-dinner-dubai-2025">Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025</a><h3 class="font-display mt-2 line-clamp-3 text-[1.02rem] font-semibold leading-snug text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary"><a class="stretched-link" href="/media/articles/jamila-aliyeva-from-conversation-to-cooperation-azerbaijans-tourism-embraces-global-dialogue">Jamila Aliyeva: “From Conversation to Cooperation—Azerbaijan’s Tourism Embraces Global Dialogue”</a></h3><span class="meta-text meta-text--sm mt-2 block text-ink/55">20 Jun 2025</span></div></div></div></div></section><div class="mt-14 grid gap-10 lg:grid-cols-12"><section class="lg:col-span-8"><div class="label-eyebrow border-b border-ink/15 pb-3">Latest</div><div class="mt-8 grid gap-x-7 gap-y-10 sm:grid-cols-2"><div class="group relative flex flex-col"><div class="relative overflow-hidden rounded-lg bg-muted aspect-[4/3]"><img alt="" class="h-full w-full object-cover transition-transform duration-700 ease-out group-hover:scale-[1.04]" loading="lazy" src="https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1043/cover.jpg"/><a aria-label="Browse Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025" class="cat-badge absolute left-3 top-3" href="/media/category/leaders-dinner-dubai-2025">Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025</a></div><div class="flex flex-1 flex-col mt-5"><h3 class="font-display font-semibold text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary text-xl"><a class="stretched-link" href="/media/articles/luis-alfonso-de-alba-strengthening-global-tourism-through-multilateral-cooperation">Luis Alfonso de Alba: Strengthening Global Tourism Through Multilateral Cooperation</a></h3><p class="mt-3 text-ink/65 line-clamp-2 text-[0.88rem] leading-relaxed">During the prestigious Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai, Luis Alfonso de Alba, Mexican Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, emphasized the vital role of tourism in global economic and societal development, calling for deeper multilateral cooperation and institutional modernization.</p><div class="mt-4 flex items-center gap-3 text-[0.72rem] text-ink/55"><span>Global Tourism Forum</span><span aria-hidden="true" class="inline-block h-1 w-1 rounded-full bg-ink/25"></span><span class="meta-text meta-text--sm text-ink/70">19 Jun 2025</span></div></div></div><div class="group relative flex flex-col"><div class="relative overflow-hidden rounded-lg bg-muted aspect-[4/3]"><img alt="" class="h-full w-full object-cover transition-transform duration-700 ease-out group-hover:scale-[1.04]" loading="lazy" src="https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1030/cover.jpg"/><a aria-label="Browse Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025" class="cat-badge absolute left-3 top-3" href="/media/category/leaders-dinner-dubai-2025">Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025</a></div><div class="flex flex-1 flex-col mt-5"><h3 class="font-display font-semibold text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary text-xl"><a class="stretched-link" href="/media/articles/raki-phillips-ras-al-khaimah-eyes-bold-tourism-growth-with-mega-projects-and-sustainability-goals">Raki Phillips: Ras Al Khaimah Eyes Bold Tourism Growth with Mega Projects and Sustainability Goals</a></h3><p class="mt-3 text-ink/65 line-clamp-2 text-[0.88rem] leading-relaxed">Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), shared an ambitious vision for the emirate’s tourism future during the recent Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai. As one of the fastest-growing destinations in the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah is embracing transformation on all fronts — from infrastru
83cture and hotel development to sustainability and international partnerships.