Lemongrass Travel PR

Great to see our CEO and founder Mirjam Peternek McCartney sharing her thoughts in Travel Weekly on ‘overtourism - a wicked problem in need of new solutions’. Mirjam’s insightful article discusses the complexities of overtourism, exploring why traditional approaches often fall short and calling for fresh, innovative solutions. 🌱 🔑 Key takeaway: Overtourism isn’t just a travel issue; it’s a systemic challenge that requires collaboration, creativity, and a rethinking of how we manage and market destinations. If you're passionate about responsible tourism or work in the industry, this is a must-read! Let’s open the conversation. 👉 How do you think the industry can balance growth with sustainability? 👉 What role can we all play in addressing overtourism? Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/e-98np3x

The final chapter in our 2025 Trend Report looks into Neurodiverse Travel. There are undoubtedly changes that need to be seen across the industry to properly cater to 1 in 7 UK adults on the spectrum of atypical developmental norms. We were delighted to secure insightful and actionable insight from Alessandra Alonso of Women In Travel CIC, IncluCare CEO Richard Thompson, and friend and founder of The Conscious Travel Foundation Olivia Cryer. Download our free Lemongrass Travel Trend Report today to discover the trends that matter in 2025. https://bit.ly/4aj8EC5

Urban design matters in tourism, because for a destination to be a great place to visit it must first be a great place to live. This is why attention is given to reimagining the design of cities across the globe, especially since the world’s urban population is expected to increase 1.5 times to 6 billion people by 2045. With that in mind, Chapter 16 of our 2025 Trend Report delves into how the cities of the future must be able to respond to this growing population and its evolving circumstances. With expert commentary from Jane Stuart-Smith Co-founder Slow Adventure we explore how destinations across the globe are future-proofing for tourists and locals alike. Download our free Lemongrass Travel Trend Report today to discover the trends that matter in 2025. https://bit.ly/4aj8EC5

Thank you, Lemongrass Travel PR, for sharing your research and insights, particularly around macro-travellers. As Thomas Power says, we are seeing key increases in trip durations for 2025, indicating a rise in travellers deciding to stay longer and travel more deeply, really making the most of their time away. This has been and hopefully will continue to be welcome and great news for all of us promoting and supporting sustainable travel.

Have you heard of the Palau Pledge? Drafted by the children of Palau 🇵🇼 , this pledge requires every visitor to commit to preserving the Pacific Island nation's natural environment and cultural heritage, before entering the country. This inspiring approach was one of many we discussed during the bite-sized Panel on overtourism at Further East in Bali last week. We braved the traffic jams of the heavily over-touristed South Bali to discuss: 🌱 Placemaking: How can we safeguard 'destination integrity' and retain what makes each place special? 🌾 Land use management: Limiting overdevelopment helps prevent overtourism - property (real estate) owners, investors and developers play a fundamental role in tackling destination degradation and overtourism. If you don't build, maybe they won't come? Start simple: protect heritage lands like Bali’s rice fields and Sri Lanka’s natural landscapes by building less and preserving more. 📵 Social media detoxes are cool: Disconnect to reconnect. Make de-influencing a trend, to prevent overtourism! Encouraging visitors to avoid geotagging sensitive areas, and pivot to share content responsibly to help preserve places. 🌿 Biocapacity awareness (carrying capacity): resources are limited. Destinations should communicate clearly when "enough is enough" to avoid strain on local ecosystems and natural resources. 🚫 Tourism-free zones: Rather than spreading crowds, setting aside areas exclusively for conservation can ensure a better quality of life for locals and a healthier ecosystem, ultimately uplifting the destination's value for all stakeholders. It was a privilege to join forces with Ivory Vogt, CC-P 🇵🇼 of SEASTORIA, Simon McArthur 🇦🇺 of SMA Tourism, under the guidance of Mirjam Peternek McCartney 🇩🇪 🇬🇧 from Lemongrass Travel PR to explore these crucial issues. Special thanks to Ariella Durban, This is Beyond Ltd and the Further East teams for hosting us! Change starts with conversation, and I'm grateful to be part of it. Curious how your organization or destination can tackle overtourism? Do reach out to learn about more best practices and practical solutions to help uplift the value of your destination or tourism business.

