TIS2023 Gets Underway with Sights Set on Technology-Driven Sustainable Tourism

The technology and tourism innovation summit will provide a roadmap that will enable the tourism industry to continue to grow while meeting the growing demands for sustainability from governments and travelers. Under the slogan Travel revolution takes off, TIS2023 is the scenario where more than 7,000 professionals from around the world are meeting this week to understand how tourism is changing and what technologies and strategies must be deployed to continue growing in the new market paradigms that are appearing. 

Technology and data has been the binomial defended during the opening of TIS2023 to build a sustainable tourism model. Arturo Bernal, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport of the Regional Government of Andalusia, stated that "if we don't measure, we cannot improve. Our strategy is to measure the results, we want to make this a smart destination so we have to base ourselves on metrics in the field of environmental, social and economic sustainability". Bernal also highlighted the good performance of Andalusian tourism, which has registered a 33% growth in the last 7 months, with a 20% increase in international tourism. "These figures make us the fourth destination in Spain in terms of international tourist interest", he said. 

Juan Bueno, deputy mayor of the Seville City Council, has put the focus on the quality of tourism and the inclusion of the people of Seville to build a sustainable tourism model for the city: "We want a strategy based on tourism quality and, therefore, related to sustainability. Nor can we lose sight of our city's neighbors; the tourism industry has to be friendly with them." 

Mexico, which is the guest country at the fourth edition of TIS, was also represented at the opening session by Juan Enrique, representative of the Mexican Ministry of Tourism, who emphasized sustainability as a crucial issue for destinations and pointed out some of the measures that are already being implemented in Mexico to promote it: "We are promoting the reduction of carbon emissions and the consumption of local products and goods. We are all entering into sustainability now, but the public agenda is very open to adopting new ways of looking at tourism. 

For her part, Maribel Rodriguez, Senior Vice President of the WTTC, said that "in 2030 the tourism sector will continue to grow by 5.8% annually, although this growth cannot be understood without innovation. Digitalization is part of the whole experience," he said. 

Among these new paradigms, sustainability is particularly important, which was discussed in depth on the first day of the congress with the participation of Céline Cousteau, documentary filmmaker, socio-environmental advocate, explorer and founder of the production company CauseCentric Productions.

In her speech, Cousteau stressed the need to create connections with nature and destinations because "people will come back for more". "We have a wonderful opportunity to show people more of what they expect to see," said the expert. Cousteau also argued that climate is directly related to the economy, giving as an example the case of coastal tourism, which accounts for 50% of all tourism worldwide, generates 9.5 trillion in revenues and creates 9 out of every 11 jobs in the sector. 

The need for connection has been an idea that has been reinforced during the debate led by major companies in the industry such as Booking.com, Paradores or Meliá Hotels and organizations such as Global Destination Sustainability Movement and Biosphere. Ana Abade, Institutional Relations Director for Spain and Portugal at Booking.com stated that "people don't like to travel to overcrowded places and not live real experiences". Guy Bigwood, Chief Changemaker and CEO Global Destination Sustainability Movement, also defended the need to change the tourism model and assured that "with the saturation of our cities and destinations, it is up to us to be at the forefront of change". Bigwood defended the SDGs as "the best tips for truly integrating sustainability into the business". 

The same session also analyzed the challenges that companies must face to make sustainability a reality in the sector. María Zarraluqui, VP Global Development at Meliá Hotels International Group, stressed that "regulation is pushing us to make things happen, but there is also an important sensitivity on the part of customers that moves companies," she said. For Jose Miguel Moreno, Sustainability, Digital Transformation, and Brand Director at Paradores, not all departments are always committed to sustainability regulations, and he stressed that it is necessary to "promote the culture throughout the companies, to all areas; otherwise, it is very difficult to achieve the objectives." 

The Booking.com representative has also put the focus on the double transition that the industry must face: digital and sustainability. "You have to keep in mind that it's a long journey. In 5 to 10 years, you will have to upgrade your digital assets, the same for sustainability. It's about managing a more efficient business in the future" he pointed out.