</p><div class="mt-4 flex items-center gap-3 text-[0.72rem] text-ink/55"><span>Global Tourism Forum</span><span aria-hidden="true" class="inline-block h-1 w-1 rounded-full bg-ink/25"></span><span class="meta-text meta-text--sm text-ink/70">16 Jun 2025</span></div></div></div><div class="group relative flex flex-col"><div class="relative overflow-hidden rounded-lg bg-muted aspect-[4/3]"><img alt="" class="h-full w-full object-cover transition-transform duration-700 ease-out group-hover:scale-[1.04]" loading="lazy" src="https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/1011/cover.jpg"/><a aria-label="Browse Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025" class="cat-badge absolute left-3 top-3" href="/media/category/leaders-dinner-dubai-2025">Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025</a></div><div class="flex flex-1 flex-col mt-5"><h3 class="font-display font-semibold text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary text-xl"><a class="stretched-link" href="/media/articles/accessible-travel-the-last-untapped-market-in-global-tourism">John Sage and Accessible Travel: The Last Untapped Market in Global Tourism</a></h3><p class="mt-3 text-ink/65 line-clamp-2 text-[0.88rem] leading-relaxed">At the Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai, John Sage — CEO of Accessible Travel Solutions and a recognized global leader in inclusive tourism — delivered a compelling call to action for the travel industry. As a manual wheelchair user and founder of three companies dedicated to accessible travel — Sage Traveling, Sage Inclusion, and Accessible Travel Solutions — Sage is not only a passionate advocate but also a proven entrepreneur in this often-overlooked sector.</p><div class="mt-4 flex items-center gap-3 text-[0.72rem] text-ink/55"><span>Global Tourism Forum</span><span aria-hidden="true" class="inline-block h-1 w-1 rounded-full bg-ink/25"></span><span class="meta-text meta-text--sm text-ink/70">13 Jun 2025</span></div></div></div><div class="group relative flex flex-col"><div class="relative overflow-hidden rounded-lg bg-muted aspect-[4/3]"><img alt="" class="h-full w-full object-cover transition-transform duration-700 ease-out group-hover:scale-[1.04]" loading="lazy" src="https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/989/cover.jpg"/><a aria-label="Browse Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025" class="cat-badge absolute left-3 top-3" href="/media/category/leaders-dinner-dubai-2025">Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025</a></div><div class="flex flex-1 flex-col mt-5"><h3 class="font-display font-semibold text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary text-xl"><a class="stretched-link" href="/media/articles/martin-boyle-business-events-are-the-silent-architects-of-societal-progress">Martin Boyle: “Business Events Are the Silent Architects of Societal Progress”</a></h3><p class="mt-3 text-ink/65 line-clamp-2 text-[0.88rem] leading-relaxed">Martin Boyle, CEO of the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO), leads a network that delivered over 20,000 global events in 2024—ranging from major government forums to complex medical and legal congresses. Speaking at the GTF Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai, Boyle highlighted the far-reaching impact of the business events sector on both the global economy and human progress.</p><div class="mt-4 flex items-center gap-3 text-[0.72rem] text-ink/55"><span>Global Tourism Forum</span><span aria-hidden="true" class="inline-block h-1 w-1 rounded-full bg-ink/25"></span><span class="meta-text meta-text--sm text-ink/70">09 Jun 2025</span></div></div></div><div class="group relative flex flex-col"><div class="relative overflow-hidden rounded-lg bg-muted aspect-[4/3]"><img alt="" class="h-full w-full object-cover transition-transform duration-700 ease-out group-hover:scale-[1.04]" loading="lazy" src="https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/968/cover.jpg"/><a aria-label="Browse Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025" class="cat-badge absolute left-3 top-3" href="/media/category/leaders-dinner-dubai-2025">Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025</a></div><div class="flex flex-1 flex-col mt-5"><h3 class="font-display font-semibold text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary text-xl"><a class="stretched-link" href="/media/articles/building-a-global-tech-hub-a-conversation-with-sayed-mohammed-siam-hosseini-co-founder-of-dubai-tech-tuesdays">Sayed Mohammed Siam Hosseini: Building a Global Tech Hub</a></h3><p class="mt-3 text-ink/65 line-clamp-2 text-[0.88rem] leading-relaxed">At a recent high-level gathering in Dubai hosted by the World Tourism Forum Institute, we caught up with one of the city’s rising innovation leaders: Sayed Mohammed Siam Hosseini, Co-Founder of Dubai Tech-Tuesdays. In a warm and insightful conversation, Hosseini spoke passionately about Dubai’s role as a global platform for te
83chnology and entrepreneurship, as well as the fast-growing community he’s helping build.
