On 24 October 2024, I had the honour of delivering an online keynote for the XXIII Congress of the Spanish Association of Scientific Experts in Tourism, one of Spain’s most important gatherings for tourism scholars and practitioners.
My keynote, “Never-ending Tourism: A Transformation Towards Digital, Green, and Resilient Tourism in 2030”, was framed around a central question:
“How might we use digital technology to create a positive contribution to tourism, society, and Planet Earth?”
In my talk, I explored how tourism can adapt and thrive in a BANI environment — one defined by brittleness, anxiety, non-linearity, and incomprehensibility — by embracing ecological systems thinking and aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. I discussed how interconnected smart tourism ecosystems and emerging technologies like the metaverse can support the vision of “never-ending tourism” — a model where experiences continue beyond the trip itself, generating lasting value for visitors, destinations, and communities.
Drawing on my consulting work with the European Commission and insights from its published reports, I shared strategies for navigating uncertainty, fostering resilience, and driving a digital-green-resilient transition by 2030.
“Tourism is at a pivotal moment. If we design it wisely, digital technology can become a force for resilience, regeneration, and a future where tourism benefits not only travellers — but society and the planet as a whole.” – Barbara Neuhofer
This keynote was a call to action for tourism leaders to embrace transformation and lead the sector towards a future that is both sustainable and human-centred.
