About our Observatory
About Global Tourism Observatory
Global Tourism Observatory
Understanding tourism. Understanding the world.
The Global Tourism Observatory is a space for knowledge, research, education and reflection dedicated to understanding how tourism is transforming the world and how, in turn, social, cultural, economic and technological changes are reshaping the way we travel.
Tourism is one of the most dynamic and influential phenomena in contemporary society. It creates opportunities, connects people and cultures, contributes to economic development and brings places and societies into contact with one another.
But tourism is much more than an economic activity.
It can reshape cities and communities, transform landscapes, influence cultures and ways of life, create new forms of interaction and generate opportunities. It can also produce tensions, inequalities, environmental pressures, cultural conflicts and new forms of dependence.
At the same time, digitalisation, social media, the platform economy, migration, digital nomadism, the climate crisis and changing patterns of mobility are profoundly transforming the way destinations are experienced, represented and consumed.
Understanding these changes requires more than statistics. It requires knowledge, experience, research, critical thinking and continuous learning.
This is the purpose of the Global Tourism Observatory.
Observe · Know · Understand · Question · Connect · Transform
These six principles define how we approach tourism and how we turn observation into knowledge, and knowledge into action.
OBSERVE
We observe what is happening in tourism and in the places where it takes place.
We look at emerging phenomena, changing behaviours, new forms of mobility, technological developments and the transformations taking place in destinations and communities.
We are interested in looking beyond the figures.
Behind visitor numbers, occupancy rates and economic indicators there are people, communities, territories, cultures and individual experiences.
To observe is to look closely, to pay attention and to avoid taking reality for granted.
KNOW
We seek reliable knowledge grounded in research, evidence, professional experience and the realities of the field.
We bring together perspectives from different disciplines, geographical contexts and areas of expertise, connecting academic knowledge with practical, real-world experience.
We believe that knowledge should be accessible to students, educators, researchers, tourism professionals, institutions and anyone interested in understanding the changing world of tourism.
Because in a constantly evolving sector, continuous learning is essential.
UNDERSTAND
We go beyond describing what is happening.
We seek to understand why it is happening, how it is happening, who is affected and what it means for travellers, communities, destinations and the future of tourism.
Understanding requires context. It means connecting social, cultural, economic, environmental and technological dimensions rather than examining them in isolation.
It also means recognising that tourism is never static. New trends, technologies, behaviours and forms of travel are continually changing the relationship between people and places.
QUESTION
Observing does not simply mean describing. It also means asking questions.
Who decides how a destination is represented?
Who benefits from tourism, and who bears its costs?
Who has the right to tell the story of a community or a place?
What does it really mean to travel responsibly?
Are we discovering the world in new ways, or simply finding new ways to consume it?
We believe that questioning established assumptions is essential to understanding tourism critically.
The questions we ask today can shape the tourism of tomorrow.
CONNECT
We connect research and practice, academia and the tourism sector, knowledge and experience.
We bring together researchers, educators, tourism professionals, destination specialists, students and other voices to share knowledge, exchange perspectives and learn from one another.
Through seminars, workshops, training programmes, educational content and contributions from experts around the world, we seek to create an international community where knowledge can circulate between disciplines, professions and places.
Our aim is not simply to provide information, but to create meaningful connections between those who study tourism, those who work in it and those who experience its effects.
TRANSFORM
Knowledge matters when it changes the way we see the world and helps us act upon it.
Our ultimate aim is not simply to understand tourism, but to contribute to transforming the way we think about it, study it, teach it and practise it.
We believe that better understanding can lead to better decisions, more responsible practices, more resilient destinations and more meaningful relationships between travellers, communities and places.
Transformation begins with knowledge, but it does not end there.
What we explore
The Global Tourism Observatory examines the realities, transformations and challenges shaping tourism today.
Our areas of interest include tourism phobia, overtourism, tourism-driven gentrification, the touristification of places, social media and influencer tourism, digital nomadism, sustainability, destination representation, the platform economy, changing forms of mobility and the evolving relationships between visitors and local communities.
We are particularly interested in emerging phenomena and in the tensions and contradictions that accompany tourism development.
We explore not only established trends, but also the changes that are beginning to shape the tourism of tomorrow.
Knowledge that connects with reality
We believe that education should not be separated from the world it seeks to understand.
For this reason, the Global Tourism Observatory combines research, education, professional experience and real-world knowledge.
Our educational content seeks to make complex issues accessible without losing their depth or rigour. We work with experts from different fields and backgrounds to explore current issues, emerging trends, practical challenges and new ways of thinking about tourism.
We want people to be able to learn from experience, understand new developments, identify challenges and apply knowledge to real situations.
Because knowledge is most valuable when it can be understood, questioned, shared and put into practice.
Our Mission
Our mission is to observe, know, understand, question, connect and contribute to transforming tourism through knowledge.
We seek to create an international space where rigorous research, professional experience, education and critical reflection can come together.
A space for learning, debate, exchange and discovery.
A space where tourism can be examined not only from the perspective of those who sell, promote or consume it, but also through the voices and realities of the people and places that make it possible.
Our Vision
We aim to build an international community of knowledge around tourism, bringing together different disciplines, perspectives, experiences and generations to better understand one of the most significant ways in which people interact with the world today.
We want to contribute to a tourism culture that is more informed, more conscious and more capable of recognising both its opportunities and its contradictions.
A culture in which professionals can continue learning, researchers can share knowledge, students can develop new perspectives, destinations can better understand their challenges, and travellers can become more aware of the impact of their choices.
Because tourism is not simply about travelling from one place to another.
It is about people, places, cultures, relationships, economies, environments and the ways in which we understand the world.
And ultimately, we believe that:
Understanding tourism is, to a large extent, understanding the contemporary world.