Tourism isn’t failing because of technology.
It’s not failing because of marketing.
And it’s definitely not failing because people don’t want to travel.
Tourism is struggling because we’ve lost sight of the one thing that makes it work in the first place:
People.
That realization sits at the heart of a recent conversation between Stephen Ekstrom, CEO of Learn Tourism, and workforce strategist Carmen Bold—a conversation that started with humor and quickly turned into something far more important.
One of the most striking tensions in tourism today is this:
We spend enormous energy talking about sustainability, accessibility, and innovation…
But far less time teaching businesses how to actually survive.
As Carmen put it, the industry is filled with passionate operators—but many are “one bad season away from not being in existence.”
That’s not a sustainability problem.
That’s a business fundamentals problem.
Stephen echoed the same concern from the U.S. perspective: destinations often chase “the flashy thing”—AI, trends, campaigns—while overlooking the basics like revenue management, repeat visitation, and cost control.
And his blunt takeaway?
“If you aren’t running a business… then it’s a hobby.”
It’s a perception problem.
Despite offering global mobility, creativity, and human connection, tourism still struggles to present itself as a serious, long-term career path—especially to younger generations.
Carmen sees it firsthand:
There’s no clear ladder. No obvious “next step.” And too often, no visible future.
Stephen’s research backs that up.
After interviewing more than 300 tourism CEOs, he found something surprising:
Not one of them followed a linear career path.
Tourism careers aren’t structured—they’re serpentine.
They’re built on skills, adaptability, and curiosity—not titles.
That’s powerful… but also confusing for someone trying to enter the industry.
For all the talk about AI and automation, both Stephen and Carmen agree on one thing:
Tourism’s future is still deeply human.
Travelers don’t just want information.
They want a connection.
They want to feel welcomed.
They want to feel seen.
They want to feel like they belong—even if only for a moment.
That’s something no algorithm can replicate.
As Stephen described it, tourism isn’t about talking at people—it’s about inviting them in.
And that invitation often comes down to one simple, overlooked skill:
Storytelling.
The difference between:
…is the difference between a transaction and an experience.
Here’s where things get uncomfortable.
We expect frontline workers—often underpaid, overworked, and undertrained—to deliver magical experiences.
Then we’re surprised when they don’t.
Carmen shared a personal example of a bucket-list experience that fell flat—not because the product was bad, but because the people delivering it were disengaged.
And that’s the truth most destinations avoid:
The experience is only as good as the person delivering it.
Fixing that doesn’t require massive budgets.
It requires three things, Stephen outlined clearly:
Without those, even the best-designed experience will fall short.
If tourism wants to evolve, the path forward is surprisingly clear:
Because at the end of the day, tourism doesn’t run on attractions.
It runs on people creating moments for other people.
And when we get that right?
Everything else follows.