Listen to today’s podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-travellers-daily/id1842920062
Travel trends from WTM London, airline moves in Asia, accessibility debates, and wild luxury inspiration
From London’s World Travel Market to airline route maps and accessibility debates making waves online, today’s lineup captures where travel is headed and why it matters. Today’s podcast episode was created from the following stories:
Paradores se promociona en la WTM como “ejemplo de turismo responsable y sostenible”
Spain’s public hotel group Paradores used WTM London to showcase its sustainability push, anchored by a 2025–2028 plan and a €250 million modernization ahead of its 2028 centenary. A new decarbonization “plan de choque” targets earlier climate neutrality with an additional 2,500 tons of CO2 saved by 2027, alongside a €25 million accessibility program. The UK remains its top foreign market, with Brits booking nearly 91,000 rooms last year.
Córdoba presenta en Londres su oferta como destino patrimonial y de experiencias
Córdoba is courting independently traveling, higher-spend UK visitors with a compact, experience-rich pitch: heritage, olive oil and wine culture, and standout gastronomy within short drives. Officials flagged better air connectivity and a slate of 15 B2B meetings at WTM to amplify the province’s reach. The UK is already the city’s third-largest source market, reinforcing the strategic focus.
WTM: el turismo mundial crecerá más rápido que la economía global en los próximos diez años
WTM’s Global Travel Report forecasts travel growing 3.5% annually through 2035, outpacing the broader economy at 2.5%, driven by longer trips, experience-led spending, and live events—even as risks from geopolitics and labor shortages persist. Spain unveiled a sustainability-centered model under its 2030 strategy to spread demand, digitize destination management, and reduce pressure on hotspots. Regional updates point to continued British demand, with Valencia expecting an 8.4% winter uptick and Andalusia aiming to surpass pre-2019 UK arrivals with higher spend.
Canarias se centra en atraer al turista británico que más gaste para incrementar la rentabilidad
Canary Islands tourism is prioritizing higher-value British visitors, launching a premium-focused 2025–2026 winter campaign to boost yield without sacrificing competitiveness. With Brits accounting for 35% of arrivals and a €1,472 trip spend, the archipelago pairs record UK connectivity (3.2 million seats) with diversification into Central/Eastern Europe. The strategy aims to “qualify” rather than reduce UK volume, building a more resilient mix.
WTM Londra’da odak ülke Türkiye: Dünya turizminin buluşma noktasına Türkiye damgası
Turkey took center stage at WTM London, with Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy noting the first nine months reached 50 million visitors and $50 billion in revenue, tracking toward $64 billion for the year. The UK market is set for double-digit growth, targeting over 4.5 million British visitors next year. The message: Turkey’s offer goes beyond “sea-sun-sand,” leaning into heritage and gastronomy to lift value.
El destino ‘Costa de Almería’ cierra un vuelo chárter directo con Varsovia en la WTM de Londres
Almería secured a direct charter from Warsaw with TUI Poland, operating June–October and expected to bring 3,000+ travelers to the “Costa de Almería.” The move aligns with the province’s strategy to grow Nordic and Eastern European markets and attract nature, golf, and high-value cultural segments. Officials also pursued broader European connectivity opportunities and premium media promotion at WTM.
Taiwanese singer Zheng Zhihua’s boarding difficulties at Shenzhen Airport spur debate about disability access in China
After Taiwanese singer Zheng Zhihua struggled to board a flight at Shenzhen’s Bao’an Airport due to a lift gap, his post sparked a national conversation on accessibility and dignity for disabled travelers. The airport apologized and pledged improvements, but a leaked video fueled online backlash over his wording, prompting Zheng to later apologize and reportedly delete his Weibo account. Commentaries used the incident to spotlight China’s broader accessibility gaps and the need for more humane, barrier-free travel.
Explore the wild luxury of Latin America
This feature reframes luxury as immersion: reef-fringed Roatán, rainforest-and-surf Costa Rica, wildlife-on-the-move Galápagos, altitude-and-cuisine-rich Peru, and raw, horizon-wide Patagonia. The throughline is motion—active days, simple comforts, and experiences that feel vivid and unscripted. It’s a reminder that the richest trips often come from engaging more deeply, not stepping back.
Delta eyeing Asia expansion, including Seoul, Singapore, and Manila
With Europe near saturation, Delta is lining up new long-hauls to Asia—targeting Seoul, Singapore, and Manila—with launches likely tied to incoming Airbus A350 deliveries. Service is expected from Los Angeles and Seattle, with a possible New York–Seoul debut complementing Korean Air’s JV network. The strategy underscores intensifying West Coast competition and the carrier’s push to rebalance growth beyond the Atlantic.
