Snow, summits and sustainability: Travalyst calls for collaboration and data-driven decisions at Davos

The most important story of Davos 2026 was not in the Congress Centre, but on the margins – in side rooms, informal gatherings and unlikely partnerships. – Paul Polman

Our vision is a world where travel and tourism empowers travellers, businesses, and communities to build an equitable, nature-positive, and net-zero world – and we’ve kicked off the year as we mean to go on.

We joined TPC Housein Davos (an accredited venue of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting) to host a roundtable discussion together with our partners Trip.com Group and Amadeus, on the importance of public and private sector collaboration in building a more sustainable future for travel and tourism.

Opportunities for progress

TPC is dedicated to building an East-West bridge, finding opportunities for collaboration and dialogue between two key regions. Hope and trepidation were present in equal measure at this year’s conference – a feeling that isn’t confined to any one sector. The World Economic Forum recognised, in its summaries of the key themesthat emerged from Davos, that multiple points of friction must be carefully navigated.

Relationships between states are changing and in some cases, breaking down; the job market is experiencing upheaval due to geopolitical instability and AI, and global growth is slowing. Innovative solutions must be deployed, and access to upskilling opportunities widened, but these must be done in harmony with the planet – seven of nineplanetary boundaries have been breached.

Where does travel and tourism fit into this uncertain landscape? This question was the purpose of our roundtable. Whether for business or pleasure, travel cannot be separated from broader global issues. It contributes 10% of global GDPand is an important creator of jobs, but it is also responsible for almost 9% of global emissions. The biggest contributors to travel and tourism emissions are large economies primarily in the Global North, and when travel is not undertaken with the benefit of the visited country and local communities in mind, it can be detrimental and result in overtourism and widening of economic inequalities.

Data drives good decision-making

Travel has the power to be a force for good, and data is the foundation of a sustainable sector that makes a positive contribution to social and economic development.

The transition of the travel sector depends on our ability to make foundational sustainability insights available at scale. When data is shared openly and consistently, we replace fragmentation with momentum—and enable businesses, consumers, and policymakers to move forward together. – Kees Jan Boonen, Head of Government Affairs and Compliance, Travalyst

Global growth for 2026 is predicted to be 3.1%, but analysis of the tourism sectorbetween 2009-2020 found an annual expenditure growth rate of 5.5%. This shows it can be a vehicle for economic growth and job creation, but this must be carefully planned so as not to come at the expense of the planet.

Robust sustainability data and independently-verified certifications are a key instrument in striking this balance, and our work on building a Data Hubfor the industry to use to drive good governance was also a theme of the roundtable.

It was a privilege to join the dialogue with Travalyst and industry peers at Davos. Being part of the global conversation at WEF reinforces how urgent and interconnected the challenge of sustainable travel has become. When we align around credible, shared sustainability data, we create the foundation for real progress across the travel ecosystem. – Jane McFadzean, Senior Director, Global Sustainability, Trip.com Group

Collaboration is key

Joining us for the roundtable were representatives from two of our coalition partners: Lucas Bobes, Group Environmental Officer at Amadeus, and Jane McFadzean, Senior Director, Global Sustainability at Trip.com. We were pleased to welcome attendees from varying sectors including NGOs and climate tech as well as travel providers. This broad interest shows that our belief that sectors must work together and use data to inform business and ESG decisions, is merited.

I am very grateful to TPC and Travalyst for the opportunity to meet colleagues from other sectors committed to sustainability. It was reassuring, and we’re confident this first exchange will lead to meaningful partnerships. – Lucas Bobes, Group Environmental Officer at Amadeus

As part of the conversation, Jane highlighted that this work is the result of industry collaboration. Organisations that would ordinarily be in competition came together under a common cause, in response to broader calls for consistency across travel sustainability data and certifications. Our aim as an independent coalition is to promote collaboration for good, not just in the private travel sector but with local communities, NGOs and policymakers too, in the spirit of the World Economic Forum’s principle of public-private collaboration.

Lucas noted that the travel sector has been recognised in political spheres as a vehicle for positive development, and highlighted that a big part of Travalyst’s mission is ensuring travel remains a force for good.

Shaping the tourism of tomorrow

We recognise there are challenges. Sensitivity around sharing organisational data; the need to balance economic growth in the travel sector with its climate impact and ensure the latter is monitored and reduced, and how we gain recognition beyond the travel sector in industries whose collaboration and support is key.

As a coalition, our participation at Davos, convening key stakeholders in the industry to discuss the path forward, is an important step in that mission. So too is our attendance at the European Parliament, where most recently we took part in the European Tourism Dayfor discussions on how we can shape the tourism of tomorrow.

As Paul Polman wrote in his recent piecereflecting on Davos 2026, “progress comes not from pleading with the powerful, but from making new coalitions so effective that resistance becomes irrelevant.”