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Madrid, Spain, February 27, 2026 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) held recently a high-level meeting in Madrid, bringing together global industry leaders, ministers and senior policymakers to examine investment challenges and opportunities across the Travel & Tourism sector worldwide.

The meeting was led by Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of WTTC, and featured the participation of Shaikha Al Nowais, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, alongside senior government representatives and leading global tourism businesses.

Discussions focused on removing barriers to travel, the role of technology in enabling more seamless journeys, strengthening global connectivity, and advancing sustainable tourism that protects the environment while delivering tangible benefits to local communities. A core theme was the importance of public-private partnerships as a catalyst for scaling investment, developing resilient infrastructure, and unlocking long-term growth.

Participants also underlined the importance of legal certainty for investors, continued infrastructure development, and effective government facilitation to unlock private-sector capital and support long-term sector growth.

“Travel & Tourism continues to be one of the most powerful drivers of global economic growth. In 2025, more than 1.5 billion people travelled internationally, 80 million more than in 2024, making it the strongest year on record for global tourism,” said Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of WTTC. “The sector contributed approximately $11.7 trillion to the global economy, representing 10.3 % of global GDP and year-on-year growth of 6.7 %.”

Guevara also highlighted the sector’s critical role in employment. “Travel & Tourism supports one in nine jobs globally. Over the next decade, the sector is expected to create 91 million new jobs, or one in three new jobs worldwide, making talent development and skills training an urgent priority.”

Shaikha Al Nowais, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, emphasised the importance of safeguarding natural and cultural heritage while ensuring tourism delivers inclusive growth.

“My vision is ambitious, but achievable. Real progress requires the reach of the private sector and close collaboration with governments and communities,” she said. “Investment will be the catalyst for balanced and equitable tourism development, particularly in emerging destinations, while supporting sustainability, entrepreneurship and women across the sector.”

Mara Lezama, Governor of the State of Quintana Roo, highlighted the need for inclusive tourism development. “Tourism success cannot exist alongside social inequality. Democratising tourism, promoting rural and community-based tourism, and ensuring transparent investment frameworks are essential for shared prosperity,” she said.

The meeting convened senior leaders from across the global private sector, including Désirée Bollier, Chair and Global Chief Merchant of The Bicester Collection; Gloria Fluxà, Vice-Chairman and Chief Sustainability Officer of Iberostar; Pansy Ho, Group Executive Chairman of Shun Tak Holdings; José Chapur, Honorary President and Founder of The Palace Company; Juan Vela, Executive Vice President of Grupo Velas; Gabriele Burgio, President and CEO of Alpitour World; Frank Rainieri, Founder and Chairman of Grupo Puntacana; José Carlos Azcárraga, CEO of Grupo Posadas; Jorge Paoli, CEO of Grupo Diestra; Ayhan Bektas, Chairman of Coral Travel Group; and Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotel Group, alongside other global and regional travel executives. Public-sector participation included ministers and vice ministers of tourism from across Latin America, alongside senior representatives from the Japan Tourism Agency and other national tourism authorities.

Closing the meeting, Gloria Guevara announced that WTTC will host a series of regional forums to deepen analysis of sector-specific challenges and opportunities, supporting industry growth, job creation and Travel & Tourism’s contribution to global economic development through enhanced public-private collaboration.

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Manila, Philippines, February 27, 2026 / TRAVELINDEX / The Philippines unveiled the official anthem and music video (MTV) for ASEAN 2026, marking a defining moment in its Chairship of the regional bloc under the theme Navigating Our Future, Together.

Carrying the unifying message of One Vision, One Ocean, the anthem delivers a stirring call for resilience, solidarity, and collective progress. The lyrics portray nations bound by the sea, weathering tides and storms together, guided by hope and a shared purpose. It affirms that ASEAN rises, shines, and moves forward as one community.

The MTV showcases sweeping aerial and cinematic panoramic shots of significant landmarks across ASEAN Member States, capturing vibrant cultures, storied heritage, dynamic cityscapes, and diverse cultural expressions. The visuals emphasize unity in diversity and highlight the strong connections that link the peoples of Southeast Asia.

