Post-WTM London 2025: Five Key Strategic Themes That Will Define 2026 🇬🇧

The energy at ExCeL London for the World Travel Market (WTM) 2025 was palpable. After a week of intense discussion panels, advisory board meetings, and high-stakes commercial negotiations, the industry has clearly defined its priorities for the year ahead.

As someone who champions Partnership with Purpose and the integration of smart strategy, I saw five central themes emerge that will shape every decision we make in 2026—from Product design to Commercial Strategy.

1. The Maturity of AI: From Hype to Operational Reality

For years, AI was an exciting buzzword; at WTM 2025, it was presented as an Operations mandate. The conversation shifted from "Can we use AI?" to "How do we scale and secure it?"

• The Pivot: Leaders are no longer focused on AI-powered chat bots. They are investing heavily in AI for Supply Chain Reliability, dynamic pricing models, and hyper-personalised marketing.

• The Strategic Takeaway: Tech Fluency is now non-negotiable for non-IT roles. If your strategy doesn't account for AI-driven efficiency gains, your Sourcing and Product teams will fall behind on cost and customisation within the next 18 months.

2. Resilience and the New Commercial Policy

Following the disruptions of recent years, the industry is embracing the necessity of Resilience. This isn't just about crisis management; it’s about proactively baking flexibility into the Commercial Strategy.

• The Policy Shift: We saw extensive debate around cancellation policies. The trend is moving towards tiered flexibility—where customers pay a premium for iron-clad, low-friction cancellation guarantees—rather than blanket fee waivers. This creates a valuable new revenue stream while mitigating Operations pressure during future disruptions.

• The Strategic Takeaway: Negotiation must now include 'resilience clauses.' When dealing with suppliers, the focus is on contractual liquidity and the ease of credit transfer, ensuring our business can quickly pivot inventory and protect cash flow during unexpected industry shifts.

3. The Green Premium: Sustainability as a Non-Negotiable Product Feature

Sustainability at WTM 2025 was no longer relegated to a niche panel. It was central to almost every high-value Partnership discussion.

• Product Definition: Travellers are demanding data, not just promises. Successful Products are now integrating verifiable carbon metrics and displaying the environmental cost of a journey upfront. For hotels, this means mandatory certification and visible sourcing ethics.

• The Strategic Takeaway: Sourcing is on the front line. Supplier contracts must be rigorously vetted, and the ability to provide auditable sustainability data will be a key differentiator in B2B Sales. This is an opportunity to build purposeful partnerships with suppliers who truly invest in ethical practices.

4. B2B Sales: The Triumph of Value over Volume

The commercial focus reaffirmed my personal belief: success is built on genuine connection and collaboration. High-value B2B travel sales are fundamentally shifting away from purely transactional contracts.

• The Mentorship Angle: Many discussions centred on how senior leaders and advisory boards can leverage their extensive network to validate partnerships. When complex, multi-year contracts are on the table, the reputation of the people leading the deal—and their history of fair play and positive outlook—is as critical as the price.

• The Strategic Takeaway: If you're selling a complex service, your pitch must transition from "what we do" to "how we help you solve your biggest strategic challenge." It’s about being a Sounding Board and a resource, not just a vendor.

5. Talent: The Need for Cross-Functional Competence

Across multiple leadership forums, the consensus was clear: the modern travel professional must possess a Career Portfolio built on diverse experience.

• The Demand: Companies are actively seeking professionals who have moved From Ops to Strategy—those who understand Data Analysis, the limitations of the Tech Stack, and the realities of Operations.

• The Strategic Takeaway: The industry needs generalists with specialised depth. This validates the power of mentorship and encourages current professionals to seek out roles (even if volunteer or advisory) that broaden their understanding of the entire travel value chain.