84</p><div class="mt-4 flex items-center gap-3 text-[0.72rem] text-ink/55"><span>Global Tourism Forum</span><span aria-hidden="true" class="inline-block h-1 w-1 rounded-full bg-ink/25"></span><span class="meta-text meta-text--sm text-ink/70">05 Jun 2025</span></div></div></div><div class="group relative flex flex-col"><div class="relative overflow-hidden rounded-lg bg-muted aspect-[4/3]"><img alt="" class="h-full w-full object-cover transition-transform duration-700 ease-out group-hover:scale-[1.04]" loading="lazy" src="https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/958/cover.jpg"/><a aria-label="Browse Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025" class="cat-badge absolute left-3 top-3" href="/media/category/leaders-dinner-dubai-2025">Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025</a></div><div class="flex flex-1 flex-col mt-5"><h3 class="font-display font-semibold text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary text-xl"><a class="stretched-link" href="/media/articles/shaping-the-future-of-global-tourism-an-interview-with-sekip-hardal-vice-president-of-the-wtfi">Şekip Hardal: Shaping the Future of Global Tourism</a></h3><p class="mt-3 text-ink/65 line-clamp-2 text-[0.88rem] leading-relaxed">During the recent Leaders Dinner hosted as part of the Global Tourism Forum’s high-level gathering in Dubai, we had the opportunity to speak with Şekip Hardal, Vice President of the World Tourism Forum Institute (WTFI) and the organization’s ambassador to the United States. In a conversation that reflected both vision and ambition, Hardal shared insights on the power of global dialogue, upcoming initiatives, and WTFI’s role in driving the tourism agenda forward.</p><div class="mt-4 flex items-center gap-3 text-[0.72rem] text-ink/55"><span>Global Tourism Forum</span><span aria-hidden="true" class="inline-block h-1 w-1 rounded-full bg-ink/25"></span><span class="meta-text meta-text--sm text-ink/70">03 Jun 2025</span></div></div></div><div class="group relative flex flex-col"><div class="relative overflow-hidden rounded-lg bg-muted aspect-[4/3]"><img alt="" class="h-full w-full object-cover transition-transform duration-700 ease-out group-hover:scale-[1.04]" loading="lazy" src="https://media.globaltourismforum.org/article/952/cover.jpg"/><a aria-label="Browse Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025" class="cat-badge absolute left-3 top-3" href="/media/category/leaders-dinner-dubai-2025">Leaders&#x27; Dinner Dubai 2025</a></div><div class="flex flex-1 flex-col mt-5"><h3 class="font-display font-semibold text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary text-xl"><a class="stretched-link" href="/media/articles/ai-visionary-dr-ronen-dagon-unveils-the-future-of-travel-at-gtf-leaders-dinner">Dr. Ronen Dagon Unveils the Future of AI for Travel at GTF Leaders Dinner</a></h3><p class="mt-3 text-ink/65 line-clamp-2 text-[0.88rem] leading-relaxed">Speaking at the Global Tourism Forum Leaders Dinner, Dr. Ronen Dagon, Chairman of leading AI companies Compass and Resonai, delivered a compelling glimpse into how artificial intelligence is poised to transform the global tourism industry. From airports and hotels to shopping centers and entire cities, Dagon outlined a sweeping digital revolution that promises to reshape the traveler experience over the next decade.</p><div class="mt-4 flex items-center gap-3 text-[0.72rem] text-ink/55"><span>Global Tourism Forum</span><span aria-hidden="true" class="inline-block h-1 w-1 rounded-full bg-ink/25"></span><span class="meta-text meta-text--sm text-ink/70">02 Jun 2025</span></div></div></div></div><div class="mt-12 flex flex-col items-center gap-4 border-t border-ink/15 pt-8"><div class="meta-text meta-text--sm text-ink/55">Showing <!-- -->12<!-- --> <!-- -->stories</div><button class="group inline-flex select-none items-center justify-center gap-2 rounded-full font-semibold tracking-[-0.005em] transition-[background-color,color,box-shadow,transform] duration-200 focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring focus-visible:ring-offset-2 focus-visible:ring-offset-transparent h-10 px-5 text-[0.875rem] md:h-11 md:px-6 md:text-[0.9375rem] bg-ink/[0.055] text-ink ring-1 ring-inset ring-ink/[0.07] hover:bg-ink/[0.09] active:translate-y-