Through powerful imagery and music, the ASEAN 2026 anthem and MTV celebrate the region’s interconnectedness and reinforce its collective commitment to stability, cooperation, and sustainable growth.

By unveiling the anthem and MTV, the Philippines underscores its dedication to leading a cohesive, forward-looking, and resilient ASEAN community toward a shared future.

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Bangkok, Thailand, February 27, 2026 / TRAVELINDEX / The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to once again endorse the Rainforest Youth Summit 2026 (RAYS 2026), held in collaboration with the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), taking place in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, from June 24 – 26, 2026.

Positioned as a collaborative platform for environmental conservation and sustainable development, RAYS 2026 brings together young leaders, sustainability advocates, and emerging changemakers from across ASEAN and beyond. The programme encourages youth-led dialogue on climate resilience, alongside the development of pragmatic action plans that support responsible and inclusive transformation.

PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid said, “Having had the opportunity to attend RAYS last year, I was inspired by the strong participation of youth united by a clear and shared purpose: protecting our environment. This dialogue is one that PATA is proud to support, and I am confident that RAYS 2026 will continue to serve as a vital platform for young people to exchange ideas, take action, and emerge as changemakers for our planet.”

As an endorser of the event, PATA will leverage its global network of student chapters and communication channels to amplify the event’s outreach and visibility.

STB CEO Dr. Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor said, “We deeply appreciate the continued endorsement from PATA, which reflects the strength of our long-standing partnership and shared commitment to advancing sustainable tourism. As host of the Rainforest Youth Summit 2026, Sarawak remains focused on delivering a structured platform that connects youth, industry, and community stakeholders in meaningful collaboration across ASEAN and the wider Asia Pacific.”

RAYS serves as a regional platform that connects youths with indigenous leaders, scientists, and creatives, encouraging participants to better understand their role in advancing climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and cultural continuity. The programme will feature expert-led sessions, interactive lab workshops grounded in lived experience, and curated off-site excursions centred on Sarawak’s protected rainforest areas. This year’s theme – Youth: Many Ways, One Planet – further highlights how young people from diverse backgrounds can unite around a shared commitment to create a more sustainable world.

The closing of the summit will coincide with the opening day of the Rainforest World Music Festival 2026 (RWMF 2026), one of Sarawak’s most celebrated cultural events. The festival was ranked among the Top 10 in the Transglobal World Music Chart’s 2025 Festival Awards.

Early bird tickets are available to purchase from today until March 15. For youths in the ASEAN region seeking financial assistance to attend the event, applications are now open for the RAYS ASEAN Access Fund.

The event is proudly funded and organised by the State Government of Sarawak, and endorsed by ASEAN, PATA, and UN Tourism.

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Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, February 25, 2026 / TRAVELINDEX / Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we live, work – and vacation. With their rapid, sophisticated responses, AI chatbots like ChatGPT offer travellers an unprecedentedly powerful tool for trip planning. However, this tool is not without limitations, especially when it comes to narrowing down multiple options for destinations and activities. Thanks to Professor Seunghun Shin of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and four co-authors, online travel agencies now have novel insights into the impact of ChatGPT on travellers’ trip planning behaviour, specifically the relative effectiveness of ChatGPT and humans as recommendation agents.

ChatGPT, a dialogue-based AI tool that can understand natural human language and generate human-like written text, has the potential to revolutionise trip planning. “Its remarkable ability to interact with users by providing sophisticated answers to their queries has led millions of people to adopt it”, say the researchers.

Traditionally, travellers needed to comb multiple websites and other information sources – from search engines to maps, blogs and online review pages – to find the perfect destinations and activities. Today, the authors note, “they can bypass such complicated and disturbing processes through a simple conversation with ChatGPT”. The chatbot can deliver customised itineraries within just a few seconds, providing “a valid initial reference for trip planning”.

Despite these advantages, certain limitations of the tool may pose obstacles for prospective travellers. The first – at least at the time of this study – was ChatGPT’s inability to provide real-time information. Second, the tool’s focus on text rather than images or videos is inimical to the visual nature of shopping for destinations and activities. “Last but not least”, the researchers say, “ChatGPT is not always correct”.

