GEM 2025 to Host First PANTOUR International Conference: “Keeping Tourism Competitive”

The future of European tourism takes centre stage this autumn as GEM 2025 proudly hosts the first PANTOUR International Conference in collaboration with ETOA, a flagship event dedicated to equipping tourism professionals with the insights, skills, and strategies needed to stay competitive in a rapidly changing landscape.

 

Held on Monday, 3 November 2025, this landmark gathering will bring together industry leaders, educators, policymakers, and innovators from across Europe to address the most pressing issues shaping the future of tourism, from artificial intelligence and digital skills to sustainability and the evolving world of work.

Date: Monday, 3 November 2025

Location: London, Europe

Venue: the Mermaid London Puddle Dock, Blackfriars, London EC4V 3DB

Organised by: ETOA and PANTOUR

 

Conference Theme: Keeping Tourism Competitive

Through a dynamic programme of keynotes, interactive workshops, and panel discussions, delegates will explore how social, digital, and green skills can help future-proof the tourism sector in the face of unprecedented technological and societal change.

 

Program

09:30 – Keynote | Navigating Hype Versus Hope
Joshua Ryan-Saha, Edinburgh Futures Institute
A thought-provoking opening session examining the realities and myths of AI in tourism. Is AI the revolution we imagine, or have its capabilities already plateaued?

 

10:30 – Interactive Streams | Tourism Quick Toolkits

Travel Transformed: Harnessing AI to Understand and Engage Today’s Traveller with Dan Taylor (SALT.agency)

Sales & Negotiation Refresher Masterclass

Practical sessions designed to give participants hands-on tools to adapt to market shifts.

 

11:45 – ETOA Briefing & Insights
Tom Jenkins (ETOA) and Adele Youngs (Live Travel and Tours)
Updates on the latest European tourism developments.

 

14:00 – Will My Job Exist in 5 Years?

Corné Dijkmans (BUas), Marta Machado (HOTREC), Kelly Strong (Strong Recruitment), Michael Quinn (Fáilte Ireland) and Lobke Elbers (PANTOUR/CELTH),
A keynote and panel exploring the future of tourism careers and skills. The discussion will focus on the integration of social, digital, and green skills to meet new workforce demands.

 

15:00 – Keeping the Human Touch: Social Intelligence in a Global Digital Economy

Adele Youngs (Live Travel and Tours), Daniele Fanelli (EF Educational Tours) and Brent Imrie (TourTime NZ)
A panel highlighting how empathy and cultural awareness remain essential in an increasingly automated sector.

 

16:00 – Day-to-day Green Skills for All Tourism Professionals

Tim Fairhurst (ETOA)
This session examines how sustainability is becoming a core operational skill, with practical insights from industry partners.

 

16:30 – Closing Keynote | Future-Proofing Tourism: Solving the Digital Skills Challenge
Professor Dimitrios Buhalis (Bournemouth University Business School)
How tourism professionals can thrive in AI-driven ecosystems through data competence, personalisation, and responsible leadership.

 

Why attend

As Europe’s tourism sector faces transformative change, the PANTOUR International Conference will serve as a collaborative platform for sharing knowledge, building capacity, and shaping the skills agenda for the decade ahead. Delegates will leave with practical toolkits, actionable insights, and new partnerships to strengthen their organisations and destinations.

 

Register now

You can register for a Conference Only ticket here (scroll down in the list to GEM 2025 Conference Only).