Alexandra Gardasovic-Slavolijika, an international tourism expert and executive director of the Global Tourism Network, emphasized the need to transition tourism to a responsible phase at the Arab Travel Market 2026 in Dubai. At this significant global event, referencing her international experiences and activities in Saudi Arabia, she stated that mere sustainability is no longer sufficient and that responsibility in the tourism industry must be prioritized.
Transforming Tourism to Responsibility
Gardasovic-Slavolijika, in her speech titled "The Next Era of Travel is Not Just Sustainable, but Responsible," stressed the necessity of transforming from sustainability to true responsibility. She pointed out that this transformation should be considered at the level of governments, destinations, investors, and other tourism stakeholders. Noting that sustainability should not be seen merely as a marketing message but should be integrated into decision-making and investment planning, this expert emphasized the importance of real and measurable actions.
The Role of Governments in Responsible Tourism Development
Gardasovic-Slavolijika further highlighted the role of governments in creating sustainable environments for responsible tourism development. She called for clear responsibility standards and effective incentives for businesses and investors. She also addressed the challenges related to measuring the success of tourism destinations, stating that an increase in visitor numbers alone cannot be a measure of success. Instead, attention should be paid to the value remaining in local communities and the quality of visitor experiences.
This message reflects a significant shift in the global tourism industry, moving from a focus on profitable growth to examining the benefits of growth and its impacts on destinations. Gardasovic-Slavolijika presented her experience in Saudi Arabia as an example of how to connect the history and future of a destination while carefully managing tourism development. In this context, she emphasized the role of women as storytellers and ambassadors of destinations and the importance of their participation in conveying the identity and history of a destination.
It is noteworthy that at this event, industry leaders discussed the immense potential of the Asia-Gulf travel corridor and emphasized that improved access, seamless travel, and visa facilitation could be one of the main engines of growth for the tourism industry in the Middle East. The growth of travel from Gulf countries to China was also examined.
