Designing Meaningful Tourism for a Changing World
Dear reader,
This week, your humble editor is attending the PATA Travel Mart in Bangkok and actually got a new name.
It is a great pleasure to see that Meaningful Tourism is one of the key elements of discussion. The first day of the annual PATA Travel Mart 2025 saw a fully-booked PATA Knowledge Forum under the motto "Designing Meaningful Tourism for a Changing World".
This reflects the fact that PATA has adopted “A Meaningful Pacific-Asia Tourism Economy” as the vision for the whole organisation. Almost all speakers during the day referred to the concept and a well-received panel discussion named "Towards a Meaningful Tourism Economy" provided another platform to disseminate the core ideas of the paradigm.
The chairman of the panel, the PATA Executive Board member Alex Rayner, had the creative idea to ask the audience if they would agree to rename your humble editor, giving me a name which is easier to pronounce and to remember than my real name. The majority voted for "Prof. M", “M” standing for the capital letter in Meaningful Tourism.
Peter Semone, Chairman of PATA, Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, Director-General of the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration, and “Prof M” could explain to the attentive audience what is meant by Meaningful Tourism with a capital "M" and how a Meaningful Tourism Economy can be developed, with the Asia-Pacific region taking the lead.
Thanks also to the chair for structuring the discussion. Fortunately, this panel included some real interaction between the speakers. Unfortunately, in many cases during conferences, panels turn out to be just a series of mini-presentations, with the panelists reading out prepared statements instead of talking with each other, the chair, and the audience.
This was also fitting into the overall well-organised conference, with Paul Pruangkarn, Director of Marketing & Communications PATA as MC and Noor Ahmad Hamid, CEO PATA as responsible organiser. However, it is a pity that it was not possible to include a live stream of the event for a wider audience around the world.
The Meaningful Tourism Centre also for the first time participated at the PATA Travel Mart as an exhibitor, welcoming many interested potential partners and customers interested in using Meaningful Tourism as a tool for their own tourism development.
On the day before PTM opened its gate, your humble editor, “Prof. M”, conducted a successful Meaningful Tourism Transformational Game Workshop (see MTC news).
The month of August 2025 can be considered as a major step forward for the Meaningful Tourism paradigm, with visibility achieved during conferences and fairs in Hong Kong SAR, Beijing and Bangkok all within one month.
In September, your humble editor will slow down a bit with only two events in Zhuhai and in Guilin on the agenda. More about these in the coming weeks.
As always, all best wishes from Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt and the whole Meaningful Tourism Weekly team in Kathmandu and in Manila!
From Farm to Table: The Anam Cam Ranh’s Sustainable Journey to Freshness and Flavor
On the tranquil shores of Cam Ranh, Vietnam, The Anam Cam Ranh proves that travel can be more than leisure, it can have purpose. It is not just a luxury resort; it is a destination where nature, culture, and people coexist in harmony.
Every decision, from design to daily operations, reflects a deep respect for the environment and the local community.
This embodies the essence of Meaningful Tourism, where every decision and practice is designed so that all stakeholders benefit from travel that is meaningful, ethical, and sustainable.
This story was originally published by Travel Asia Now.
PATA Knowledge Forum under the motto "Designing Meaningful Tourism for a Changing World"
As mentioned in the editorial, the PATA Travel Mart 2025 in Bangkok included a sold-out full-day PATA Knowledge Forum under the motto "Designing Meaningful Tourism for a Changing World".
After the adaptation of “A Meaningful Pacific-Asia Tourism Economy” as the vision for the whole organisation, this was yet another step of PATA Pacific-Asia Travel Association reflecting the innovation power of the Asia-Pacific region, leaving in many aspects Europe and North America behind when it comes to adapt to the challenges of Climate Breakdown and AI and to turn them into opportunities for a more sustainable future of tourism.
The panel discussion named "Towards a Meaningful Tourism Economy" with the newly named “Prof M”, with the PATA Executive Board member Alex Rayner as chair and Peter Semone, Chairman of PATA as panelist, showed the importance given to the topic by PATA itself.
Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, newly appointed Director-General of the DASTA Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration, also shared insightful examples of DASTA initiatives, which two days later were awarded with no less than six PATA Golden Awards, a new record for any organisation or company.
During the Forum and afterwards at the Meaningful Tourism Centre stand, colleagues and partners from countries ranging from Italy and Saudi Arabia to the Solomon Islands expressed their interest in implementing the Meaningful Tourism paradigm, on top of several TV and other media interviews.
At the time of writing, the second day of the PTM 2025 fair is about to start, so there will be more such talks taking place in the QSNCC, a conference venue as large and impressive for the event as possible, with high ceilings, lots of empty spaces and distances similar to an international airport. Thinking about the energy needed to cool this enormous space, being fully air-conditioned 24/7, is frightening, even though there are a few solar panels installed on the roof.
Meaningful Tourism Transformational Game Workshop in Bangkok
Normally, MTC offers, through its network of almost 50 trainers around the world, workshops to destinations, organisations and companies, who decide by themselves about who will participate in the workshop.
On the occasion of the PATA Travel Mart, however, MTC offered an open workshop for individual participants one day before PTM and a venue near the QSNCC, where the PTM took place.
An intensive day, characterised by an introduction followed by role plays with all participants taking on the role of one of the stakeholders, centered on the question of how to develop a destination, taking Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha in Nepal, as an example.
