Sharjah Travel Forum 2025: Driving Sustainable Innovation in Tourism

Published on November 20, 2025

At the heart of the Gulf’s travel boom, the 12th Sharjah International Travel & Tourism Forum arrived with a sharp message: growth must now come with purpose. Organised by the local tourism authority in partnership with investment and development agencies, the forum ran under the theme “New Waves of Tourism Spectrum”, gathering government leaders, industry experts, tech innovators and young creators in one space. The focus? How travel can reinvent itself through sustainability, digitalisation and authenticity.

Growth with Responsibility: A Big Shift

In welcoming remarks, the tourism authority chair highlighted that tourism remains among the world’s most influential economic industries. Recent global data show strong recovery in international arrivals despite lingering disruption. But the message was clear: volume alone is no longer enough. Sharjah wants to show the world how you grow tourism bright, not just bigger.

Digital Tools + Local Authenticity = Future Travel

One of the central threads of the forum was how technology and authenticity can combine to create more meaningful travel experiences. Panels explored how artificial intelligence, data analytics, and smart‑destination tools are not mere gimmicks, but ways to enhance service, personalise trips and preserve culture and environment. It’s about using tech to deepen, not dilute, the visitor’s connection to place.

Sustainability Beyond Buzzwords

Another major focus: sustainability. But not as an after‑thought. Sessions challenged “greenwashing” and emphasized measurable outcomes, transparent practices and community engagement. Experts stressed that protecting natural resources, supporting local populations and embedding sustainable design are essential to ensuring destinations don’t pay for their own success by degrading what made them appealing in the first place.

Youth, Start‑ups and Innovation

Another vibrant strand of the forum was youth‑focused: workshops aimed at young entrepreneurs, creators and influencers. One named “From an Idea to the Destination” brought aspiring tourism innovators into dialogue with decision‑makers. The message: the future of travel isn’t just about hotels and flights — it’s about new ideas, new faces and new ways of experiencing destinations.

Investment & Diversification: Gulf Tourism’s Next Chapter

Behind the scenes, hard numbers were shared. Tourism investment in the UAE has surged year‑on‑year, and hotel occupancy, guest nights and revenues in the first half of 2025 all showed strong upward trends. The urgency: capture investment into smart infrastructure, diversify source markets, and develop new types of tourism (nature, culture, wellbeing) rather than relying only on beach and resort models.

Why This Matters For Destinations – Not Just Sharjah

For destinations around the world, the forum offers a blueprint. Tourism is entering a phase where how you travel, where you travel and why you travel matter as much as how many travel. The Gulf region, which saw rapid resort‑heavy expansion, now faces the test of sustaining that growth without exhausting its resources or losing its soul. Sharjah is trying to pivot, with cultural, natural and digital assets at the forefront.

What Travellers Should Keep in Mind

For you planning a trip — this kind of forum signals that destinations will increasingly offer:

• More tech‑enabled experiences (apps, smart guides, personalised itineraries)
• Emphasis on authenticity: local culture, nature, lesser‑known places rather than standard “tourist zones”
• Sustainability baked in: accommodations and experiences that operate more responsibly
• Diverse source markets: you might meet travellers from places you didn’t expect, and destinations may tailor offerings differently

Challenges Ahead & What to Watch

The optimism is genuine, but the road is not straightforward. Some of the challenges the forum surfaced include:

• Making sure tech adds value, not just hype: tools must deliver real improvement in guest experience and destination management
• Ensuring sustainability is more than marketing: implementing real‑world practices that preserve environment and culture, not just signage and green logos
• Aligning investment, infrastructure and talent: destinations must build capacity, train staff, develop services and match visitor expectations
• Balancing growth with inclusion: luxury products and new markets are tempting, but equity, accessibility and community benefit must stay in view

Sharjah’s Role as a Test Bed

Sharjah’s approach may serve as a proving ground. With strong leadership, a mix of culture and nature, and ambition to move beyond “sun‑and‑sea” tourism, the emirate is positioning itself as a destination for travellers who want more than the usual. If the forum’s themes are implemented well, visitors may increasingly experience a Sharjah that feels different — hi‑tech yet grounded, global yet local, smart yet sustainable.

Final Thoughts: Travel with Purpose is the Next Big Wave

The 12th Sharjah International Travel & Tourism Forum didn’t just convene people; it articulated a vision. Travel in 2025‑2030 is not likely to be just about new destinations or more flights — it will be about smarter destinations, deeper experiences, and responsible growth. For you as a traveller, that means the places you visit will matter, as will the ways you visit them. For destination managers, the message is clear: growth that costs the planet or communities will no longer pass unchallenged.

If you’re planning your next trip, keep an eye on what destinations are doing behind the scenes — not just how luxurious or Instagram‑worthy they look, but how genuine, sustainable and future‑ready they are. This forum is a reminder that the waves of tourism ahead will look different—and maybe that’s a good thing.