These limitations may make travellers unwilling to fully trust ChatGPT, especially its ability to narrow down multiple valid options at later stages of the trip planning process. Unfortunately, however, research to date has paid insufficient attention to how tourists perceive the role of ChatGPT in the trip planning process. The researchers set out to fill this important gap.

Their first task was to consult the literature to develop hypotheses for testing. The most salient framework appeared to be that of the choice overload effect, or the negative consequences of a large assortment of choices. “The choice overload effect”, say the researchers, “is generally understood to mean a situation in which the intricacy of the decision problem facing a person transcends his or her cognitive capacity”.

First, having a multitude of choices can be overwhelming, due to the near-impossibility of comparing all available options. “The regret stemming from the inability to select the best choice enhances the attractiveness of other options”, the researchers warn, “potentially resulting in unfavourable outcomes such as switching decisions or opting for no decision at all”. Second, the presence of so many options raises consumers’ hope of finding the ideal choice – inevitably leading to disappointment when this becomes impossible.

In the hospitality and tourism field, researchers have sought to identify moderators capable of reducing the choice overload effect. For example, building travellers’ self-confidence has been found to mitigate the negative effects of large numbers of options at multiple stages in the decision-making process. A frequently overlooked factor, however, is the information source (e.g., AI or human), which may increase the accuracy of decision-making and thus reduce the choice overload effect.

Expanding on choice overload theory, the researchers proposed their first hypothesis. “As ChatGPT streamlines a multitude of options into a more concise selection”, they say, “it may lead to a reduction in travellers’ satisfaction with the recommendations and their intention to visit the recommended destination”. Although choice overload theory generally assumes that narrowing down options helps people make better choices, this depends on whether appealing choices are retained and unattractive ones are excluded – tasks at which ChatGPT may not excel.

The authors also proposed that ChatGPT’s perceived trustworthiness can mediate the impact of its option-reduction service on travellers’ recommendation satisfaction and visit intention. AI is widely believed to lack efficacy in handling tasks requiring intuition and empathy. “Given that the process of trip planning is subjective, intuitive, and emotional”, the researchers say, “travellers are inclined not to trust information that has been curated by ChatGPT”.

Finally, the authors identified possible boundary conditions for how travellers perceive ChatGPT when narrowing down multiple travel options. “First, we anticipate that concerns about forfeiting the best options will be more pronounced when the initial number of choices is substantial”, they say. Second, the choice overload effect varies depending on whether consumers narrow down options independently, which can minimise concerns about forfeiting the best possible alternatives. Therefore, they expected the negative effect of reducing options to decrease when this reduction is done by the human decision-maker rather than ChatGPT.

To test their hypotheses, the researchers crafted five experimental studies in which participants imagined planning trips to destinations, interacting with ChatGPT or friends to generate and narrow down travel options. Their aim was to use these studies to empirically “determine the negative effect of reducing options from the initial recommendations using ChatGPT”.

Study 1 focused on Hong Kong as the target trip destination. As hypothesised, “satisfaction with the recommendations was reduced significantly when ChatGPT suggested narrowed-down options from the initial large option”, the researchers report. In Study 2, the participants imagined planning a trip to Key West, Florida. Option reduction by ChatGPT (compared with the participants themselves) negatively affected visit intention, mediated by perceived trustworthiness and satisfaction, especially when the initial set of options was large.

Strengthening these findings, Study 3 revealed that travellers were more satisfied when they narrowed down the options themselves than when they relied on ChatGPT. In Study 4, satisfaction and visit intention were higher when options were narrowed down by human experts than by ChatGPT. Finally, Study 5 demonstrated that the negative effects of ChatGPT’s option reduction were mitigated when travellers actively engaged in the narrowing process, suggesting that user participation can buffer against the damage done to trust and satisfaction by AI-driven reduction.