As in other workshops before, it was very interesting to see how the participants developed new perspectives in their respective roles, with a male Mongolian tourism expert turning into a 55-year-old lady running a local souvenir shop and a male Thai tour operator making statements as the local female tourism minister.
At the end, some innovative solutions and a list of very practical KPI Key Performance Indicators were developed, and all participants had achieved a clear understanding of how to use the Meaningful Tourism tools for actionable sustainable tourism development measures, aligning interests instead of seeking compromises.
All participants agreed that the workshop also gave a perfect introduction to the Knowledge Forum, which followed on the next day as part of the PTM 2025.
Vietnam Takes the Lead in Sustainable Travel with a Strong Commitment to Green Tourism Through the VITA Green Certification Program
Vietnam is positioning itself to be a leader in green tourism to align with the global shift towards sustainability in the tourism industry.
The country is taking advantage of its natural beauty and cultural heritage to create a tourism model that meets the rising demand for low-carbon and responsible travel, because more and more tourists want eco-friendly visits that respect the environment.
Through initiatives such as the VITA Green label, Vietnam is taking steps towards a more sustainable tourism industry.
This story was originally published by Travel And Tour World.
Meet the Trainer for the Meaningful Tourism Transformative Game Workshop
Sahan Hanifa, Trainer for Sri Lanka
Sahan Hanifa is an accomplished Project Manager with more than 15 years of experience leading engineering, consultancy, and technology-driven projects across the UAE, KSA, Maldives, and Sri Lanka. He holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Engineering from the University of Ruhuna and has held key roles with Huawei Technologies, Tamdeed Projects, and Sensetrone Consultancy.
Specializing in project execution, contract management, and financial oversight, he has a strong track record of delivering large-scale, multi-phase initiatives on time and within budget.
His expertise in stakeholder engagement, risk management, and performance analytics enables him to drive operational efficiency and ensure successful outcomes in complex environments.
The Meaningful Tourism Weekly asked Sahan Hanifa: What is the current situation of tourism in Sri Lanka and how can the Meaningful Tourism Paradigm help to support its development?
His answer:
MTC Certified Trainers
Please find below the updated overview of all our Certified Trainers for the Meaningful Tourism Transformational Game Workshop and the updated World Map showing the countries directly and indirectly covered at the moment.
With almost 50 Certified Trainers, many countries and regions of the world are already covered. However, MTC continues to look for professionals with experience in training or lecturing and a passion for sustainable tourism.
If you are interested in becoming a Certified Trainer for the Meaningful Tourism Transformational Game Workshop for a country not marked in dark green on the map above, please contact us at office@meaningfultourismcentre.org.
Meaningful Tourism Transformational Game Workshop at World Travel Market, London
World Travel Market (WTM) in London is one of the must-attend annual events for key players in the tourism industry. The Meaningful Tourism Centre will offer a special Meaningful Tourism Transformational Game Workshop on the day before the start of WTM 2025, on November 3, 2025, from 9:00 to 16:00 hours. The workshop will be conducted by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt FRGS FRAS, the founder of MTC.
There are only 30 seats available, so if you already know that you will attend WTM 2025, make sure you arrange your schedule to arrive on time for the training workshop on Monday, November 3, 2025.
Book your seat now and enjoy the Early Bird fee.
Venue: Central London, details to be advised. Transport from/to the hotel or Excel London can be arranged on request at a special rate.
• Early Bird participation fee for bookings paid before September 30, 2025: 175 Euros per person
• Full participation fee for bookings starting October 1, 2025: 200 Euros per person
VAT included if applicable.
Two or more seats booked at the same time enjoy an additional 10% discount.
Please note that payments are non-refundable. However, a change of participant is possible without additional fee until one day before the training workshop.
The participation fee includes training workshop participation, a certificate of participation, one year of free access to all content, including the Meaningful Tourism Weekly Library reserved for paid subscription holders, coffee/tea, cookies, and a vegetarian and non-vegetarian lunch buffet.
On the evening of November 3, 2025, there will also be a (self-paid) dinner followed by drinks with an opportunity to network with participants and to meet several of the Meaningful Tourism trainers from different countries.
For bookings, please contact office@meaningfultourismcentre.org.
Bookings will be closed once 30 reservations have been reached. Book today and enjoy the Early Bird fee.
About Meaningful Tourism Weekly
Meaningful Tourism Weekly, published every Thursday by Meaningful Tourism Centre (MTC) - London and Kathmandu, recently partnered with Travel Asia Now, led by Rhea Vitto Tabora. This collaboration enhances the newsletter’s professional production and distribution, bringing added value to our readers.
Each issue features the Meaningful Tourism Weekly Editorial, updates on MTC activities, a Best Practice Example, a portrait of an MTC-certified trainer, news about upcoming events, and occasionally additional op-ed pieces from guest authors. Carefully selected news items, including videos and podcasts, are also included, along with links to their original sources in the Meaningful Tourism News section.
Subscription to Meaningful Tourism Weekly is free, with the addition of a paid content section that includes a library of surveys, exclusive articles, conference presentations, and statistical data, offering subscribers invaluable resources.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for those interested in supporting this initiative.
For more information about MTC's training programs, market research, product adaptation, consulting services, conferences, strategy development, and marketing, visit our website or email us at info@meaningfultourismcentre.org.
