Amsterdam’s Overtourism and 13 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.

>>It won’t surprise anyone that Asian travel is a big theme. But this presentation covers a few changes in consumer behaviors that travel brands ignore at their peril: Video: Changing Behavior of Asian Travelers Is Reshaping Brand Expectations

>>Will a no-Boomers-allowed policy, youth-focused design, and tailored shore excursions be enough to convince millennials that river cruising is the way to experience Europe? The CEO of U by Uniworld thinks so — and she only has to win over 120 passengers at a time: Millennial-Only River Cruising From Uniworld Will Start Sailing in 2018

>>The results of this study seem like a no-brainer, but you might be surprised to see how this is part of an evolving conversation about the true importance of face-to-face meetings and events: Smart CMOs Are Seeing the Value of In-Person Brand Experiences and Events

>>Females are considered the primary purchasers in travel, but a more holistic view of the luxury sectors suggests that men are an equally, if not more, important target for marketers: Men Are Spending More in the Luxury Sector Than Women, Research Shows

>>For now, the industry’s biggest task it to make sure that Millennials don’t completely disengage and abandon loyalty altogether: The Business of Loyalty: The Millennial Problem

>>Thomas Cook has hit the ground running in China but it’s not running away from its core business in Europe. The group doesn’t want to be too aggressive in China before it’s made more of a name for itself in the market and sees how consumers respond: Thomas Cook Is Cautiously Optimistic About its China Business

>>The next generation of conferences is evolving as multidisciplinary, experiential marketing platforms to better personalize the learning and networking options for attendees. They’re also a hell of a lot more fun: The Future of Personalizing Conferences for Maximum Impact — Meetings Innovation Report

>>London’s political associations with Europe may be changing but its cultural appeal remains strong to many travelers. It’s using its nighttime economy to help drive economic growth in the post-Brexit era as it builds out more infrastructure to accommodate the city’s nightlife: Video: London Tourism Leaders Say Brexit Won’t Kill City’s European Partnerships

>>Cities across Europe are wising up to the potential problem of too many tourists. Those tasked with marketing an “at risk” destination are going to have to work harder to spread tourism over a wider area in order to dilute the potential negative impact: Amsterdam, Airbnb and the Very Real Problem of Overtourism

>>Supervisors who don’t send women on business trips, in a misguided effort to avoid dealing with women’s safety issues, are doing their companies a disservice by suppressing that talent. Companies that tackle that duty of care head-on are playing with a full deck: Female Business Travelers Demand Equality From Their Employers

>>Will Americans’ rediscovery of Cuba be curtailed before it really takes off? There are already enough uncertainties about visiting the island with the embargo, tight hotel supply, and limited infrastructure on the ground. Adding more red tape could have a big impact: Cuba Travel for Americans Could Be At Risk as Trump Mulls Options

>>Companies need to be aware of the concerns and needs of female travelers and empower them to do their jobs safely on the road: Women Want Safe Business Travel — Skift Corporate Travel Innovation Report

>>MSC Cruises continues to show its ambition as it plans to add more ships to an already fast-growing fleet. Now the question is whether demand can keep up with all that supply: MSC Cruises Is Building Ships That Will Break Passenger Records

>>Compared with other U.S. sectors, the travel industry would be disproportionately impacted should U.S.-Cuba relations and travel policies get reversed. It’s anyone’s guess as to how President Trump will proceed regarding Cuba policies but that picture should become clearer later this month: U.S. Airlines and Cruise Lines Could Lose $3.5 Billion if Trump Reverses Cuba Policies