A World for Travel 2026: At the Marmottan Monet Museum, world tourism sketches out its metamorphosis

REPORT – As a prelude to the international forum “A World for Travel”, public decision-makers, business leaders and world tourism experts met this Wednesday, October 28 in the cozy lounges of the Marmottan Monet Museum. Between impressionist masterpieces, glasses of champagne and informal exchanges, the sector has demonstrated its ambition: to move from words to action in the face of the ecological and geopolitical crisis.

It is no coincidence that the setting chosen to open the 7th edition of the forumA World for Travel(AWFT) breathes contemplation. As this year we commemorate the centenary of Claude Monet's death, it is under the gaze of the famousWater Lilies and the master's masterful paintings that the big names in the global travel industry have gathered, from 6:45 p.m., in the 16th arrondissement Parisian.

In the aisles of the museum, the atmosphere is one of wonder. Delegates from Manila, Nassau, Johannesburg and New York take a timeless break, closely observing the vibrant touches of paint, before tackling much more pragmatic realities.

“Get out of the talk, get into the action”

After a few official welcome words to introduce this edition under the theme“ New Tourism Realities: From Disruption to Collective Action », the organizers and major partners, including Gloria Guevara, director general of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), recalled the urgency of redefining a model under tension. Tourism growth can no longer ignore planetary limits, the saturation of certain sites or geopolitical upheavals.

Then, time for the cocktail. In this exceptional museum setting, business cards twirl quickly among the glasses of champagne. Frédéric Vanhoutte, president of EVENTIZ and founder of the event, does not hide his enthusiasm in the face of this excitement:

« Tonight is the prelude. We're having a "break the ice party". We have participants arriving from China, the United States, the Philippines, Bermuda or South Africa... We didn't want to leave them alone in Paris the day before the forum!», smiles the organizer.

But behind the user-friendliness, the requirement remains intact. For Frédéric Vanhoutte, this 7th edition must mark a turning point:“Tomorrow, at the National Assembly then at the Hôtel de l'Industrie, it will be the forum itself. A forum for action, not a forum for “blabla”. At the end of each session, a commitment must be made. We will collect these commitments in a White Paper to monitor them throughout the year. Our playground is the environment and local populations: it absolutely must be protected. »

Rethinking the flows and restoring meaning: Ile-de-France and Asia in tune

During the discussions, glasses clink and diagnoses cross. The world's leading tourist area with nearly 50 million annual visitors, the Ile-de-France region is at the forefront of these changes. Between two discussions, Baptiste Orlandini, at the head ofChoose Paris Region, insists on the necessary transition of the local model:

“It’s about transforming tourism today so that tomorrow it is more sustainable, more resilient, creating jobs and economic impact”, he confides. For the Ile-de-France player, the future lies in diversification: unclogging the historic heart of the capital for the benefit of the surrounding countryside, forests, rivers and agricultural lands.

This quest for breathability and authenticity resonates on the other side of the globe. Coming to represent the National Tourism Office of Thailand, Prakit Saiporn shares a similar vision, where the logic of volume must give way to human value:

“We want visitors to be more immersed in Thai culture and traditions. For us, pure numbers are no longer the most important thing: we aim for quality. Tourism must above all embody human values. »

A bridge in a fractured world

While international tensions weigh heavily on global mobility, tourism is also asserting itself as an essential diplomatic vector. An observation shared by Ola Wright, Director General of the West Africa Tourism Organization (WATO), who came to plead for enhanced cooperation:

“This event primarily serves to bring together all stakeholders to confront the challenges of our industry and provide concrete solutions. This is crucial today: given the crises the world is going through, tourism remains one of the rare sectors capable of bringing people together. »

As the evening slowly stretches under the golden ceilings of the Marmottan Monet Museum, the conversations continue, auguring the density of the debates to come.

Starting tomorrow morning, participants will swap impressionist calm for the benches of the prestigious Salle Colbert of the National Assembly. On the program: resilience in the face of geopolitical polycrisis, growth of the “Blue Economy”, aviation decarbonization, future of rail and artificial intelligence. In Paris, tourism decision-makers finally seem ready to face reality.