RIYADH: With travel and tourism projected to reach 30 billion trips and $16 trillion in global GDP by 2034, global leaders unveiled today the Principles for Transformative Tourism, a cross-sector, cross-industry framework to harness travel and tourism’s potential as a net-positive force for people and planet.

The World Economic Forum initiative, supported by the Ministry of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, marks a defining moment for one of the most interconnected segments of the global economy and presents a roadmap to guide the sector’s evolution from growth-driven expansion to regenerative, inclusive prosperity.

“This is not about sustaining tourism as it is, it’s about redesigning it for the next century,” said Børge Brende, President and CEO, World Economic Forum. “The Principles for Transformative Tourism provide a blueprint to transform tourism as the world’s first truly regenerative global sector, one that lifts communities, restores ecosystems and connects people in ways that endure.”

A unique set of cross-sector, cross-industry coalition of global leaders has come together to unite stakeholders from hospitality, aviation, finance, technology, infrastructure and real estate to coordinate global action and unlock the sector’s full potential. By redefining tourism as an ecosystem, not a fragmented set of industries, the initiative sets the stage for measurable standards for impact across every stage of travel, from infrastructure investment to visitor experience.

“These principles capture the spirit of transformation our sector needs, investing in a future-ready workforce, developing infrastructure for shared benefit, harnessing technology responsibly and protecting the ecosystems that sustain us,” said Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “Together, they show how tourism can unlock human potential, strengthen global connectivity and advance sustainability as a shared responsibility.

The principles outline 10 shared ambitions, establishing a new global roadmap for the future of travel and tourism.

Align market opportunities with local strengths and values

Enable responsible choices for evolving travellers

Empower local enterprise and economies

Invest in a future-ready workforce

Develop infrastructure for shared benefit

Balance demand with local capacity

Champion cultural heritage and connection

Revitalise and protect natural ecosystems

Strengthen ecosystem resilience

Harness data and technology responsibly

The principles, following the successful completion of the UN Tourism General Assembly and during the TOURISE conference in Saudi Arabia, define tourism as a “sector of sectors”, an interconnected web of industries, communities and natural systems. The principles demonstrate how coordinated cross-sector action creates far greater economic, social and environmental benefits than isolated efforts.

As part of this new vision of tourism as a sector of sectors, a new report, Beyond Tourism: Coordinated Pathways to Inclusive Prosperity, released in collaboration with Kearney, examines how ecosystem thinking can be put into place in diverse contexts by drawing on global case studies that illustrate measurable results. The new research also indicates that the future of travel and tourism will be written not by any single actor but by the collective choices of an interconnected community.