Meaningful Tourism at Sustainable Destinations Forum in Dubai
Dear reader,
the last two days, your humble editor, together with five other Meaningful Tourism community members, attended the Sustainable Destinations Forum 2025, organised by our partners from Green Destinations and the Dubai Tourism Authority.
MTC had the privilege to present on both days the Meaningful Tourism paradigm to more than 100 participants from around the world, including the Secretary General Elect of the UN Tourism organisation, H.E. Shaikha Al Nowais.
On the first day, your humble editor participated in the panel discussion about “Developing Beneficial Travel Experiences”. On the second day, a three-hour workshop was dedicated to the quest of “Adding a Good Travel Experience as a premium value to the Market Place”.
In both formats, it became clear that concentrating only on the activities of the travellers is not enough for a holistic approach to sustainable tourism development. All stakeholders need to have benefits and satisfaction, which can be measured with SMART KPIs, as is the core insight of Meaningful Tourism.
In the discussion, the fact that “Environment” is one of the six stakeholders was positively noted, as in most discussions, this is just seen as a passive element, not a stakeholder with the same rights as all others.
Indeed, as your humble editor had the opportunity in the workshop to point out, the concept of an “environment” as different from humans is already the problem, as in fact humans as travellers or otherwise are a part of nature and not surrounded by it. Simply stopping to breathe is demonstrating the fact that, in a few minutes, without the air around us, no life is possible.
The workshop presentation of your humble editor included two examples of Meaningful Tourism approaches in Nepal, home of the headquarter of MTC. The Prakriti Farm Resort, which has already been featured in this publication, showed how a success story can develop over decades, while the new project of turning Nagarkot, east of Kathmandu, into a Meaningful Tourism pilot destination, provided a glimpse into the future.
It also became clear in the discussions during the sessions and in the coffee breaks, lunches, and a nice desert camp dinner, that the Meaningful Tourism economy needs to include all stages of tourism activities, from building hotels and other infrastructure and a modern sustainable way with prefab or 3D printer materials to waste management. Concentrating just on the parts of tourism visible to the guests/tourists and forgetting the backstage parts means looking at partial solutions only.
The discussion also confirmed the view that certifications can play a positive role in the support of sustainable tourism; however, in many cases, reaching the certification, after spending much time, effort and money on it, is the end of action instead of the starting point.
A reminder: Do not forget to submit a nomination for the 2025 edition of the Meaningful Tourism Award! The deadline is approaching fast.
As always, all best wishes from Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt, a.k.a. “Prof M”, and the whole team in Kathmandu and Manila.
Meaningful Tourism community meets in Dubai
As reported in the Editorial, the Sustainable Destinations Forum (SDF) 2025 this week provided opportunities to meet in person old and new friends of the Meaningful Tourism movement, some following MTC for a long time and eager to establish closer relations, some saying “I will add Meaningful Tourism to my vocabulary when talking about sustainable tourism”.
MTC looks forward as a result to be present more than before in places like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Lebanon, Jordan, and others.
The SDF 2025 also brought together no less than five members of the Meaningful Tourism community. Being spread around the world, most contacts are just via Zoom and other platforms. Therefore, it was a very special treat, supported by our friends from Green Destinations, who kindly waived the participation fees, to meet in person.
PROF M, your humble editor, together with our Oman trainer, Dr. Ali Akaak, played an active role in the panels and workshops; however, our other trainers also actively participated in the discussions during the two-day event.
At the end, there was a nice dinner with Lebanese food in a restaurant inside the Mall of the Emirates, one of the many bigger-than-life places in this strange city of Dubai.
Certified Trainers from Oman (Dr. Ali Akaak), Sri Lanka (Chinthana Duminduhewa), Turkiye (Dr. Nurgül Boz), and Zanzibar (Biubwa Omar), plus your humble editor, shared not only the food but also experiences and insights from different parts of the world.
Meaningful Tourism Community: The Meaningful Tourism Transformational Game Workshop Trainer
Bernadette Atosha, Trainer for the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Atosha Bernadette is a teacher and researcher at ISP-Bukavu’s Department of Hospitality and Tourism, where she has worked since 2018. Holding a Master’s in Tourism and Management from the University of Eldoret (Kenya), she is also the founder of APROVATOUR, a non-profit organization promoting sustainable tourism and environmental protection in the DRC. Passionate about empowerment, she leads initiatives supporting women and girls in the fight against deforestation in the Kahuzi-Biega National Park.
What is the current situation of tourism in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and how can the Meaningful Tourism Paradigm help to support its development?
Tourism in DRC remains one of the most promising yet underdeveloped sectors of the national economy. The country is endowed with extraordinary natural and cultural wealth from the world-renowned Virunga and Kahuzi-Biega National Parks, home to rare species such as mountain and eastern lowland gorillas, to the mighty Congo River, vibrant music and dance traditions, and a mosaic of cultures that reflect the heart of Africa’s diversity.
Despite these remarkable assets, the sector faces persistent challenges. Infrastructure gaps, limited accessibility, low visibility on the international market, and instability in certain regions have slowed the full realization of the DRC’s tourism potential. Nonetheless, there is a renewed sense of optimism. The government, together with private stakeholders and international partners, is working toward strengthening the foundations for sustainable tourism development through policy reforms, investment in eco-tourism, and community empowerment.
In this context, embracing a meaningful tourism paradigm could become a turning point for the DRC’s tourism future. Meaningful tourism emphasizes responsible travel that creates genuine connections between visitors and host communities. It encourages travelers to engage deeply with local culture, respect the environment, and contribute positively to local economies. For the DRC, this approach aligns perfectly with our national priorities of sustainable development, peacebuilding, and inclusive growth.
By promoting community-based tourism initiatives, supporting local entrepreneurship, and integrating conservation with social impact, meaningful tourism can ensure that the benefits of the industry reach ordinary Congolese citizens. It can help preserve our natural and cultural heritage while fostering national pride and international recognition.
Ultimately, Meaningful Tourism offers the DRC not just a strategy for economic diversification but a vision for development that honors people, culture, and nature, transforming the country into a model of responsible tourism in Africa and beyond.
MTC Certified Trainers
Please find below the updated overview of all our Certified Trainers for the Meaningful Tourism Transformational Game Workshop, along with the updated World Map showing the countries directly and indirectly covered at present.
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.
About Meaningful Tourism Weekly
Meaningful Tourism Weekly is published every Thursday by Meaningful Tourism Centre (MTC) - London and Kathmandu in collaboration with Travel Asia Now, led by Rhea Vitto Tabora. This partnership enhances the newsletter’s professional production and distribution, bringing added value to our readers.
Each issue features an Editorial, updates on MTC activities, a Best Practice Example, a profile 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, 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.
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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.
