The assumption is simple. When conditions shift, travel demand is expected to fall. It is a logical conclusion, and one the industry has come to expect, yet the data is beginning to suggest something more nuanced.
The more uncertain the environment becomes, the more this matters. Back in February, I wrote about how 2026 had started without a reset. No lull, no pause, just momentum carrying straight through the opening weeks of the year.
The pace at which 2026 has started is not just about timing. It reflects a deeper shift in how travellers discover, decide, and move once they arrive.
World Travel Market has come and gone. Christmas is days away. Another year of conversations, strategies, and predictions sits behind us, while the next one waits just ahead.
It is the Monday morning after World Travel Market, and I am back at my desk reflecting on the week just gone. On the train home from London, I watched the new John Lewis Christmas advert and, as a father of a young man, I will admit it caught me off guard. With an M&S festive sandwich in hand and the city lights fading outside the window, it felt like that familiar moment when the year shifts. WTM has always been the line between strategy and season, when the global conversations about travel give way to the spirit of connection that defines the festive period.
For years, tourism marketing success was judged by reach and impressions, how many people could potentially see your message. But that only tells part of the story. It does not show whether anyone paid attention, engaged, or acted.
In tourism, sustainability is usually discussed in the context of transport, energy, and waste, but rarely in the way we market destinations and experiences.
If we want to be part of the modern traveller’s journey, we need to be on the one device they trust the most: their phone.
In my recent article, The Digital Tourist, I explored how the modern traveller—experience-led, mobile-first, and emotionally driven—has reshaped how we market the UK.
From a historical and cultural standpoint, the United Kingdom is truly one of the world’s most captivating destinations. Steeped in rich traditions, iconic landmarks, breathtaking scenery, and a diverse cultural landscape, it offers visitors an unrivalled experience.
