In parallel, the discussion on experience tourism led participants to an uncomfortable conclusion. If authenticity becomes the main reason to choose a destination, someone has to ask who collects the economic benefit. Angela Val of Visit Philadelphia took part in a session built on a provocative idea: that niche is the new mainstream. Small food routes, crafts, living heritage and community-based tourism appeared as examples of products that are no longer marginal, provided they are designed with communities and not merely for them.
Accessibility was the other major thread. The Spanish Tourist Office had announced on 9 October that it was becoming the fair's first Lead Accessibility Partner, and the alliance took shape in London with a campaign presentation, an award and assistance for visitors with specific needs inside the venue. Spain also used the occasion to announce guides and roadmaps for travellers with disabilities and to update the advisory panel behind its Spain for All initiative, which grew out of consultations with professionals, specialists and people with lived experience.
Speakers insisted that accessible tourism goes far beyond a ramp or a lift. It includes reliable and understandable information before the trip, adapted transport, trained staff, inclusive booking systems and designs that account for physical, sensory and cognitive needs. They also reminded the audience that these improvements benefit family groups, older travellers and anyone travelling with heavy luggage or small children, which strengthens the business case. With ageing populations in the main source markets, accessibility stopped being described as a cost and began to be framed as an opportunity.
Artificial intelligence also featured in these conversations, both for itinerary planning and for tailoring offers. Experts cautioned, however, that platforms and large hotel groups have more resources to adopt it, and that small operators could end up more dependent on technology giants. For that reason they argued that technology should be accompanied by training, partnerships among businesses and a people-centred approach.
Spanish figures provided a favourable backdrop. Between January and August 2026 the country welcomed about 70.4 million international tourists, up 5.4 percent, with spending of almost 99.9 billion euros, 8 percent higher than a year earlier. Although these statistics cover tourism as a whole rather than accessibility specifically, they show that a mature destination can keep growing while rethinking whom it serves and how.
For the tourism ecosystem the lesson from London is clear. Authentic luxury, accessible tourism and local experiences do not compete with one another; they converge on one idea of quality: hospitality designed for diverse people, with transparency about how benefits are shared. Destinations and companies that grasp this before the rest will have a better chance of winning the loyalty of a traveller who no longer settles for mere sparkle.
