Meaningful Tourism Weekly – Your companion to survive and thrive in hospitality and tourism
Meaningful Tourism Weekly Editorial
Dear reader,
Welcome to the new edition of the Meaningful Tourism Weekly! The Meaningful Tourism paradigm has developed strongly in the months since the Meaningful Tourism Centre moved from Germany to Nepal, and it is time to restart our publication. With more content than ever before, published every Thursday and still free and without advertisements.
The increasingly severe consequences of the climate catastrophe are threatening traditional business models from beach holidays to city strolls and disrupt spatial and temporal structures. A holistic approach, taking into account the benefits and satisfaction of all stakeholders is no longer a luxury, but a necessary tool for the implementation of a successful sustainable development to secure the adaptation and survival of companies, organisations and destinations and to help at least slow down global warming and loss of biodiversity.
In the Meaningful Tourism Weekly you find an Editorial, written by your humble editor Prof. em. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt FRGS FRAS, covering each week a different aspect of the Meaningful Tourism paradigm and reflecting on a personal level on the current and future development of tourism and hospitality.
Also provided are news about the activities of the Meaningful Tourism Centre including trainings and implementation support projects. Further, each issue is presenting a Best Practice example of Meaningful Tourism from around the world.
The team of the Meaningful Tourism Centre is introduced week by week with a short portrait of one of the certified Meaningful Tourism Transformational Game Workshops trainers. Occasionally, we will have the pleasure of inviting important thought leaders in the field of sustainability to add op-ed texts.
These original texts are supplemented by Meaningful Tourism news, carefully selected items from our friends, partners and colleagues, including articles, posts, podcasts and videos, sorted in line with the six main stakeholders of tourism and hospitality, as defined by the Meaningful Tourism paradigm: Traveller/Guests, Host community, employees in tourism and hospitality service providers, service-providing companies, governments and the environment. A link to the original source always leads to the full item.
Finally, the Meaningful Tourism Weekly also includes information about relevant future events including conferences, workshops, and webinars.
Please share the news about this new source of information in your network. Any comments and feedback are also more than welcome.
All best wishes from your humble editor and the whole Meaningful Tourism Centre team!
MTC NEWS
The Meaningful Tourism Centre headquarter is based in Nepal, with offices and external staff in the EU and the UK. The Executive Director of the Meaningful Tourism Centre and CEO of the Meaningful Tourism Group, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt, will travel to China, Turkiye and Germany to further spread the knowledge of and interest in the Meaningful Tourism paradigm in the coming weeks. Some information about this can be found in the Events section of this Meaningful Tourism Weekly edition.
MTC is growing. After the first two rounds of Train-the-Trainer workshops, more than a dozen of trainers have been certified, covering countries from Canada to Australia and from Germany to South Africa as shown in the map below. More trainers will be trained and certified in the coming months. The group of experienced experts in different fields of sustainable tourism provide the Meaningful Tourism Transformational Game Workshops with a high level of localisation and in the local language. They are also forming the base for offering sophisticated and customised implementation support for companies, organisations and destinations interested to adapt the Meaningful Tourism paradigm as their tool for a successful and sustainable development.
In coming editions of the Meaningful Tourism Weekly, you will find hear reports from the training workshops and examples of concepts and KPIs developed in response to the specific area or company worked on during the workshop, and about MTC webinars, publications and other activities.
Meet the Trainers for the Meaningful Tourism Transformative Game Workshop:
James Young, Vietnam
Born in London/UK. MBA from the University of Bradford. First-Class B.Sc. from Sheffield Hallam University. Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality.
Past President of the International Wine and Food Society, Saigon chapter. Over 30 years of industry experience across nine countries. Founder of Sparren Consulting, assisting hospitality businesses and individuals in achieving sustainable growth.
Most recent role: Director of Operations, Luxury & Lifestyle, Australasia and Pacific for IHG in Sydney.
Previous roles: Overseeing Reverie Saigon, Area General Manager Indochina, managing the award-winning InterContinental Asiana Saigon. Further leadership roles in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Vietnam.
Current role: Lecturer in Management at Keiser University Vietnam.
Meaningful Tourism Weekly asked James about the situation of tourism in Vietnam and the role Meaningful Tourism paradigm can play to support the development in this country.
His answer: It was a true honour and pleasure to help moderate both the Hospitality Masterclass and the Hospitality Marketing Seminar at the MTE HCMC 2025 in Vietnam in March 2025, one of the major conferences of its type here.
Among the topics discussed were the challenges facing tourism in Vietnam and, what struck me was the growing frustration with the issue of sustainability. In short, people are getting fed up with companies just talking up their credentials - the days of “greenwashing” are over – and want to see credible actions with results.
How can Meaningful Tourism help with this? I believe the holistic approach, which involves all stakeholders, is crucial to build a momentum for sustainable development, from financing through construction to daily operations. This momentum is maintained by the use of agreed KPIs (key performance indicators) to ensure continuous improvement – in oher words credible actions with results.
