News & Trends
Tourism needs people to carry it forward
More meaning instead of more hotel beds: For tourism expert Martin Barth, future-oriented travel starts where places preserve their stories—and hospitality is genuinely felt.
“What fascinates me about tourism is the interplay between places, people, and stories. I’ve always felt drawn to Alpine hospitality—perhaps because it combines perspective with rootedness. And because it creates spaces where warmth and welcome come to life.
A Forum for the future
When I launched the World Tourism Forum Lucerne in 2006, my goal was to create a platform for open dialogue on the future of tourism—bringing together CEOs and students, investors and entrepreneurs. I believe in the power of meaningful encounters and the ideas they spark.
For me, the future of tourism begins at the local level: in places where stories have grown over generations, and where culture is lived, not staged. Regenerative tourism offers the most compelling answer to the question of how tourism can create real impact—not just by preserving, but by giving back: to nature, to communities and to entire destinations.
We need new mindsets and business models that make transformation possible. Over the years, I’ve worked with many start-ups – and I’ve seen that most ideas don’t fail because they lack substance, but because of inflexible systems and the fear of failure.
People make the difference
Today’s hosts are more than just service providers – they embody values, share stories, and bring people together. Human capital is our most important asset. Technology can support the industry in countless ways, but it can never replace people.
Letting go is often the first step toward something new. Giving up the World Tourism Forum during the pandemic was painful, but it opened up new opportunities. And it raised one of the most important questions of all: What do I truly want to pass on?”
«I believe in the power of human connection.»
About Martin Barth
Martin Barth is a lawyer, board member, and professor of tourism. He teaches at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, leads international development at the Swiss Hotel Management School, and is actively engaged in education, innovation, and mentoring start-ups in the tourism sector. He is the founder of the World Tourism Forum Lucerne – a kind of World Economic Forum for the tourism world.
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