IWTTF Europe

Yet the response in many organisations remains the same: retreat to what's familiar, and stick to what has worked in the past, hoping it will work today.

This session challenges that default by making the case that genuine inclusion - around people, process and culture -  it's a leadership strategy that drives growth and long term success for the travel and tourism industry globally - with numbers and data to back it up.

By turning empathy into everyday actions, from the boardroom to the booking platform, we can build a global industry where everyone belongs. In this fireside chat Berend and Alessandra will explore how to cultivate an Allyship State of Mind, providing insights into how Berend practices allyship at work, in the travel industry and in life.

Institutional pushback is real, performative allyship has been exposed, and the travel industry is being asked to do more with less. This session asks: what does allyship actually look like when it works? Drawing on five years of allyship learning, corporate travel DE&I frameworks and the lived experiences of employees and business travellers navigating a system not designed for them,  from gender-specific safety concerns to caregiving, accessibility, pregnancy and medical needs, this session moves from principle to practice. What does genuine allyship look like as a leadership strategy in 2026? How do organisations design travel programmes that serve every employee, at every life stage? And who is responsible for making it happen?

At the same time, they're navigating AI-curated itineraries, overtourism fatigue, and a growing hunger for experiences that are genuinely real in a world that feels increasingly fake and disconnected.

The travel product has enormous potential in filling this disconnection gap. When done well, it remains one of the most powerful tools for connecting people, redistributing wealth, and telling stories that matter. But for that potential to take place we must embed the communities, cultures and perspectives that make travel transformative rather than transactional and in a way that's economically viable, not just aspirationally good. Our panel brings together voices from across the spectrum of community-led tourism, environmental resilience, social enterprise and economic inclusion to explore what a genuinely future-fit travel product looks like in 2026 and beyond.

The trends are undeniable: financially independent, longevity-minded and hungry for experience, women are seeking out women-only retreats, and choosing curated trips designed around female connection, healing and growth that deliver meaning and purpose.

The numbers too are impossible to ignore:

• In 2025 women solo travellers accounted for 54.6% of the global solo travel market, valued at $549.78 billion and projected to reach $1.6 trillion by 2033
• In 2025 roughly the same percentage named European countries as the best destination for a first solo trip, with the UK, Italy and Spain topping the list.

Yet despite driving billions, women remain largely ignored as consumers and as professionals. The disconnect is glaringly obvious: albeit representing the majority of the workforce, fewer than 8% are in C-suit positions in tourism and less than a quarter hold tourism minister roles. This session unpacks the explosive growth of solo and women-focused travel, what fuels it and why getting women into travel's decision-making rooms is critical to ensure we tap into the economic powerhouse that are women today.

Attendees are then invited to engage with each other, exchange perspectives and commit to concrete action.