How tourism can be a catalyst for cultural exchange and shared prosperity

Amid shifting geopolitical dynamics and an increasingly complex global landscape, opportunities for genuine cultural exchange have become more important than ever.

UN Tourism describes tourism as a “key driver for fostering peace and understanding between nations and cultures”, underscoring travel’s unique role in building empathy and mutual respect.

Yet even as the world becomes increasingly interconnected, many people may not be well-positioned to experience or appreciate one another’s lived realities.

Strengthening the bridges that allow people to meet, listen and learn across cultures is therefore essential. Travel can offer more than leisure; it can facilitate cultural exchange, where journeys inspire learning and appreciation of different perspectives.

According to the World Tourism Barometer, more than 1.1 billion tourists travelled internationally between January and September 2025 – about 50 million more than during the same period in 2024.

As mobility accelerates, the sector faces both an opportunity and a responsibility: to ensure that renewed travel fosters cultural understanding, constructive dialogue and shared prosperity.

Focusing on three critical areas is essential to harnessing this potential.

Tourism is one of the world’s most significant drivers of economic opportunity. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the sector contributed $10.9 trillion to global GDP in 2024, accounting for 10% of economic activity, and supported 357 million jobs worldwide – roughly one in every 10 jobs.

Despite this scale, the benefits of tourism are not evenly shared. Many culturally rich or rural destinations remain outside major travel flows, and communities with distinctive heritage often lack the visibility, infrastructure and/or resources needed to participate and benefit fully in the tourism economy. As a result, destinations with deep heritage might capture only a fraction of the tourism industry’s potential benefits.

Across the industry, many have recognized the importance of inclusive tourism, especially in rural and remote areas, and launched initiatives to support local communities.

These include the Community Homestay Network in Nepal, which offers immersive, family-based cultural experiences that support rural livelihoods and women’s economic empowerment, and IMPULSE Travel in Colombia, which works with local communities to create culturally grounded experiences that share the country’s stories and traditions.

It is clear that when communities are empowered as partners, tourism becomes not only an economic engine but also a catalyst for cultural vitality, social cohesion and long-term sustainability – strengthening the very foundations that make travel meaningful.

Travel broadens perspectives in ways no classroom can replicate. Experiencing different cultures first-hand fosters curiosity, empathy and adaptability – qualities essential for navigating an interconnected and fast-changing world.

Across regions, educational travel and youth mobility programmes are expanding access to these formative experiences. Initiatives such as Europe’s Erasmus+ and United Arab Emirates’ Youth Council, use international exposure to build global awareness and leadership capabilities.

These efforts illustrate a growing recognition of travel as experiential learning, fostering the cultural awareness and adaptability needed in a globally connected world.

Delivering such experiences relies on people – specifically, empathetic, culturally aware talent capable of designing and facilitating travel that brings communities and travellers closer together. As the travel sector continues to grow, building talent pipelines that emphasise cultural intelligence, service excellence and human-centred design becomes increasingly important.

Trip.com Group is actively partnering with international organizations and higher education institutions to provide global internships and hands-on learning experiences, exposing young people, including undergraduates, educators and partners beyond the travel and tourism sector to diverse cultures and perspectives.

Technology is reshaping how travellers discover and connect with local culture. From AI-powered planning tools to real-time translation and immersive digital storytelling, industry players are now making cultural experiences more accessible and context-rich. These tools help travellers connect more meaningfully with the stories, traditions and communities that define each destination.

Destinations are already applying technology to illuminate cultural heritage in innovative ways – such as Singapore’s augmented reality heritage trails and Europe’s digital cultural route, which help travellers explore local histories, traditions and artistic legacies.

Together, these advances show how technology can complement, not replace, the human connection at the heart of travel. Digital tools enable travellers, communities and industry partners build deeper understanding and appreciation across cultures, reinforcing travel’s role as a bridge for dialogue and shared progress.

As global travel accelerates, the sector faces a defining moment. Tourism can be a force for unity, mutual respect and shared progress, but only if its benefits extend beyond visitors to the communities and cultures that make each journey possible.

Realising this potential requires coordinated effort across the ecosystem: governments that enable mobility and community participation, businesses that embed cultural respect into product design and service delivery, and travellers who engage with destinations with curiosity and respect.

In a world seeking greater connection, travel offers a powerful bridge – one strengthened through collective effort, thoughtful leadership and a shared commitment to openness and empathy.

By advancing a model where travel fuels both cultural connection and shared prosperity, underpinned by community partnerships, talent development and meaningful traveller engagement, the sector can help ensure that every journey becomes more than movement: it becomes a step toward mutual understanding and collective progress.