A new framework for tourism leaders navigating today’s interconnected, crisis-prone world — bridging the gap in leadership during polycrisis.
Polycrisis isn’t just a buzzword — it’s the backdrop to modern leadership. The travel, tourism, and destination development sectors are navigating overlapping and interconnected crises: climate instability, workforce shortages, cultural tensions, economic disruptions, and the long tail of a global pandemic. Each of these by itself would be formidable. Together, they demand a reimagined, resilient form of leadership.
For leaders shaping the visitor economy, polycrisis is more than a concept. It shows up in wildfire evacuation plans, canceled flights, labor shortages, rising community resistance to tourism, and the challenge of rebuilding traveler trust. And yet, within this chaos lies an unparalleled opportunity to rethink what it means to lead.
Traditional leadership strategies fall short in a world where yesterday’s best practices are today’s liabilities. Effective tourism leaders are learning to balance agility with intentionality, ensuring that quick pivots don’t come at the expense of long-term goals.
As tourism professionals, we must:
Shift from reactive to proactive models, preparing not just for the next crisis but building systems that withstand sustained uncertainty.
Embrace complexity, understanding that environmental, cultural, and economic factors are not siloed — they are deeply interconnected.
Lead with clarity and compassion, especially in destination communities where tourism impacts quality of life and local identity.
“Tourism leaders are no longer just marketers; we are stewards of place, community builders, and agents of change.” — Stephen Ekstrom, CEO, Learn Tourism
In a polycrisis world, the loudest voices aren’t always the wisest. It takes courageous leadership to engage residents, business owners, travelers, and policymakers in open, honest, and often uncomfortable conversations about tourism’s role in community development.
This includes:
Hosting forums to explore the impact of overtourism.
Offering training to frontline workers on cultural sensitivity and crisis communication.
Working with local organizations to align tourism goals with sustainability and social equity initiatives.
Community engagement isn’t a luxury — it’s a survival tool for modern destination development.
Research from McKinsey shows that employees are 5x more likely to be resilient when their work feels purposeful. This is a vital insight for leaders in tourism and hospitality, where burnout is rampant and turnover threatens service continuity.
A strong sense of purpose:
Anchors organizations through volatility.
Inspires innovation and creativity.
Attracts mission-aligned partners and team members.
As travel becomes more value-driven, purpose isn’t just an HR strategy — it’s a competitive differentiator.
In polycrisis conditions, professional development is non-negotiable. Destination leaders must invest in learning environments that are scalable, inclusive, and adaptable. That’s where organizations like Learn Tourism come in.
With thousands of students across 50+ destinations and courses available in multiple languages, Learn Tourism empowers tourism professionals with:
Real-time training
Custom content
Analytics for tracking team engagement
Tools to build frontline confidence and destination pride
This is how we future-proof our destinations.
Leadership in tourism today isn’t about avoiding crisis — it’s about responding with vision, courage, and collaboration. Destination professionals who embrace this mindset can become architects of resilience, ambassadors of trust, and guardians of community well-being.
Because in a polycrisis, the question isn’t “What’s the next challenge?” — it’s “What kind of leader will you be when it arrives?”
About Learn Tourism the nonprofit academy...
Learn Tourism is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the tourism industry through innovative educational practices and professional development initiatives. Our mission is to harness the power of science, business psychology, and adult education to build sustainable economies and enrich the tourism landscape.