Tourism is often a reflection of changing personal and societal circumstances, and that’s come into play with the interest in both micro- and macro-tourism, the focus of Chapter 13 in our Trend Report. Macro-travellers are “going big” with long, extended stays, to single or multiple destinations, which are often a part of a golden or midlife gap year, sabbatical, or second honeymoon. Thomas Power Co-Founder and CEO of tailormade tour operator Pura Aventura shares some of the evidence to support that trips are continuing to grow in length as we move into 2025. Download our free Lemongrass Travel Trend Report today to discover the trends that matter in 2025. https://bit.ly/4aj8EC5

Following an unpredictable few years for the travel industry a new breed of traveller has emerged: spontaneity seekers. With so many aspects of life structured and scheduled, travel is one area that leaves room for flexibility. These travellers want to go on holiday, but they are also willing to embrace flexibility with the hope of finding last-minute bookings at rock-bottom prices. Rebekah England Managing Director at Bolthole Retreats reveals that lead times for bookings have reduced by 14% year-on-year from 2023 to 2024, while Markus Promberger of AMA Stay workation residences suggests that being more spontaneous is more than just a trend, and an entire lifestyle shift. Download our free Lemongrass Travel Trend Report today to discover the trends that matter in 2025. https://bit.ly/4aj8EC5

According to research by Deloitte a quarter of consumers are willing to pay more for goods and services that support biodiversity. With that in mind, our 9th chapter of the 2025 Lemongrass Trend Report investigates how sustainability can become the ultimate risk manager. Journeys With Purpose founder Duncan Grossart lent his expert commentary on why the travel industry must embrace sustainability, restoration, and regeneration because to put it bluntly, if we don’t act now there is no backup. Download our free Lemongrass Travel Trend Report today to discover the trends that matter in 2025. https://bit.ly/4aj8EC5

For chapter 5 in our 2025 Trend Report we delved into the struggle that luxury brands face when offering a more sustainable product to their existing clientele. Even as people become more aware of their environmental footprint, they’re hesitant to give up the comforts they’ve come to expect on their travels. Luxury travel has been defined by opulence, infinity pools and extensive catering options, but more new boutique properties are looking towards more sustainable practices. From eco-conscious design to waste reduction, plastic elimination, and water conservation, improvements are being made, but the question still remains: Can luxury properties truly be sustainable? Jenny Southan of Globetrender and Kelly Forbes 🌍 of A'ARU Collective shared their insights as to why achieving true sustainability in the luxury sector starts with a mindset shift, and that can only come once brands have recognised sustainability isn’t a compromise, but an added value to their clientele. Download our free Lemongrass Travel Trend Report today to discover the trends that matter in 2025. https://bit.ly/4aj8EC5

I'm delighted to be hosting a panel on overtourism at Further East in Bali on November 4th.   This discussion addresses one of the tourism industry’s most pressing challenges: the stewardship of destinations to ensure that both locals and visitors benefit, while safeguarding the environment and cultural heritage. Overtourism is a complex, systemic issue that highlights the urgent need for tourism models that respect and include local, indigenous voices and give nature a central role in decision-making.   Our panel will feature three outstanding voices in sustainable tourism: Chalana Perera, Ivory Vogt, and Simon McArthur.   Chalana Perera, founder of RETRACE™ Hospitality, is an advocate for regenerative tourism and a certified Climate Reality Leader. His work has influenced policies for government and private sectors alike, and he was the first in Sri Lanka to sign the Tourism Declares Climate Emergency pledge.   Ivory Vogt, CC-P is a sustainable tourism and climate resilience expert who focuses on creating tourism models that support local communities, protect cultural heritage, and conserve our planet’s biodiversity.   Finally, Simon McArthur, founder of SMA Tourism, is a consultant dedicated to balancing tourism growth with preservation, helping destinations around the world mitigate the negative impacts of tourism on local communities and environments.   I’m looking forward to this timely conversation on rethinking tourism for a sustainable future!