The event featured a series of conversations, highlighting key voices across multiple business sectors.
BARCELONA, SPAIN – A thought leadership event exploring the significant untapped potential of retail tourism took place at La Roca Village in Barcelona, concluding with a resounding call for attention to the importance of retail tourism. The event featured the launch of a ground-breaking report, “Global Retail Tourism: Trends and Insights”, a collaborative effort between the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), The Bicester Collection and Hong Kong Polytechnic University. With a strong focus on data and insights, the report seeks to define the future of retail tourism, highlighting the key trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the sector.
Moderated by international news anchor Maria Ramos, the panel speakers included:
- Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO
- Desirée Bollier, The Bicester Collection Chair and Global Chief Merchant
- Professor Haiyan Song, School of Hotel and Tourism Management at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Director of Hospitality and Tourism Research Center
- Maribel Rodriguez, WTTC Senior Vice President Membership & Commercial
- Miguel Sanz, Tourespaña General Director
- Elena Foguet, The Bicester Collection Business Director Spain
- Jeni Mundy, VISA Global Senior Vice President Merchant Sales & Acquiring
- Anne Madison, Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA) Senior Vice President Global Marketing & Strategic Communications
- Nikolina Angelkova, Terra Way Investment Group Member of the Board
Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “In the world of Travel & Tourism, retail tourism’s significance cannot be overstated. Accounting for over $178 billion of global GDP in 2019, it’s time to recognise its true potential.
“Our report reveals that retail tourism is not only about shopping; it’s about major revenue, job creation, and influencing travellers’ choices. I urge stakeholders worldwide to read, reflect, and act upon this report’s findings.
“Travellers are actively choosing trips based on the choice, quality and authenticity of the shopping. I really recommend politicians and people in Travel & Tourism to learn from the report. It is not just about souvenirs, this is a sophisticated market that also gives place to local entrepreneurs, artisans and sustainable purchasing power.”
Desirée Bollier, Chair and Global Chief Merchant, The Bicester Collection commented: “Retail Tourism plays a crucial role in infusing a vibrant economic upswing into local communities, accelerating the creation of jobs and fuelling infrastructure expansion. Retail, travel, and tourism are all intertwined and must work together to enhance the tourist’s journey. This collaborative mindset will ultimately be an equal win for the tourism industry and the traveller.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
