WTTC presents seven principles for sustainable destination management - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has published a new policy brief encouraging destinations to rethink how they manage tourism growth. Rather than focusing solely on visitor numbers, the organisation advocates a broader approach that prioritises resident wellbeing, long-term resilience and shared economic benefits.

The publication, Destination Stewardship: Creating Value for All, outlines seven practical principles designed to help governments, tourism authorities and the private sector work together to ensure that tourism growth creates lasting value for local communities while enhancing the visitor experience.

Tourism remains a major economic driver

According to WTTC, Travel & Tourism continues to be one of the world's most important economic sectors. It currently supports one in every ten jobs worldwide and contributes around 10 per cent of global GDP.

In 2025 alone, the sector generated US$11.6 trillion for the global economy and supported 366 million jobs. Over the next decade, WTTC expects one in every three new jobs worldwide to be created by the travel and tourism industry.

Against this backdrop, the organisation argues that destinations should move beyond simply attracting more visitors and instead focus on managing tourism growth more effectively.

Seven principles for long-term success

The new framework is built around seven key principles. These encourage destinations to plan collaboratively, measure resident satisfaction, anticipate future challenges, improve the use of data, spread tourism across different regions and seasons, reinvest tourism revenues locally and strengthen preparedness for unexpected developments.

Alongside its long-term recommendations, the report also proposes practical measures that destinations can introduce immediately. These include monitoring resident sentiment, identifying tourism pressure points through better data, promoting lesser-known attractions, encouraging responsible visitor behaviour and establishing coordinated response teams before peak travel periods.

International examples of destination stewardship

The policy brief highlights destinations that have already adopted elements of this approach.

Madrid is presented as an example of proactive tourism planning through its focus on decentralisation, deseasonalisation and close cooperation between public and private stakeholders.

Colorado demonstrates how resident engagement and collaborative governance can shape tourism policy, while Bogotá illustrates the value of investing early in data-driven destination management.

The report also points to Dubrovnik, where improved management of cruise arrivals has helped reduce pressure on the city without restricting visitor numbers. New York City is recognised for promoting regional tourism experiences that distribute economic benefits more evenly, while the Balearic Islands are highlighted for reinvesting tourism revenues into visible community improvements.

Further examples come from Copenhagen, Japan, Ljubljana and South Korea, demonstrating that destination stewardship can be adapted to different tourism models and local circumstances.

Success measured by community wellbeing

WTTC argues that successful destinations should be assessed not only by visitor arrivals but also by the quality of life experienced by residents and the long-term value tourism creates for local communities.

Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of WTTC, said: "When destinations are managed well, Travel & Tourism creates jobs, strengthens communities, protects cultural and natural heritage, and delivers lasting prosperity. Destination stewardship succeeds when governments, local communities and the private sector work together with a shared vision for long-term success. Our seven principles provide a practical framework that destinations can adapt to their own needs, helping ensure tourism continues to deliver benefits for everyone."

WTTC believes that embedding destination stewardship into tourism policy will help destinations strengthen their economies, preserve their unique character and create better experiences for both residents and visitors.

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