“Our research reveals the underlying psychological mechanisms behind why decision-makers do not prefer a reduction in recommendations by AI agents”, the authors tell us. Their findings not only contribute to the literature but may also help online travel agencies (OTAs) more effectively embed ChatGPT in their websites to help travellers create trip itineraries.

First, their findings indicated that ChatGPT may not be helpful in narrowing down options at a late stage of trip planning, because its options-reduction ability is not perceived as trustworthy. Therefore, “OTAs should emphasise ChatGPT’s ability to generate the initial pool of destinations or activities and deemphasise its narrowing-down ability”.

“Second”, they say, “our findings showed that the benefits of using ChatGPT for trip planning can increase when its initial recommendations are narrowed down by travellers”. OTAs could thus encourage travellers to be engaged in the creation process to maximise their satisfaction with the itineraries. “Businesses could instruct their chatbots to give multiple possible alternatives to customers’ inquiries”, the authors say, “to lead them to make their own choices”.

Finally, they found that travellers perceived choice overload when more than 15 options were proposed by AI tools. This insight may be applicable beyond travel planning. “Based on our findings”, the authors conclude, “hospitality businesses could adjust the default number of recommendations their AI tools provide, to enable customers to easily interact with them, and to have better experience with such tools”.

Seunghun Shin, Jungkeun Kim, Eunji Lee, Yerin Yhee and Chulmo Koo (2025). ChatGPT for Trip Planning: The Effect of Narrowing Down Options. Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 64, No. 2, 247–266.

About PolyU School of Hotel and Tourism Management
For more than four decades, the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has refined a distinctive vision of hospitality and tourism education and become a world-leading hotel and tourism school. Ranked No. 1 in the world in the “Hospitality and Tourism Management” category in ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2025 for the ninth consecutive year; placed No. 1 globally in the “Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services” category in the University Ranking by Academic Performance in 2024/2025 for eight years in a row; rated No. 1 in the world in the “Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism” subject area by the CWUR Rankings by Subject 2017; and ranked No. 1 in Asia in the “Hospitality and Leisure Management” subject area in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025, the SHTM is a symbol of excellence in the field, exemplifying its motto of Leading Hospitality and Tourism.

The School is driven by the need to serve its industry and academic communities through the advancement of education and dissemination of knowledge. With a strong international team of over 90 faculty members from 21 countries and regions around the world, the SHTM offers programmes at levels ranging from undergraduate to doctoral degrees. Through Hotel ICON, the School’s groundbreaking teaching and research hotel and a vital aspect of its paradigm-shifting approach to hospitality and tourism education, the SHTM is advancing teaching, learning and research, and inspiring a new generation of passionate, pioneering professionals to take their positions as leaders in the hospitality and tourism industry.

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Phuket, Thailand, February 24, 2026 / TRAVELINDEX / Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort is setting a new standard for family holidays, combining five-star luxury with an array of engaging activities designed for guests of all ages. Situated on the serene Cape Panwa coastline, the resort offers an idyllic escape where families can create lasting memories in a vibrant and stylish setting.

Understanding the needs of the modern family, the resort has curated an experience that ensures both parents and children have an unforgettable stay. A central feature is the Sapparot Kids Club, a hub of creativity and fun where younger guests can enjoy a daily schedule of supervised activities. While the children are entertained, parents can unwind, knowing their little ones are in a safe and stimulating environment.

The resort’s dedication to family fun extends to its aquatic facilities. Children can make a splash in the dedicated kids’ pool, complete with its own exciting slider. For shared adventures, the resort’s private beach along Makham Bay provides the perfect backdrop. Families can explore the calm, clear waters together with complimentary activities such as kayaking and paddleboarding, enjoying the sun and sea at their own pace.

Dining is also a family affair at Pullman Phuket Panwa. Every restaurant and beach club within the resort features thoughtful kids’ food selections, offering a variety of delicious and appealing options to satisfy even the youngest palates. This ensures that every meal is a relaxed and enjoyable experience for the entire family.

Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort provides the perfect blend of relaxation and adventure, making it the ultimate destination for a fun-filled family holiday in paradise.

Keep in touch and stay update!

Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort is located 45-minute drives from Phuket International Airport (HKT) and overlooks the magnificent Bays of southern Phuket. The premium resort blends premium hospitality with contemporary Thai design to deliver a beachside paradise for global travelers seeking a tropical island retreat amidst tranquil nature. Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort offers a choice of 211 spacious contemporary rooms, including suites and 29 villas with private pools. The resort has been a popular choice among travelers seeking a premium resort experience in close proximity to Phuket Town, shopping malls and tourist attractions. An unmissable dining experience crafted exclusively for your stay, Tamarind Restaurant is a signature dining venue serving innovative Thai cuisine. It has been recognized as a Top 10 restaurants in Phuket and the No. 1 restaurant in Cape Panwa on TripAdvisor ranked by Travelers.

About Pullman
Pullman Hotels & Resorts sets a new tempo in global travel and living, delivering an inspiring, energizing and enriching experience to new entrepreneurs. Pullman welcomes guests with the space they need to focus, work and play. Forward-thinking, hyper-connected and with a passion for art and fitness, Pullman retains the adventurous spirit and open-minded ambition that drove it to become a pioneering travel brand over 150 years ago. Today Pullman features more than 157 properties in vibrant and cosmopolitan destinations around the world including flagship properties such as Pullman Paris Bercy, Pullman Suzhou Zhonghui in Greater China and Pullman Maldives Maamutaa. Pullman is part of Accor, a world leading hospitality group consisting of more than 5,200 properties and 10,000 food and beverage venues throughout 110 countries.

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Bangkok, Thailand, February 24, 2026 / TRAVELINDEX / Smiling Albino, an award-winning Bangkok-based luxury experiential travel specialist, has reached a major milestone, a quarter century of designing high-end, customized journeys across Southeast Asia.

Founded in 1999 by Canadians Daniel Fraser and Scott Coates, Smiling Albino grew from its original base in Thailand into a regional specialist known for tailor-made travel with strong local character.

As Smiling Albino celebrates 25 years, I keep coming back to how much their story is really about people. I first met the team back in 2004 when I was studying for my graduate degree at Assumption University and was out exploring the neighborhood. Their office was close to our Hua Mak campus. Later, they moved across the street from campus. Even then it was obvious Scott and Dan had that rare combination of creative instincts and operational discipline that made guests feel like the trip was designed just for them, because it was.

Over the years I’ve watched Assumption University students and alumni gain their first real professional momentum through Smiling Albino, learning standards, confidence, and what “excellent” looks like in the real world, then carrying that forward into the wider tourism sector.

As tourism keeps evolving, the need for strong bridges between industry and academia only grows and Smiling Albino has shown what that looks like in practice: shared know-how, real opportunities, and a culture that develops people, not just products. Congratulations to Dan and the team on 25 years of impact that travels far beyond the guest experience. Here’s to the next chapter.

Thomas Tran, a standout graduate of Assumption University’s Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management who completed multiple internships during his studies, said Smiling Albino played a defining role in his professional journey.

“As an Assumption University graduate, I had the privilege of spending 3.5 years at Smiling Albino, years that shaped my foundation in the international luxury travel industry,” he shared, adding that the team’s creativity, meticulous attention to detail, and world-class service taught him “what it truly means to take care of high-end clientele and deliver unforgettable experiences.” Thomas noted that the experience strengthened his professionalism, cultural sensitivity, and operational excellence, lessons he carried into his current role as Country Manager at FutureLog.

Peeradon Meeklam “Pea”, a longtime Smiling Albino team member who joined during the boom years before COVID, helped steady the company through its toughest chapter. One of the few employees not furloughed during the pandemic, he became part of the small core team that rebuilt operations and supplier relationships as travel returned. “In the hardest months, we focused on two things: taking care of our partners and keeping our standards high,” Pea said. “When guests came back, we wanted them to feel the same confidence and care, because that’s what Smiling Albino has always been about.”

Pea has since moved on, as many talented people do, leaving with relationships intact and a quiet pride in having been part of a company that measures success not only in trips, but in the people who make them possible.

