MEANINGFUL TOURISM: The Compass That Reorients Travel Toward Shared Value

From Pause to Purpose — Background, Meaning, and the 2023 Index

Executive Summary

Meaningful Tourism is a practical operating system for destinations and businesses to align economic development with ecological protection and social well‑being. Coined by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt during the pandemic pause, it focuses on six stakeholders—tourists, host communities, employees, companies, governments, and the environment—and manages for quality, benefits, and satisfaction across each.

The concept has moved from idea to infrastructure: a global trainer network, An evidence base via the Meaningful Tourism Index 2023; and, in 2025, the co‑founding of the China–Africa Meaningful Tourism Partnership (CAMTP), a Switzerland‑registered non‑profit catalyzing Meaningful Tourism between China ⇄ Africa ⇄ World; plus adoption as a guiding vision in Asia-Pacific.

This article summarizes the background, method, regional realities (including Asia’s fast acceptance and Europe’s structural tensions), and an Africa-focused pathway to measurable progress.

1) Where “Meaningful Tourism” Comes From

When travel stopped, the industry had to ask what travel is for. In that context, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt introduced Meaningful Tourism—not as a rebuke to other terms (sustainable, regenerative, mindful, wellness, luxury), but as the next step that brings clarity, shared metrics, and delivery.

The frame is simple, human and non‑adversarial: keep the best from existing approaches, avoid moralising, and focus on positive outcomes that people can feel and leaders can track.

Six stakeholders at the centre: – Tourists – Host communities – Employees – Companies – Governments – The environment

Meaningful Tourism manages for three things for each stakeholder: quality, benefits, and satisfaction—with evidence.

2) From Idea to Infrastructure

Meaningful Tourism Centre (MTC). A non‑profit registered in London with headquarters in Kathmandu, providing research, training, and implementation support.

Global trainer network. Approximately 50 Certified Meaningful Tourism Trainers—from Canada to South Africa, Finland to Australia—deliver programs on the ground, in multiple languages and contexts.

Transformational Game Workshop (MTTGW). A hands‑on workshop where participants role‑play each stakeholder, surface trade‑offs, and leave with SMART KPIs and operating routines that embed alignment in daily practice.

China–Africa Meaningful Tourism Partnership (CAMTP) (2025). During 2025, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt co‑founded the China‑Africa Meaningful Tourism Partnership (CAMTP), a Switzerland‑registered non‑profit catalyzing Meaningful Tourism between China ⇄ Africa ⇄ World.

3) Acceptance and Regional Realities

Asia-Pacific leads on vision. The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) adopted Meaningful Tourism as its regional vision, aligning with long‑standing cultural comfort around harmony and shared benefits.

The 2025 launch of CAMTP further strengthens the Asia–Africa bridge within this architecture. Europe & North America grapple with practice. In North America, performance depends on the issue—no single region leads across all stakeholder dimensions. Overall, differences reflect country- and category-specific factors more than broad regional traits

4) Inside the Meaningful Tourism Index 2023 (MTI)

Scope & structure. The MTI evaluates 88 countries using 72 indicators across the six stakeholder groups, plus a set of “basic” tourism situation indicators. Countries were included if they are UN members with >$2B international tourism revenue in any year 2018–2022 (with Aruba and Puerto Rico as special cases).

Method (in brief). Each stakeholder block comprises six quantitative and three qualitative indicators, plus an expert assessment. Scores are normalised, allowing comparisons and a composite view of where progress is real and where it is missing.

Headline results. – #1 Aruba, #2 Iceland, #3 Switzerland—the only three exceeding 50% of the maximum score. – The Top 10 includes both Oceania countries (Australia, New Zealand) and Singapore (#10) alongside several small European states. – Performance is uneven across categories, even for leaders—underscoring the value of a multi‑stakeholder view.

Category signals.

– Companies: the weakest stakeholder block globally (SME‑heavy structure, low R&D/certification). Portugal leads; China appears in the Top 10 on scale‑driven quantitative indicators; Romania and Poland sit among the Bottom 10.

– Government: Singapore leads decisively (law/order, corruption control, spillovers). Mauritius is the only African Top‑10 presence in this category.

– Environment: Sweden, Iceland, and the UK lead; several oil‑ and coal‑dependent or rapidly industrialising economies cluster in the Bottom 10.

Why the MTI matters. The Index links every stakeholder to every SDG, moving beyond a narrow “green” lens to track stakeholder‑level progress that destination leaders can manage and improve.

5) A Reflection on Africa: From Untapped Potential to Measurable Progress

The MTI shows Africa faces the steepest climb. Mauritius is the first African nation at #40; Tunisia sits mid‑table; several large markets fall in the lower quartile. That’s not a verdict—it’s a design brief.

A Meaningful Tourism pathway for Africa:

1. Govern together. Stand up Multi‑Stakeholder Tourism Councils (MSTCs) at national, provincial and district levels. Give them clear terms of reference and an Equality–Diversity–Inclusion (EDI) monitoring cadence so meetings lead to measurable outcomes.

2. Shift from jobs‑only to ownership. Prioritise community‑owned and managed enterprises—co‑ops, trusts, and public–community partnerships—so more value is created and retained locally (lodgings, heritage routes, food and craft experiences).

3. Measure what matters. Localise the MTI lens with dashboards for revenue retention, local hiring, women’s leadership, cultural integrity, and environmental compliance—reviewed quarterly by MSTCs.

4. Build capacity at speed. Tap the certified trainer network to run Transformational Game Workshops that align government, industry and communities, producing SMART KPIs and implementation routines.

6) What Leaders Can Do Now

1. Adopt the six‑stakeholder lens. Put tourists, hosts, staff, companies, government and the environment on the same dashboard; make quality, benefits, and satisfaction non‑negotiable.
2. Benchmark with the MTI. Use the 72‑indicator framework and continental patterns to set targets, prioritise investment, and track progress over time.
3. Run a Transformational Game Workshop. Align partners through role‑play and SMART KPIs facilitated by certified trainers.
4. Institutionalise governance. Launch an MSTC with practical ToRs, public reporting, and an EDI cadence; start with a pilot region and scale.

Conclusion: Manage to Meaning

Asia is out in front on vision, Europe is the runner‑up continent, and Africa holds the greatest room—and opportunity—for measurable progress.

The Meaningful Tourism Index 2023 provides the scoreboard; the global trainer network turns insight into action. If tourism is to be the world’s most enjoyable form of international relations, it must also be one of its most accountable. Meaningful Tourism is that compass—reorienting travel toward shared value for people, places, and the planet