Tourism over the next few years faces an array of challenges and opportunities never before experienced. The current economic conditions are unparalleled in the history of the modern tourism industry. Government and community responses to Climate Change world-wide are creating challenges never before encountered.

There are real fears that trade barriers are emerging under the guise of climate change response - with long haul destinations most affected. Technology is coming to the fore in energy efficiency and management - an area vital to the tourism industry. Emerging online communication modes are growing at an enormous rate and change forever the way the tourism industry attracts and engages with its customers. The Asia-Pacific and Indo-Pacific regions offer immense opportunity.

As destinations and individual businesses alike seek out growth and profitability it is vital that they are armed with knowledge of the latest consumer trends, technology, demographic and societal movements. Also critical is knowledge of their competitors’ forward strategies.

Tony Charters
Convenor