If Smiling Albino’s trips look seamless, it is because the company has always valued the people who make seamless possible, from teams and suppliers to the alumni who got their first real professional momentum there. After 25 years, that may be the most “luxury” thing about the brand: a standard of care that extends beyond guests to the community that delivers the experience. Here’s to the next chapter.

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Taste a flavourful feast of premium grills, perfectly paired with your favourite brewz, an ideal way to relax after a long week. The highlight menu features Peri Peri Jheenga, Masoli Recheado, and Paneer Cafreal, complemented by a curated selection of beverages

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Open Daily: 12:00 – 24:00

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Bangkok, Thailand, February 23, 2026 / TRAVELINDEX / This concert in honour of Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya, marks the official opening of the international cultural project “Russian Seasons” in Thailand, presenting an evening where classical tradition meets the freedom of jazz improvisation. Organised under the auspices of the Government of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, Russian Seasons is a major international initiative dedicated to showcasing the richness and diversity of Russian culture abroad. Through music, theatre, film, visual arts, and educational projects, the programme reflects Russia’s enduring commitment to preserving and developing its cultural heritage while engaging in creative dialogue with the world.

This opening concert brings together an exceptional group of internationally acclaimed artists led by Denis Matsuev, People’s Artist of Russia, whose virtuosity and improvisational flair form the heart of the evening. He is joined by distinguished soloists Borislav Strulev (cello), Ekaterina Mochalova (domra), Andrei Ivanov (double bass), Sofia Tyurina (saxophone), Sofia Viland (flute), and David Tkechuchava (drums), under the direction of Conductor Yuri Tkachenko, Honored Artist of Russia.

The programme moves freely across genres, featuring highlights such as Leonard Bernstein’s sparkling Candide Overture, jazz-inspired improvisations on Grieg’s Peer Gynt and Khachaturian’s Sabre Dance, and imaginative reworkings of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee. The concert also explores symphonic jazz through works inspired by Borodin and Paul Desmond, Chick Corea’s iconic Spain, and lyrical moments including Saint-Saëns’s The Swan in a new arrangement.

The Russian Seasons invites audiences in Thailand to experience Russian musical artistry through classical masterpieces with spontaneous creativity.

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Dakar, Senegal, February 23, 2026 / TRAVELINDEX / Tourism expert and author Mouhamed Faouzou DÉME will release his latest book, The Complexity and Complementarity of Tourism, on April 4th, Senegal’s Independence Day. The book explores the interconnected nature of tourism, emphasising collaboration, sustainability, and the role of biodiversity in driving the industry forward.

As part of this comprehensive work, DÉME pays tribute to three influential figures in African tourism: Najib Balala, former Kenyan Minister of Tourism; Alain St.Ange, former Seychelles Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine and Former President of the African Tourism Council; and Hamat Bah, former Gambian Minister of Tourism. These leaders are recognised for their vision, leadership, and dedication to advancing tourism across the continent.

“Their boldness, Pan-African vision, and commitment to sustainable and inclusive tourism have set a standard for the industry,” said DÉME. “Their legacy will continue to inspire future generations of tourism professionals and contribute to Africa’s prosperity.”

Alain St Ange, one of the honourees, contributed an afterword to the book, emphasising the importance of preserving nature as a strategic asset for tourism development. The book calls on stakeholders, governments, and communities to adopt sustainable practices and recognise biodiversity as a key resource.

Launch Events

To celebrate the release, two book signing sessions are being organised. The first will take place on April 4th, Senegal’s Independence Day, and the second in Gambia, a brother country of Senegal, to honour Minister Hamat Bah. These events will welcome attendees in the Senegalese-Gambian tradition and bring together tourism stakeholders to discuss the book’s themes and its vision for the future of African tourism.

About the Author

Mouhamed Faouzou DÉME is a highly respected tourism expert with over 30 years of experience in tourism development, policy innovation, and leadership across Africa and beyond. A senior executive in the Senegalese government, he has served as Technical Advisor to several Ministers of Tourism, playing a key role in shaping Senegal’s tourism policies, including contributions to the country’s Plan for an Emerging Senegal (PSE).

