- WTTC unveiled principles to manage tourism growth.
- The framework calls for data-driven decisions.
- Goals are resident wellbeing, visitor growth.
THE WORLD TRAVEL & Tourism Council unveiled seven principles to help destinations manage tourism growth. The framework measures success through resident wellbeing, resilience and value for local communities, alongside visitor growth.
Published in the policy brief, “Destination Stewardship: Creating Value for All”, the framework calls for planning, collaboration and evidence-based decision-making. It also outlines immediate actions to address tourism pressures during peak travel periods.
The seven principles are: plan together, grow together; make resident satisfaction the measure of success; plan ahead; understand the issue; more places, more seasons, more value; turn tourism into shared prosperity; and be ready to respond. They call on destinations to plan together, track resident sentiment, spread tourism across seasons and locations, reinvest revenues locally and prepare for emerging pressures.
“When destinations are managed well, travel and tourism creates jobs, strengthens communities, protects cultural and natural heritage, and delivers lasting prosperity,” said Gloria Guevara, WTTC president and CEO. “Destination stewardship succeeds when governments, local communities and the private sector work together with a shared vision for long-term success. Our seven principles provide a practical framework that destinations can adapt to their own needs, helping ensure tourism continues to deliver benefits for everyone.”
Travel and tourism supports one in 10 jobs worldwide, contributes about 10 percent of global GDP and is expected to create one in three new jobs over the next decade, according to WTTC. In 2025, the sector contributed $11.6 trillion to the global economy and supported 366 million jobs.
Tourism can create opportunities for destinations, businesses and residents through coordinated planning, resident engagement and better data, WTTC said. This approach can help communities benefit from the sector while protecting the character of the places visitors travel to.
WTTC said the debate should move beyond visitor arrivals and focus on how destinations manage growth and distribute its economic and social value.
The report cited Madrid, where deseasonalization, decentralization and public-private governance support a value-over-volume model before pressures emerge. Colorado shows how governance, resident engagement and planning can shape tourism policy. Bogotá demonstrates how early investment in data and planning can improve destination management and extend benefits to residents.
Dubrovnik shows how managing cruise arrivals can ease pressure without limiting visitor numbers, while New York City demonstrates how regional tourism can spread economic benefits, WTTC said. The Balearic Islands show how reinvesting tourism revenue in local communities can build public support.
The report also highlights initiatives in Copenhagen, Japan, Ljubljana and South Korea, showing how destination stewardship can be adapted to different tourism models and challenges. WTTC said the examples show how destinations can apply common principles to their own conditions.
Alongside its long-term recommendations, the brief outlines actions for the current travel season, including monitoring resident sentiment, mapping tourism pressure points, promoting lesser-known destinations and encouraging responsible visitor behaviour, WTTC said. It also calls on destinations to communicate tourism’s benefits and establish response teams before pressures intensify.
WTTC said destination stewardship should be central to tourism policy, with governments, destinations and the private sector working together to support economic growth, improve residents’ quality of life, protect destination character and enhance the visitor experience.
Separately, WTTC and Chase Travel found that global Travel & Tourism generated $11.6 trillion in 2025, accounting for 9.8 percent of the global economy. The sector grew 4.1 percent year on year, outpacing global economic growth of 2.8 percent by nearly 50 percent.
