"However one feels about the outcome, the next four years will surely be one of transformation, which inevitably comes with heightened emotions and opinions within the US and abroad.

I forecast that inbound tourism from key source markets overseas will suffer, which will impact our local economies, specifically the small tour operators independent hotels.

Transformational tourism is a concept that looks at tourism as a powerful vehicle of change, both to transform travellers and destinations. Done well, it educates travellers on how to travel and with minimal negative impact, changing their choices and thought processes for the better.

At the A World for Travel events the attendees are always presented with unique ways to address the transformation of the travel industry and this year the Transformational Travel Council (TTC) will share its revolutionary approach to engaging local communities in ensuring industry efforts are aligned with community desires.

“As our sector leans into resident-first approaches to development and management, in-depth community engagement must be prioritized. The Transformational Travel Council is seeing success in this area through facilitating regenerative capacity building and inner development with individual tourism leaders and community groups,” Jillian Dickens, Head of Destination Stewardship and Private Training, Transformational Travel Council. The TTC will also share its unique partnership models, including working with the Port of Seattle, responsible for the main cruise terminals and airports in their region.

Twenty years ago, Development Counsellors International (DCI) shifted its approach for tourism marketing to focus on connecting with the experience seeker. Consumer preferences were changing, and it became apparent that we needed to target a different kind of traveler. We had to market to those who truly wanted to immerse themselves in a destination through its cultural experiences, cuisine and personal connections. 

Tourism and Travel as a Force for Good: Small and Medium Businesses in the Spotlight

Join us for an open online discussion on "Tourism and Travel as a Force for Good: Small and Medium Businesses in the Spotlight" that will delve into the heart of sustainable tourism. A panel made up of both industry professionals and entrepreneurs will exchange ideas, experiences, and perspectives on the pivotal role of small businesses in driving social and environmental impact in travel and tourism.

In a dialogue hosted and facilitated by Amadeus and as part of the Travel4Impact program, our speakers will explore the evolution of different sustainability trends and practices involving travel agents, operators, types of accommodation, and destination experiences, emphasizing the contribution of small enterprises in the transformation of the sector. After the discussion, the audience will be invited to interact directly with the panelists on the pressing issues facing the industry.

Don't miss this chance to hear from leading sustainable industry coalitions and businesses from the third Travel4Impact cohort. Be part of the conversation to continue shaping the future of responsible tourism. Watch now on-demand!

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“When events like the Maui wildfires happen that have an impact on tourism, it exposes systemic issues we’re facing as an industry and they become glaring,” Jake Haupert, co-founder of Transformational Travel Council, explained during a recent interview with TravelPulse.

“Some of those systemic issues are not related to why we travel and how we travel," Haupert adds. "It’s a reflection of a major dysfunction we have within tourism. But beyond that, there’s also the expectation and the entitlement that we have really created within the tourism industry.”

Transformational travel is quite the buzz right now, and for good reason. According to Jake Haupert, co-founder and CEO of the Transformational Travel Council, an organization that provides mission-driven travel education and programming, “Transformational travel means intentionally traveling to stretch, learn, and grow into new ways of being and engaging with the world. We believe that change happens from the inside out, and our sole focus is promoting personal reflection, understanding, and mindful action while traveling.”

A new wave of sustainable and regenerative travel is taking hold in the Willamette Valley.

Looking out over the rolling green hills dotted with lush Douglas fir and vineyards, I swirl my glass, take in the aromas, and sip. Immediate clarity, vibrant minerality, and a smooth, round finish blanket my palate. But it’s not the Willamette Valley’s best Chardonnay I’m tasting. It’s water. Spring water to be exact. And it comes from below ground at Tabula Rasa, a regenerative farm in Carlton, Oregon, that’s raising the bar when it comes to offering engaging and meaningful experiences for travelers looking to reconnect with their inner wild, and leave the land better than the way they found it. 

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – From the Cascades to the coast, Oregon offers a variety of adventures. But one local travel program is leading the charge in sustainable tourism in the Willamette Valley.

Stretching across seven counties, the Willamette Valley Visitor’s Association is promoting regenerative tourism — the idea that tourism should leave a place better than it was before and represents a sustainable way of traveling and discovering new places.

What is a bomb cyclone? Wall of water headed for Portland as storm develops

“Our mission is to look at a grassroots effort how to foundationally support our communities and make sure tourism is seen as a motivation for doing good and giving back rather than just taking from,” explained WVVA Executive Director Dawnielle Tehama.

Supporting local makers and producers, the organization features several attractions like oak rehabilitation with Left Coast Cellars or West Fir Lodge nature tours.

“The world needs innovation,” Tehama said. “Through the pandemic, when everything was quiet and no one was traveling, we really saw where tourism was broken and how tourism was doing more taking than giving.”

Overcoming community divides and pandemic challenges, the Willamette Valley Visitor Association has been working to change the conversation, rebuild trust, and spark connections within their community. The Willamette Valley Visitor Association talks more about its work, including the barriers they’ve faced and how they’re working to overcome them.

The Transformational Travel Council (TTC) has been honored with the 2022 Meaningful Tourism Award. The prestigious award — revealed during the Meaningful Tourism Panel at the ITB ASIA in Singapore — was given by the Meaningful Tourism Center (MTC) to the TTC for its leadership and efforts in developing a more regenerative, sustainable, and responsible tourism for a better future of the industry globally.

Travel – We’ll get back to it. And more sustainable: the focus from DMOs and tour operators has accelerated a decade in three years compared to pre-pandemic. There’s still a lot of revenge travel to be had – big trips that people put off until more secure. And finally, we might see new values born of the Covid-era playing out in consumer choices: fewer but longer, more meaningful trips, considering how they impact and connect with communities and nature.

Funds will help support 22 tourism efforts statewide

Destination Marketing Organization in Washington state to develop industry-leading road map for regenerative travel

WVVA is one of the first in the nation to become stewards in regenerative practices and sustainable travel

Slovenia is the first European country to host The Transformational Travel Council’s (TTC) annual gathering - TRANSCEND ‘22 - an event designed to shift the tourism paradigm from extraction to regeneration through transformation. The event will take place October 9 - 12, 2022, in Logar Valley.

WeTravel, along with The Transformational Travel Council, has launched an educational course, “Introduction to Transformational Travel,” in the WeTravel Academy for travel professionals to avail of the applicable resources required to add transformational travel experiences to their operations. WeTravel is an integrated booking and payments platform built for the multi-day travel industry; The Transformational Travel Council is a collective of businesses and organizations committed to impact tourism.

Shifting travel priorities

On top of this revival in demand, we’re also seeing a shift in the way people want to travel. Our community is seeing an upsurge in demand as people are prioritising unique, sustainable, authentic experiences which broaden their horizons, enrich their understanding of the world, and deepen their connection with others. They want carefully curated trips, tailored to their specific likes and interests when they are finally able to get away again.

As Jake Haupert, chairman and CEO of the Transformational Travel Council observes: “As well as greater demand, people are also being more intentional about how they approach travel. Travellers are becoming actively engaged and understand they have a role to play, it is not just about entertainment. Likewise, experience providers are realising the role they can play in guiding people towards their desired outcomes”.