DÉME holds advanced qualifications in Tourism, Hospitality, Air Transport, and Airport Management, as well as Religious Studies, giving him a multifaceted perspective on the tourism industry. His career spans both the private and public sectors, including roles as General Manager of a travel agency, head of leisure hotels, and operator of international tours under the Soleil d’Afrique brand.

An advocate for sustainable and inclusive tourism, DÉME is the President of the African Francophone Tourism Council (CATF) and the National Observatory for Tourism Development in Senegal (ONDTS). He has been recognized internationally for his contributions, earning accolades such as the World Tourism Hero distinction by the World Travel Tourism Network and inclusion in the Top 100 African Tourism Personalities by the International Hospitality Institute.

DÉME is also a passionate educator, having lectured at several universities in Senegal, and a prolific author, with four books on tourism to his name. His work emphasises the importance of collaboration, innovation, and sustainability in advancing tourism as a driver of economic growth and cultural exchange.

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Cape Town, South Africa, February 23, 2026 / TRAVELINDEX / OurAfrica. Travel is Africa’s only digital trade show, and has, since its inception during the 2020 lockdown, been all about collaborations and partnerships in the spirit of Ubuntu – driven by a desire to support the greater good of the whole African tourism community in an affordable, inclusive way.

Coming up for its seventh edition in March 2026, the show has always had an ethos of giving back at its core.  Each year, exhibitors are encouraged to “Nominate a Cause” – be it community or conservation based.

The benefits of a nomination were twofold:  an opportunity for these causes to showcase their impact on a global stage, as well as the chance to win a cash donation, in two categories, namely community and conservation.

For 2026, an exciting new partnership with Africa’s Eden means these two like-minded organisations will formally align their efforts. All nominations will now be vetted by sustainability experts and shortlisted through Africa’s Eden’s established Community & Conservation network. This ensures greater transparency and a focus on documented, measurable impact on the ground, rather than simply rallying votes.

To formalise this partnership, causes will only qualify for the nomination shortlist if they tick all the following boxes:

• they are locally led,
• they are legally registered non-profit organisations (NPOs)
• are able to provide a copy of their annual report
• must demonstrate how, in two ways, other than cash donations, how a tourism business can support them, i.e. conservation training or building schools, etc.

All qualifying charities should apply directly via the website.  Any additional queries should be directed to Africa’s Eden’s Impact Lead Conservation & Community, Melissa Foley.

For 2026, one nominated charity in each category will each receive a donation of R20,000 (USD 1200).

To date a total of R100,000 has been donated by OurAfrica. Travel to a number of different causes including the likes of ForRangers, Mukambi Community School in Zambia, How Many Elephants’ World Female Ranger Week, Foxes’ Community and Wildlife Conservation Trust, Parco and the Chigamane School in Mozambique.

About OurAfrica. Travel:

OurAfrica. Travel is a leading virtual travel trade show connecting the African and Indian Ocean travel community with global tour operators and travel buyers. Designed to make meaningful connections accessible and sustainable, the event provides a dynamic online platform for destinations, hotels, lodges, DMCs, and tourism professionals to meet, network, and grow their businesses.

Created by industry experts passionate about promoting responsible and inclusive tourism, OurAfrica. Travel offers a cost-effective, time-efficient, and environmentally friendly way to showcase products and experiences across the continent and its islands. Since its launch in 2020, it has become a much-anticipated annual B2B event that celebrates collaboration, community, and the vibrant diversity of African travel.  The seventh edition will run from 16 – 20 March 2026 and registrations are now open.

About Africa’s Eden Tourism:

Africa’s Eden Tourism is a leading organisation committed to promoting tourism and advancing tourism leadership across Southern and Central Africa. Representing the eclectic regions of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar, the organisation prioritises sustainable practices, community engagement, and cooperative growth.

As a not-for-profit entity, Africa’s Eden offers tourism businesses exceptional opportunities for partnership, visibility, and influence, shaping the future of travel in these remarkable destinations. Its mission is to showcase the breathtaking natural landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and distinctive experiences that position the region as a top choice for travellers around the world.

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