Tourism: Balance instead of growth at all costs

In the latest ITB videocast, presenter Charlotte Lamp-Davies, CEO of A Bright Approach, Dr. Ellen Madeker, Head of Policy at Airbnb, Sven Liebert, Secretary General of the German Tourism Association (BTW), and Álvaro Blanco Volmer, Director of Turespaña in Germany, discussed the future of responsible tourism.

Ellen Madeker emphasised that Airbnb worked closely with governments and administrations at all levels to find ways that benefited both hosts and guests. The aim was a balanced coexistence – and a form of tourism that helped cities and communities instead of burdening them. It was certainly not the case that all cities wanted to restrict short-term rentals: in Porto for example, rentals via platforms had helped to renovate historic buildings and improve infrastructure – showing how sharing services could specifically promote local development.

Creating sustainable added value – a joint responsibility

Sven Liebert emphasised that sustainable solutions were only possible along the entire tourism value chain. It was not just a matter of making guests happy, but also about involving local residents. If tourism was unable to achieve a balance there was a risk of losing entire destinations in the long term. Tour operators could help to create year-round demand or promote less frequented regions – without compromising quality for travellers.

Spain – a pioneer of responsible tourism

Álvaro Blanco Volmer emphasised that Turespaña's goal was not growth at all costs, but diverse and balanced tourism that strengthened communities and preserved cultural heritage. To achieve this, Spain had developed a national strategy for 2030, which focused on digitisation, sustainability and inclusion – coordinated at national, regional and local level. Using a network of several hundred partners, it was possible to analyse visitor flows and help avoid overcrowding. Maintaining a dialogue with local residents was equally important: a survey had shown that social acceptance was crucial for Spain's role as a global destination. Agreements with online platforms also ensured that illegal products were removed. Rather than limiting tourism the goal was to improve managing it.

Data, transparency and cooperation: Airbnb's contribution

Airbnb has also taken the same approach. Madeker pointed to the City Portal, a free tool from her company that was already being used by some 50 cities in Germany to evaluate tourism data transparently. Together with the Fraunhofer Institute, they had also investigated the impact of short-term rentals on local rents – and found they were usually significantly lower than previously thought. In cities such as Berlin, Airbnb works closely with local authorities to better understand developments at district level.

New openings for lesser-known regions

Asked how lesser-known regions could be marketed, Álvaro Blanco Volmer explained that Spain had been taking this path for years – with campaigns highlighting the “green north“ for example. Taking as their slogan “Think you know Spain? Think again”, they specifically promoted lesser-known parts of Spain, indirectly supported by platforms such as Airbnb, which offered rentals in regions where there was often little or no hotel accommodation.

In his closing remarks, Sven Liebert spoke of the need for a shared sense of responsibility within the industry. Global travel would continue to grow – Europe had to be prepared and could quite possibly become a blueprint for other regions. Álvaro Blanco Volmer also argued that in future, success in tourism should no longer be measured in visitor numbers and overnights, but by how it helped people, places and the environment. That would require long-term thinking that extended beyond legislative periods, as well as uniform standards.

The future of travel: connecting instead of consuming

Ellen Madeker concluded by saying that she dreamed of tourism that genuinely connected people and places, instead of simply consuming a destination. Charlotte Lamp-Davies shared this view and said that the ITB Berlin Convention in March would explore these topics in greater detail and continue the discussion about balance, social acceptance and the sustainability of travel.

The full videocast is available here.