IATA Training argues travel-industry staff now need sustainability, tech and experience-design skills, not just service skills

IATA Training's Kamen Iordanov and Travelport+'s Vladimir Jovanovic have co-authored a piece arguing that travel and tourism's continued growth — the sector is projected to contribute $12 trillion to the global economy in 2026, or 9.9% of global GDP, and to support 89 million new jobs over the next decade — is being driven by three converging trends that each demand new staff skills: sustainability, technology and experience-focused travel. On sustainability, they argue travel professionals increasingly need working knowledge of ecological impact and eco-friendly itinerary design, illustrating the point with Namibia's community-owned conservancies, which manage more than 40% of the country's conservation land and channel tourism revenue and jobs directly to local residents. On technology, they say AI tool proficiency and basic data-science literacy are becoming baseline expectations rather than specialist skills, given how much of modern travel planning and personalisation now runs through digital platforms. On experience, they point to demand for staff who can design around niche interests — citing concerts, sports and entertainment-driven trips specifically — which calls for emotional intelligence and specialised knowledge over generic service training. The piece cites uneven regional growth forecasts through 2050, led by Asia-Pacific at a 3.8% compound annual growth rate, ahead of Africa (3.6%), the Middle East (3.1%), North America (2.8%), Latin America and the Caribbean (2.6%) and Europe (2.5%), alongside faster-growing adjacent sectors: hotels at a forecast 7.5% CAGR and cruise at 12.5%. IATA points to its Foundation in Travel and Tourism program (run with Amadeus), its Travel and Tourism Consultant Diploma, and its Managing the Travel Business Diploma as the training routes it offers into these newer skill areas.