Summit Agenda

Monday, 7 April 2025

• 09:00 - 09:15

  Opening Remarks

  The importance of addressing seasonality in Europe, a region with diverse tourism offerings but significant peaks and troughs in visitor flows.

• 09:15 - 09:40

  Keynote Address: Europe’s Tourism Landscape

  Seasonality in a Post-Pandemic Era

  Discussion Points:

  • Tourism recovery exceeding pre-pandemic levels with 12% growth in foreign arrivals – what are the implications for sustainable tourism development?
  • What are the strategies required to mitigate the impact of economic pressures and inflation on travel decisions?
  • Identifying opportunities in the shift towards off-peak and shoulder season travel.
  • Addressing the regional disparities in tourism recovery across Europe.
• 09:40 - 10:30

  Panel Discussion: Balancing Peaks

  Lessons from Europe’s Iconic Destinations

  Discussion Points

  • 90% of European travellers consider ‘overtourism’ in their travel planning – what is the significance of this?
  • Evaluating successful visitor management systems and tourism taxes to balance tourism growth with local quality of life.
  • Exploring innovative approaches to redistribute tourism to lesser-known areas, reducing pressure on popular destinations.
  • What strategies can we employ to engage with local communities and address anti-tourism sentiment?
• 10:30 - 11:00

  Keynote Address: Revitalizing Off-Season Travel Through Data and Technology

  Discussion Points:

  • Exploring cutting-edge AI and data analytics applications for creating personalized, year-round travel experiences
  • Assessing the potential of smart tourism technologies in managing visitor flows across seasons.
  • Identifying digital tools and strategies to extend tourism seasons effectively.
  • What is technology's role in promoting sustainable tourism practices?
• 11:00 - 11:15

  Coffee Break

• 11:15 - 12:00

  Panel Discussion: Cultural Heritage and Local Communities: Balancing Tourism Impact

  Discussion Points:

  • Exploring successful case studies of community-led tourism initiatives that have enhanced local cultural preservation while providing economic benefits
  • Developing frameworks for meaningful community engagement in tourism planning and heritage management, addressing both tangible and intangible cultural assets.
  • How can we capitalise on the rise of authentic and immersive travel experiences?
  • Can we really protect cultural heritage while promoting tourism?
  • Examining strategies for distributing cultural tourism throughout the year
• 12:00 - 12:30

  Panel Discussion: Leveraging Advanced Air Mobility and Regional Connectivity to Combat Seasonality in European Tourism

  Discussion Points:

  • Exploring innovative strategies for utilizing Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) technologies to enhance year-round connectivity between major hubs and secondary/tertiary destinations.
  • Analysing the potential of long-range single-aisle aircraft in developing new regional routes to distribute tourist flows more evenly across seasons and destinations.
  • Collaborative approaches between airlines, airports, and tourism authorities to create sustainable, year-round air service development plans that address seasonality challenges.
  • Examining the role of data analytics and AI in identifying untapped markets and optimizing route networks to support consistent tourism flows throughout the year.
• 12:30 - 14:00

  Lunch

• 14:00 - 14:45

  Panel Discussion: Reimagining Low Season Tourism: Innovation and Opportunity

  Discussion Points:

  • Analyse the growing trend of off-season travel, with 73% of Europeans planning trips from October 2024 to March 2025, and develop strategies to capitalise on this shift in travel patterns.
  • Exploring innovative approaches to create unique, season-specific experiences that highlight the distinctive charm of destinations during traditionally quieter periods, such as winter wildlife viewing, “calm-cations”, wellness tourism and cultural festivals.
  • Examining successful case studies of destinations that have effectively extended their tourism seasons.
  • How to develop marketing strategies to promote the benefits of low-season travel, including lower costs, fewer crowds, and more authentic local interactions, to appeal to budget-conscious and experience-seeking travellers.
• 14:45 - 15:30

  Keynote Address: Future-Proofing European Tourism: Collaboration as the Key to Success

  Discussion Points:

  • Examining innovative public-private partnership models that enhance sustainability and resilience in tourism, such as the collaboration between certification organizations to develop industry-recognized standards for sustainable tourism.
  • Exploring strategies for cross-border tourism cooperation to create unique, multi-destination experiences and extend tourism seasons, drawing inspiration from successful initiatives.
  • Analysing the role of EU funding mechanisms, like the new call for proposals supporting SMEs in adopting sustainable practices, in driving collaborative innovation across the tourism sector.
  • Developing frameworks for integrating emerging technologies and data analytics into collaborative tourism management, focusing on smart tourism solutions that balance accessibility, sustainability, and economic growth
• 15:30 - 16:15

  Panel Discussion: Climate Action in Tourism: Adapting for Tomorrow

  Discussion Points:

  • Examining the shift in travel patterns due to changing climate conditions and its impact on traditional peak seasons.
  • Exploring innovative climate-resilient tourism products and experiences.
  • What strategies for implementing sustainable practices across the industry should we consider in response to EU green transition policies?
  • What are the considerations when creating a roadmap for adapting tourism offerings to meet evolving climate-related challenges and opportunities?
• 16:15 - 17:00

  Keynote Address: How to move from ideas and worries to actually Getting S**t Done

  We all know the feeling of wanting to do too much with too little resources. In this no-powerpoint-and-no-excuses talk, Claus Raasted provides both hands-on tips, potential mindset shifts, and a trip down the sometimes slightly strange world of behaviour design, high performance culture and changing the game. Oh, and don't be fooled by the Batman suit and the "overpaid rockstar consultant" title. It's time to unleash the Monkey War!