Violent Attacks Push European Tourism to Extremes and 15 Other Tourism Trends This Week

Throughout the week we post dozens of original stories, connecting the dots across the travel industry, and every weekend we sum it all up. This weekend roundup examines tourism.

For all of our weekend roundups, go here.

>>In many destinations, tourism profits are “found” money with no strings attached. That’s great for short-term gains, and so very terrible for long-term thinking: Travel Industry Leaders Say Overtourism Caused by Lack of Planning

>>Grassroots activism is now the go-to tactic for achieving gender equality in the Trump-era travel industry, reminiscent of recent movements like the Women’s March in Washington, D.C.: How Women in the Travel Industry Are Tackling Gender Discrimination

>>You’d be a fool not to register for the hottest conference in travel: New Speakers Join the Skift Global Forum Lineup

>>If legislators ultimately slash funding for Visit Florida — and the state’s governor signs off on the budget — will the private sector step in with more cash? Florida Tourism Officials Are Fighting for Funding as Cuts Loom

>>Turkey, Egypt, and Tunisia have all been devastated by terror attacks in recent years and they are all well down on their previous highs: Violent Attacks Push European Tourism to Extremes

>>Influencers are increasingly important for DMOs looking to reach and engage with its audience over social media. Overall they are also considered as a good ROI: Nearly Half of Tourism Boards Think Working With Influencers Is a Good Idea

>>Skift’s latest research shows a clear shift in demand for more transformative travel experiences among upscale travelers, but we expect many brands will jump on this trend without offering anything significantly new: Brands Focus on Next Phase of Traveler Engagement

>>All these points are quite basic, but in the chase for bling, brands often forget that they’re the building blocks of luxury: WTTC Report: The New Fundamentals of Luxury Are the Old Fundamentals of Luxury

>>River cruising doesn’t just have age problems, its brands are competing on the quality of their on-shore experiences: Luxury River Cruises Take Action to Avoid Irrelevance and Compete on Age

>>Bringing more multicultural groups to a destination for meetings and events isn’t just good business. It’s also good for local communities and future tourism, too: Multicultural Meetings and Events Will Be Key as Minorities Become the Majority

>>Cities across the U.S. are aggressively promoting their civic policies around diversity and inclusion. This rise of advocacy at the local level is a direct response to the inane alt-right narrative coming out of the White House: The Business Case For Diversity in Meetings and Events — Meetings Innovation Report

>>As strange as it is that a tweet from a Rabbi would help expose the inner workings of a Presidential administration, it’s even stranger that a plan to thoroughly disrupt international travel to the U.S. could be in the works: Killing U.S. Visa Programs? It’s Apparently on Trump Administration’s To-Do List

>>Traveler Centricity. Gamification. Big Data. Bleisure. Buzzwords can help drive an industry forward, even if everyone is tired of hearing them: Don’t Call It a Bizcation: The Corporate Travel Buzzwords Everyone Is Sick Of

>>Trends and buzz phrases come and go, but we’re here to cover the underlying forces that are changing the way corporate travel operates: What Buzzwords Tell Us About Corporate Travel — Skift Corporate Travel Innovation Report

>>National Geographic Expeditions is expanding into land tours through its purchase of Global Adrenaline. One has to wonder about the fate of its partnership with G Adventures: National Geographic Expeditions Buys Tour Operator to Enter Land Vacation Market

>>As cruise lines find that customers want to spend on experiences, will they seek to offer more personalized options in shore excursions, dining, drinks, and onboard offerings? Royal Caribbean Says Passengers Are Spending Big on Experiences