84px disabled:pointer-events-none disabled:opacity-55" type="button"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-plus h-4 w-4" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M5 12h14"></path><path d="M12 5v14"></path></svg>Load more stories</button></div></section><div class="lg:col-span-4"><aside class="lg:sticky" style="top:150px"><div><span class="label-eyebrow">Editor&#x27;s desk</span><h2 class="font-display mt-1.5 text-xl font-bold leading-tight text-ink">Highlights</h2><div aria-hidden="true" class="mt-3 h-[3px] w-12 bg-primary"></div></div><ol class="mt-4 divide-y divide-ink/10"><li><a class="group flex gap-3 py-3.5" href="/media/articles/luis-alfonso-de-alba-strengthening-global-tourism-through-multilateral-cooperation"><span class="font-mono text-[0.7rem] font-semibold leading-6 text-primary/70">01</span><div class="min-w-0"><h3 class="font-display line-clamp-3 text-[0.96rem] font-semibold leading-snug text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary">Luis Alfonso de Alba: Strengthening Global Tourism Through Multilateral Cooperation</h3><p class="mt-1 line-clamp-2 text-[0.8rem] leading-relaxed text-ink/55">During the prestigious Leaders’ Dinner in Dubai, Luis Alfonso de Alba, Mexican Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, emphasized the vital role of tourism in global economic and societal development, calling for deeper multilateral cooperation and institutional modernization.</p></div></a></li><li><a class="group flex gap-3 py-3.5" href="/media/articles/gloria-guevara-presents-vision-for-a-new-era-in-global-tourism-leadership-at-gtf-dubai"><span class="font-mono text-[0.7rem] font-semibold leading-6 text-primary/70">02</span><div class="min-w-0"><h3 class="font-display line-clamp-3 text-[0.96rem] font-semibold leading-snug text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary">Gloria Guevara: Vision for a New Era in Global Tourism Leadership</h3><p class="mt-1 line-clamp-2 text-[0.8rem] leading-relaxed text-ink/55">At the prestigious Global Tourism Forum Leaders Dinner held in Dubai, Gloria Guevara, one of the most prominent voices in the global travel and tourism industry, shared her candidacy and forward-looking vision for the future of international tourism governance.</p></div></a></li><li><a class="group flex gap-3 py-3.5" href="/media/articles/shaping-the-sky-paul-griffiths-on-the-future-of-aviation-at-gtf-leaders-dinner"><span class="font-mono text-[0.7rem] font-semibold leading-6 text-primary/70">03</span><div class="min-w-0"><h3 class="font-display line-clamp-3 text-[0.96rem] font-semibold leading-snug text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary">Paul Griffiths: Future of Aviation &amp; Shaping the Sky</h3><p class="mt-1 line-clamp-2 text-[0.8rem] leading-relaxed text-ink/55">At the exclusive Global Tourism Forum Leaders Dinner held in Dubai, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, delivered an incisive keynote that painted a compelling vision for the future of aviation. Speaking to an elite audience of global tourism and business leaders, Griffiths reflected on the journey of Dubai International Airport (DXB), the strategic promise of Al Maktoum International (DWC), and the bold role technology and sustainability will play in redefining air travel.</p></div></a></li><li><a class="group flex gap-3 py-3.5" href="/media/articles/beyond-earth-space-tourism-the-commercial-frontier"><span class="font-mono text-[0.7rem] font-semibold leading-6 text-primary/70">04</span><div class="min-w-0"><h3 class="font-display line-clamp-3 text-[0.96rem] font-semibold leading-snug text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary">Beyond Earth: Space Tourism &amp; the Commercial Frontier</h3><p class="mt-1 line-clamp-2 text-[0.8rem] leading-relaxed text-ink/55">As humanity reaches beyond the bounds of our planet, a new era in travel is emerging—one where the final frontier is no longer reserved for astronauts, but open to curious adventurers and visionary entrepreneurs. At the GTF Annual Meeting 2025 in Brussels, the session &quot;Beyond Earth: Space Tourism &amp; the Commercial Frontier&quot; brings together leading minds from the aerospace, travel, and regulatory sectors to explore the possibilities—and responsibilities—of venturing beyond our atmosphere.</p></div></a></li><li><a class="group flex gap-3 py-3.5" href="/media/articles/sustainable-infrastru
84cture-and-inclusive-practices-article"><span class="font-mono text-[0.7rem] font-semibold leading-6 text-primary/70">05</span><div class="min-w-0"><h3 class="font-display line-clamp-3 text-[0.96rem] font-semibold leading-snug text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary">Sustainable Infrastructure and Inclusive Practices</h3><p class="mt-1 line-clamp-2 text-[0.8rem] leading-relaxed text-ink/55">The Global Tourism Forum (GTF) Annual Meeting 2024 brought together a distinguished panel of experts to discuss pressing global issues impacting the tourism sector and the broader socio-economic landscape. The session featured insightful contributions from Bulut Bağcı, President of the World Tourism Forum Institute (WTFI); Yulia Stark, President of the European Women Association; Giorgio Travaini, Executive Director of Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking; Sayed Yaqoob Emad, Leader of the Good Faith Council; and Ambassador Michael B. Christides, former Secretary General of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC).