All of this is grounded in the principles of positive psychology and wellbeing – concepts which are at the core of Vietnamese culture. I quote, with respect, Thich Nhat Hanh:
“When you realize the Earth is so much more than simply your environment, you’ll be moved to protect her in the same way as you would yourself. This is the kind of awareness, the kind of awakening that we need, and the future of the planet depends on whether we’re able to cultivate this insight or not. The Earth and all species on Earth are in real danger. Yet if we can develop a deep relationship with the Earth, we’ll have enough love, strength and awakening in order to change our way of life.”
This, to me, encapsulates what we need to do with Meaningful Tourism here in Vietnam, and the importance of a holistic approach. Many people are doing good things, but we need to ensure we are working together to build that awareness and bring the change that is both desired and required.
Meaningful Tourism Best Practice Example
Discover the souls of Madrid: A more genuine way to explore the city
By Mayte Redondo
In December 2024, a meaningful project was launched to support the more genuine and traditional businesses in Madrid, the capital of Spain. Based on a great idea from Lars von der Wettern, founder of Singular Places, the author, founder of Travel 2 Care People and Planet was invited to collaborate. I accepted the challenge, and today we are very proud to present the result: an interactive map that helps visitors to discover some of Madrid’s most authentic, historic, and sustainable businesses. These are the places that have been around for generations, full of local flavour and untold stories.
In collaboration with Boldest and Singular Places, and led by Posada del Dragón, we created an interactive map that connects travellers with independent businesses full of character and legacy. These are the spots that locals love — not the usual tourist traps, but the bakeries, tapas bars, traditional restaurants, antique music shops, workshops, cafés, and stores that have shaped the spirit of Madrid’s iconic neighbourhoods.
Many of these spots are hidden in plain sight — quietly resisting time, preserving tradition, and doing things differently.
The goal is simple: to invite visitors to experience the city more consciously. Less touristy, more local. To wander Madrid’s emblematic neighbourhoods and support the businesses that make them special.
👉 Explore the Souls of Madrid map and connect with the people and places that keep the city’s spirit alive.
Meaningful Tourism Centre Analysis:
Benefits and Satisfaction for all stakeholders, the key concept of Meaningful Tourism is very well reflected in this Best Practice example. Visitors get a deeper experience, the host community gets the benefits from tourism at the grassroot level, high-quality permanent jobs are supported, traditional companies can survive and thrive, the government has another tool to spread visitors more evenly spatially and temporarily, helping to avoid overtourism, and the environment is not destroyed by new construction and mega projects.
Meaningful Tourism News
For more information on the latest Meaningful Tourism news, we recommend looking at the following information from our partners and colleagues:
TRAVELLERS
More Sustainable Travel Top of Mind for Most Asian Travelers – Agoda Survey Reveals
Digital travel platform Agoda’s 2025 Sustainable Travel Survey reveals its ranking of Asia’s most sustainability-conscious travellers.
Travelers from the Philippines earn the top spot, with 86% responding that sustainability is important in their travel choices for 2025. Travelers from India (82%), Taiwan (80%), Malaysia (80%), and Vietnam (77%) round out the top five.
Click here to read the Agoda Survey on Sustainable Travel
Tracking the Pulse of Market Travellers: The Muslim Travel Intent Tracker (MTIT)
Are Muslim travellers returning with intention, purpose, and new expectations?
The Muslim Travel Intent Tracker (MTIT) is a metric designed to gauge and monitor the travel intent of Muslim travelers over time. By considering various timeframes, from immediate travel plans to those planned over a year in advance, the MTIT will capture the dynamic and evolving preferences of the Muslim travel market.
Check out this LinkedIn Post on Muslim Travel and Halal Tourism
HOST COMMUNITIES
Peru leads the way in embracing STAR to make tourism a pillar of rural development
Peru will harness the power of UN Tourism’s data analysis and management tools to support growth and opportunity in rural destinations.
The Latin American country has become the first in the world to adhere to a customised version of UN Tourism’s Self-Assessment Tool to Assist Rural Destinations (STAR). This step aligns with national efforts to strengthen rural tourism, including the initiative ‘Pueblos con Encanto’, which promotes the recognition and development of tourism in rural communities across the country.
Peru Leads the Way in Embracing STAR for Rural Tourism Development
Sustainable Tourism: A Blueprint for Sri Lanka’s Economic Renaissance
Sri Lanka, often hailed as the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean,’ possesses an unparalleled natural and cultural heritage that has long been a beacon for global travelers.
With pristine beaches, lush tea plantations, ancient ruins, and vibrant wildlife, the island holds immense potential for tourism-driven economic growth. However, to ensure long-term prosperity, Sri Lanka must pivot towards sustainable tourism—one that balances economic gain with environmental conservation and social inclusivity.
Sustainable Tourism Blueprint: Sri Lanka’s Economic Future
EMPLOYEES
Why appointing a sustainability coordinator makes all the difference
If sustainability initiatives at your events often fall short, you're likely missing a dedicated sustainability coordinator.
