The executive meeting of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) took recently place in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. It was three intense days of discussions on the tourism sector, the opportunities, and the challenges to be faced, with sustainability and communication as central themes. Regarding communication, a special thematic session titled “New Narratives in Tourism” was held, with the participation of leading global communication experts. The face of tourism has changed over the years, and communication must be able to follow this evolution.
The conference was therefore an opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas and to discuss effective communication strategies that can help authorities and industry professionals best represent the new face of a tourism sector that is increasingly supportive, sustainable, innovative, and people-centered across all media platforms.
The reflection begins with the recognition of the central role of the tourism industry as an engine of development, gaining more prominence in the political agenda, which calls for a new narrative to achieve greater visibility. The contributions to the discussion provided by branding and media experts participating in the session were valuable. They agreed on a focal point: the need to prioritize people and create inclusive and authentic experiences for travelers.
In particular, Ernest Voyard (Instagram) observed how creators are increasingly focusing on content related to sustainability and full immersion in destinations. Similarly, Sharon Yang (Meta) stated that aspirational travel content is now being surpassed, moving towards content that provides tourism information and delves into sensitive travel-related topics.
The case of the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic, the host country of the event, was directly involved in the reflection on tourism and communication. Journalists, local publishers, and content creators discussed the concrete case, outlining communication strategies to give greater visibility to the Dominican tourism industry.
While journalists agreed on the importance of diversifying the main message, focusing on everything from film and television tourism to food and wine tourism, Instagram content creators Chloé Léger and Marion Payr noted a growing interest in content that links tourism to sensitive issues such as women’s empowerment, community development, and wildlife conservation.
These trends offer an important opportunity to shape the new face of local tourism and undertake awareness-raising efforts among travelers for responsible and ethical tourism.
Photo credits: UNWTO
