Turning Tourism Challenges into Scalable Solutions: WEF Launches Inaugural Beyond Tourism Impact Stars Cohort

Published

25 Sep 2026

2026

World Economic Forum, public.affairs@weforum.org

The inaugural Beyond Tourism Impact Stars recognizes six private sector-led solutions addressing challenges facing the travel and tourism sector.
The initiative, launched in collaboration with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, highlights practical, innovative solutions that create value while delivering positive outcomes for destinations and communities.
The winners will be announced today at the inaugural Beyond Tourism Day, convening senior leaders from business, government and civil society.
Learn more about the initiative here

Geneva, Switzerland, 25 September 2026 – The World Economic Forum today announced the inaugural cohort of Beyond Tourism Impact Stars, a new initiative recognizing leaders advancing high-impact solutions that strengthen communities, expand economic opportunity and help safeguard the planet. From social enterprises to multinational hospitality groups, the honourees are creating lasting value across the travel and tourism sector.

Travel and tourism is entering a defining decade, with the sector expected to generate $16 trillion in GDP by 2034, accounting for more than 11% of the global economy. Yet, this growth comes amid rising costs, geopolitical and climate disruption, workforce shortages and mounting pressure on infrastructure and communities.

Developed with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism, the World Economic Forum’s Beyond Tourism initiative brings together leaders across industry to drive action and share solutions. Its Beyond Tourism Impact Stars programme, developed with Kearney, recognizes private sector solutions that address sector challenges, create commercial value and expand economic opportunity while strengthening communities and destination resilience.

“Travel and tourism’s growth brings enormous opportunity, but future progress depends on addressing mounting pressures on resources, infrastructure and the quality of life of local communities,” said Alois Zwinggi, President and CEO, World Economic Forum. “The Beyond Tourism Impact Stars showcase how private sector leaders are responding through diverse solutions, from new business models and community partnerships to data-driven tools, workforce initiatives and heritage-led real estate development. Their examples demonstrate that commercial success and positive impact are not separate objectives, and at the same time reinforce one another by creating value for businesses, destinations and communities"

"The Beyond Tourism Initiative, our partnership with the World Economic Forum reflects a shared commitment to translating vision into tangible impact for global travel and tourism,” said His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia. “Through key milestones like the inaugural cohort of Beyond Tourism Impact Stars and the first Beyond Tourism Day, we are establishing vital platforms that connect stakeholders and innovators, foster substantive dialogue, and deliver practical solutions to real industry challenges. Saudi Arabia remains committed to fostering a more resilient, responsible, and inclusive travel and tourism ecosystem.”

The first Beyond Tourism Impact Stars are:

Accor – Global Water Action: Mobilizing hotel teams around the world to turn water conservation into everyday practice, using learning, local ownership, gamification and recognition to accelerate action across hotel operations.
Al Ismaelia for Real Estate Investment – Reviving Downtown Cairo: Reviving Downtown Cairo through architectural heritage restoration and adaptive reuse, local business curation and cultural programming to empower a vibrant, inclusive urban destination.
Discova – The Path to Self-Sufficient Tourism: A destination-management company initiative that works with rural communities across Southeast Asia to develop viable tourism enterprises, connect them directly with visitor markets, and progressively transition ownership and management to the community.
GHE Impact Ventures – Himalayan Living Commons: Building community-owned visitor economies in remote parts of India by combining local enterprise, skills development, infrastructure and market access so that more tourism value remains within host communities.
Iberostar – Wave of Change: Using Science to Drive Operational Innovation: Applying science, data, AI and engineering to hotel operations to reduce environmental impacts and restore ecosystems while strengthening operational performance and the resilience of the destinations on which tourism depends.
Sommet Education – Empowering Saudi Hospitality Talent: Building Saudi Arabia’s hospitality workforce through a national-scale education partnership spanning entry-level skills, professional development and executive leadership to help meet the talent needs of a rapidly growing tourism sector.

“Tourism is one of the world’s great economic engines, but its future success will depend on whether growth delivers lasting value for the places and people that make travel possible,” said Bob Willen, Global Managing Partner and Chairman, Kearney. “The Beyond Tourism Impact Stars cohort proves that businesses do not have to choose between commercial performance and positive impact: the strongest models are already advancing both. We are proud to support the World Economic Forum and the Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia in bringing these practical, scalable examples to the fore, and in helping the sector turn ambition into action.”

Beyond Tourism Day: Bringing the ecosystem together

The recognized Impact Stars will be announced at the WEF's inaugural Beyond Tourism Day in Geneva, Switzerland, convening senior leaders from business, government and civil society under the theme "Resilient Growth. Renewed Impact". Discussions will focus on how destinations can strengthen competitiveness and resilience, while advancing workforce readiness, technology and innovation, investment and scalable solutions.

Beyond Tourism Day takes place two days ahead of World Tourism Day on 27 September, providing a platform to carry the conversation to a broader global discussion about how travel and tourism can strengthen economic resilience, create quality jobs and opportunities, and deliver greater value to the communities and destinations on which the sector depends.

The following government and private sector leaders will co-chair the meeting: Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism of Jamaica; Tony Bates, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Genesys; Spencer Coles, Chief Executive Officer, Sommet Education; Patricia de Lille, Minister of Tourism of South Africa; Cara Morton, Chief Executive Officer, Global Businesses and Operations, Zurich Insurance Group; Don Welsh, President and Chief Executive Officer, Destinations International.

Check out the Forum’s Strategic Intelligence Platform and Transformation Maps

Watch Forum videos at wef.ch/videos | YouTube
Get Forum podcasts at wef.ch/podcasts | YouTube
Subscribe to Forum news releases