A Sustainability Coordinator catches sustainability opportunities others miss—from sourcing local suppliers to implementing closed-loop systems that remain invisible to generalist planners.
They access industry-specific sustainability networks and resources that your regular team simply doesn't know exist.
The Role of a Sustainability Coordinator in Events
COMPANIES
Major roadblocks to corporate sustainability
Sustainability strategies are advancing, but execution remains a challenge.
Even companies with strong commitments face internal and external barriers that slow progress. Identifying these roadblocks is the first step toward addressing them.
Leadership remains a defining factor. Without clear executive commitment, sustainability struggles to move beyond surface-level initiatives.
A lack of mandate and strategic prioritization often leads to fragmented efforts rather than systemic integration. Short-term financial pressures further complicate decision-making, prioritizing immediate returns over long-term resilience.
Sustainability in Business: Overcoming Execution Challenges
ESG Maturity Journey
Understanding where an organization stands on its ESG journey is critical for making progress.
The ESG Maturity Journey framework helps assess how deeply ESG is integrated across key areas of the business.
The framework outlines four stages of maturity: Starting, Developing, Advancing, and Leading.
Each stage reflects a different level of ambition and implementation across eight essential dimensions, from strategy and governance to data, talent, and culture.
Sustainability & Sustainable Business Insights
GOVERNMENTS
The EU Parliament discusses sustainable travel and tourism with GBTA, Travalyst and WTTC
The event, organized by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), Travalyst, and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and stakeholders to explore how the travel and tourism sector can continue to thrive while advancing the EU’s ambitious sustainability goals.
Click here to read the article on Travel and Tour World
Tourism and the SDGs: Unlocking Sustainable Development in West Africa
As the world embraces the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the tourism sector is increasingly recognised for its potential to contribute to sustainable development.
Moreover, tourism is among the few sectors that can contribute to all 17 SDGs, making it a pivotal player in enabling sustainability efforts.
Click here to read the article on LinkedIn
ENVIRONMENT
Over 60s more likely to fly than Gen-Z travellers
Almost half of Gen-Z travellers (aged 18 to 27) worry about the environmental impact of their holidays, compared with fewer than a third of over-60s, according to a new survey.
Over 60s More Likely to Fly Than Gen-Z Travellers
WMO report documents spiralling weather and climate impacts
The clear signs of human-induced climate change reached new heights in 2024, with some of the consequences being irreversible over hundreds, if not thousands of years, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which also underlined the massive economic and social upheavals from extreme weather.
WMO Report: Spiralling Weather and Climate Impacts
EVENTS
Colors of the World Expo and Conference
The first tourism fair and conferences for Event locations, held in Istanbul from April 18 - 20, 2025. Countries and cities, coming from diverse geographies, will showcase the most valuable symbols of their cultures to tourism professionals, business people, leading figures in the industry, and individual travelers arriving from all over the world with live cooking, performances, and shows.
On all three days, a conference with international experts will discuss the current and future event tourism development under the motto Meaningful Event Tourism: Destinations providing events as Transformational Experiences. The Meaningful Tourism Centre will be the organizer of the conference.
Colors of the World Official Website
Shaping the Future of Tourism: Insights & Strategies (Public Open Lecture)
Public lecture in Berlin on April 29, presenting Meaningful Tourism and the Future of Tourism at the EIIET.
GITF Guangzhou International Travel Fair 2025
The GITF Guangzhou International Travel Fair 2025 will take place from May 15-17, 2025, in Guangzhou/China.
GITF is the travel fair and conference with the longest tradition in China and the main meeting point for the biggest international tourism source market in the world: South China, including the Greater Bay Area Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR.
In 2025, the motto of the fair and the accompanying conference is Meaningful Tourism – Enduring Connections. The conference is organized by the Meaningful Tourism Centre. On the first day four keynote speakers from international organisations plus a presentation of the Greater Bay Area Inbound and Outbound Tourism Report done MTC in cooperation with Hong Kong Polytechnical University, Sun Yat-sen University Guangzhou and Macau University of Science and Technology will provide concentrated updates and insights. On the following two days several shorter focus satellite events will focus on several hot topics in Chinas outbound tourism including Meaningful Tourism in China.
Meaningful Tourism Weekly is published every Thursday by the MTC Meaningful Tourism Centre (London and Kathmandu).
Each Meaningful Tourism Weekly includes the Meaningful Tourism Weekly Editorial, news about MTC activities, a Best Practice example, a portrait of a MTC-certified trainer, news about upcoming events and occasionally additional op-ed pieces provided by guest authors.
Furthermore, carefully selected news items including videos and podcasts with a link to the original source are added, sorted according to the six main stakeholders of tourism and hospitality, as defined by the Meaningful Tourism paradigm: Traveller/Guests, Host community, employees in tourism and hospitality service providers, service providing companies, governments and the environment.
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© 2025 Meaningful Tourism Centre Ltd. (London & Kathmandu). Texts and information can be used in other online and offline publications if the source “Meaningful Tourism Weekly” is mentioned.
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