Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.

Newsweek will host its inaugural travel summit next month in London, England, gathering leading minds across the global travel industry for a full day of panels, keynotes, and expert-led discussions.

The travel industry has gone from strength to strength in recent years, with a “robust and sustained travel demand” this year even amid growing geopolitical tensions, notes the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Around 300 million tourists were reported to have traveled internationally in the first quarter of 2025 alone, around 14 million more than in the same period last year, according to the UNWTO.

The New Destinations Travel & Tourism Summit, taking place on July 3 at The Shard, will feature a lineup of CEOs, strategists, marketers, innovators, and academics to explore pressing topics that are impacting the travel and tourism sector—from AI and sustainability to shifting traveler expectations and economic resilience.

Newsweek’s senior staff, including Dr. Adil Ali, head of travel content for New Destinations, senior reporter Soo Kim, and senior editor Eileen Falkenberg-Hull will be joined by broadcaster Simon Calder to discuss the future of travel with a host of industry experts.

The day’s agenda will span several core themes, including what the modern traveler looks like, along with top destinations, emerging trends, and evolving consumer behavior. The event will also address strategic responses to changing global geographies and economies, as well as the travel industry’s toughest challenges and the roles of sustainability, AI, and policy regulation in shaping industry outcomes.

Stock image of tourists in Cappadocia, Turkey. Stock image of tourists in Cappadocia, Turkey. Getty

The event will feature the following speakers:

Paul Griffiths (CEO, Dubai Airports Company)

Steve Hill (CEO, Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority)

Selahattin Bilgen (CEO, iGA Istanbul Airport)

Dr. Aaron J. Salā (president and CEO, Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau)

Rene Frey (CEO, Rough Guides & Insight Guides)

Jane Sun (CEO, Trip.com Group)

Maeve Scanlon (VP business affairs, THG Creative)

Professor Xavier Font (professor of sustainability marketing, University of Surrey)

Arieh Smith (polyglot and YouTuber @xiaomanyc)

Robin Johnson (global marketing director for Visit Britain)

Lyn Hughes (founding editor, Wanderlust Travel Media)

Through keynote speeches, fireside chats, and panel conversations, the event will present a platform for forward-looking dialogue about the intersection of travel, technology, climate change, and global culture. Organizers say the goal is to bridge innovation and responsibility across all sectors of the tourism industry.

“Travel invites us to dream beyond the horizon,” said Amit Shah, Executive Vice President of Newsweek International. “At the New Destinations Summit in London, we’re reimagining how travel fosters deeper connections among people, cultures, and the planet. This gathering of visionaries aims to create sustainable, inclusive, and transformative travel experiences.”

Shah added: “At Newsweek, we’re thrilled to spark conversations that inspire a new era of exploration, ensuring no place or community is left behind.”

The New Destinations Travel & Tourism Summit takes place from 9 a.m. local time on July 3 at The Shard in London. For more information and to register for the event, see this link at the Newsweek website.

Soo Kim will be moderating a virtual fireside chat with Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group, as part of this event.