The travel industry “must reinvent itself” if it is to continue to operate in a rapidly warming world.
That is according to Christian Delom, secretary general of the A World for Travel conference which convenes in Seville today.
The two-day event will see up to 400 industry stakeholders come together to address the climate, environmental, technology, social and economic challenges facing travel and tourism.
Delom said: “We have a big job to do. For each challenge we must provide concrete ideas. We want to deliver. We are not in a fantasy world. If we don’t act concretely, we will have a lot of problems.
“The climate crisis, the political crisis, the economic crisis give us more and more to deal with.”
He argued: “The real problem is to find money for investment. When we know what do to do, sometimes there is not the investment to do it.”
Delon insisted: “What is different about A World for Travel is we have all stakeholders attending – from private and public sectors, hospitality, transport, cruise, operators, distribution and activities.
“There are very few forums and events where all stakeholders are addressed. All can make progress by themselves, but none can do it all by themselves and solutions need to be shared.”
The Seville conference is the third A World for Travel since the launch event in Portugal in 2021.
Delom explained: “The theme of the first was recovery and resilience. The second moved to solutions. The third is shifting to the future, to roll-out, and roll-out is difficult because sometimes we don’t have solutions.”
He described the agenda as “very busy but concentrated”, adding: “We want to say to the industry – ‘Move forwards. What are we waiting for – the collapse of the industry? For a revolution in demand?’ If the industry wants to go on, it must reinvent itself.”
Speakers include First Lady of Iceland Eliza Reid, Jamaica minister of tourism Edmund Bartlett, European Travel Commission chief executive Eduardo Santandar, Intrepid Travel chief executive James Thornton, Royal Caribbean Group senior advisor Roberto Martinoli, Radisson Hotel Group senior vice-president for sustainability Inge Hujibrecht and Professor Lee Miles of the University of Bournemouth.