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86</p></div></a></li><li><a class="group flex gap-3 py-3.5" href="/media/articles/the-power-of-destination-marketing-in-a-competitive-world-article"><span class="font-mono text-[0.7rem] font-semibold leading-6 text-primary/70">06</span><div class="min-w-0"><h3 class="font-display line-clamp-3 text-[0.96rem] font-semibold leading-snug text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary">The Power of Destination Marketing in a Competitive World</h3><p class="mt-1 line-clamp-2 text-[0.8rem] leading-relaxed text-ink/55">The Global Tourism Forum Annual Meeting 2024 hosted a highly engaging session titled “The Power of Destination Marketing in a Competitive World.” Moderated by Luca Favetta, International Advisor of WTFI, the discussion brought together prominent speakers, including Kristina Nyström, Head of Partnerships at Visit Sweden, and Özgül Özkan Yavuz, Turkey’s former Deputy Tourism Minister (2017–2023). This session shed light on the critical elements shaping the future of destination marketing, with a special focus on sustainability, authenticity, and collaboration.</p></div></a></li><li><a class="group flex gap-3 py-3.5" href="/media/articles/the-transformative-role-of-ai-in-hospitality-efficiency-personalization-and-the-future"><span class="font-mono text-[0.7rem] font-semibold leading-6 text-primary/70">07</span><div class="min-w-0"><h3 class="font-display line-clamp-3 text-[0.96rem] font-semibold leading-snug text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary">The Transformative Role of AI in Hospitality: Efficiency, Personalization, and the Future</h3><p class="mt-1 line-clamp-2 text-[0.8rem] leading-relaxed text-ink/55">The hospitality industry stands at the cusp of a significant transformation, driven by artificial intelligence (AI). As businesses strive to enhance customer experience and optimize operations, the integration of AI is proving to be a game-changer. From improving communication to streamlining services, the adoption of AI is reshaping the industry in unprecedented ways.
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88</p></div></a></li><li><a class="group flex gap-3 py-3.5" href="/media/articles/dato-seri-maimunah-mohd-sharif-advocates-cross-border-collaboration-at-gtf-annual-meeting-2024"><span class="font-mono text-[0.7rem] font-semibold leading-6 text-primary/70">08</span><div class="min-w-0"><h3 class="font-display line-clamp-3 text-[0.96rem] font-semibold leading-snug text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary">Dato&#x27; Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif Advocates Cross-Border Collaboration at GTF Annual Meeting 2024</h3><p class="mt-1 line-clamp-2 text-[0.8rem] leading-relaxed text-ink/55">The 2024 Global Tourism Forum (GTF) Annual Meeting became a powerful stage for thought leaders and policymakers to chart the future of global tourism. Among the highlights was a keynote speech by Dato&#x27; Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Mayor of Kuala Lumpur, who passionately outlined her vision for sustainable and inclusive tourism.
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91</p></div></a></li><li><a class="group flex gap-3 py-3.5" href="/media/articles/bulut-bagci-delivers-keynote-at-gtf-annual-meeting-2024"><span class="font-mono text-[0.7rem] font-semibold leading-6 text-primary/70">09</span><div class="min-w-0"><h3 class="font-display line-clamp-3 text-[0.96rem] font-semibold leading-snug text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary">Bulut Bağcı Delivers Keynote at GTF Annual Meeting 2024</h3><p class="mt-1 line-clamp-2 text-[0.8rem] leading-relaxed text-ink/55">The much-anticipated GTF Annual Meeting 2024 kicked off with an inspiring keynote speech by Bulut Bağcı, President of the World Tourism Forum Institute (WTFI). Addressing a distinguished audie
91nce of global leaders, industry professionals, and government representatives, Bağcı outlined the institute’s vision for the future of tourism events and the expansion of its global initiatives.
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93</p></div></a></li><li><a class="group flex gap-3 py-3.5" href="/media/articles/the-role-of-film-and-media-in-driving-tourism-and-international-perception"><span class="font-mono text-[0.7rem] font-semibold leading-6 text-primary/70">10</span><div class="min-w-0"><h3 class="font-display line-clamp-3 text-[0.96rem] font-semibold leading-snug text-ink transition group-hover:text-primary">The Role of Film and Media in Driving Tourism and International Perception</h3><p class="mt-1 line-clamp-2 text-[0.8rem] leading-relaxed text-ink/55">At the recent GTF Annual Meeting , Turkish actor and producer Barış Kışlak delivered a compelling presentation, shedding light on how the global entertainment industry serves as a catalyst for tourism and investment. Kışlak highlighted how well-crafted storytelling, combined with strategic marketing, can turn even the most modest locations into international tourist hotspots.
94
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