An uncomfortable truth of our shared 21st-century, inverted reality.
My brother and I have experienced this first-hand since we began travelling to more remote destinations from 2016 onwards — the Galapagos, Cotopaxi, the Amazon 🇪🇨 Ouarzazate 🇲🇦 Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 Mae Hong Son 🇹🇭 and Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬 this summer.
Thesis:
What if the future of travel, tourism, and hospitality is shaped less by big promises — and more by the smallest, everyday choices travellers actually touch?
That question kept resurfacing last week during discussions on travel, tourism, and hospitality at the World Economic Forum, particularly during the Innovate 4 Nature Lunch. The message was clear: hospitality is increasingly recognised as a driver of shared prosperity, community resilience, and long-term economic value — when impact is embedded into daily decisions.
A premier example of this, in my view, is Discover Collection by Bernhard (BB) Bohnenberger, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at EHL's Open Innovation Summit last year. His concept is a living testament to how hospitality can create value not only for guests, but also for local communities, suppliers, and ecosystems. In his case, this respect for nature is deeply personal — rooted in stories of growing up in Munich, where his mother was composting and caring for the Earth long before sustainability became a headline.
🌀 This is where sustainability becomes real 🌱
Not in reports or pledges — but in tangible, guest-facing experiences.
We just published an article on why premium sustainable hotel slippers are gaining traction — and how small design decisions can meaningfully support guest experience, brand perception, ESG goals, and — surprisingly — additional revenue streams.
As we head into a busy few months — from BTL - Better Tourism Lisbon Travel Market in February, to SEAQUIP in March, Independent Hotel Show Amsterdam in April, and then May with the HumanX Summit at EHL, as well as Climate Week Zurich together with SIPI, Circular Economy Switzerland, and B Lab Switzerland — the focus is clear.
Discovery without Destruction.
I am also proud to share that PRIMAL | Circular Footwear will be joining the Swiss Hospitality Coalition, collaborating with like-minded partners shaping a more responsible and resilient future for hospitality.
Curious to hear how others are turning global conversations into meaningful guest touchpoints.
