As 2024 draws to a close, I am reflecting on a year shaped by resilience, growth, and meaningful partnerships. The tourism and events landscape in Aotearoa New Zealand, and across the Asia Pacific, has faced its fair share of challenges this year.

Discover more about sustainability for the travel and MICE sectors with Jessica Vandy, who will be back in Singapore this month representing Global Destination Sustainability Movement in the education programme with two separate sessions at ITB Asia 2024. The event will be held at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre in Singapore, alongside MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia.

Despite being known for our visually stunning landscapes and the ‘bucket-list destination’ for many travellers, Aotearoa New Zealand has significant inequities when it comes to accessible tourism

With climate and sustainability coming to the forefront of tourism and events in 2024, we have seen varied terminology being used, and new catch-phrases being introduced into our day-to-day life. We are likely to be familiar with CSR and ESG, but how well do we know legacy and impact?

Are you a tourism professional who works with destinations? Are you ready to lead the way in regenerative destination management?

GDS-Academy, in collaboration with ICCA and CityDNA, invites you to join the 2024 GDS-ICCA-CityDNA Certificate in Regenerative Destination Management Course starting in March!

It wasn’t long ago that sustainability was a rare conversation at a conference or meeting. Sidelined to a breakout room, or a special interest group discussion.

In the last 12 months, it has been a joy to see sustainability increase in value, become a priority discussion, a movement within organisations, and reach the keynote at a congress.

Within Asia Pacific, sustainability and regeneration are a growing topic of conversation for tourism and events. In many destinations, there is already cross-sector participation from local Government, venues, hotels, tourism organisations, event companies, and hospitality who are ideating, creating and curating initiatives that are demonstrating collective action on climate change.

Accessibility is embedded in good sustainability practices in tourism and events. It is far more than just ensuring facilities for wheelchairs. It is certainly the anticipation and addressing of a wide spectrum of needs. Thoughtful insight on accessibility from Marian Lenhart at Skift Meetings