In 2026, the tourism market no longer suffers from "noise"
- Visit Mundus
- Jan 15
- 8 min read
In 2026, the tourism industry in Europe and around the world is facing the so-called "Great Reset", where digital efficiency and ethical responsibility have become essential for survival.
Here is a closer look at the global needs and the role of the Visit Mundus platform in this ecosystem.
1. What do tourism companies need globally (2026)?
A. Shift to "Purpose-Driven" travel
Table of contents:
Travellers in 2026 are no longer just looking for destinations, but for a purpose.
What they need: Tour operators require products that incorporate "regenerative tourism" (where the guest leaves the place better than they found it) and "wellness" components (encompassing not just spas, but also mental health, silence, and digital detox).
Trend: "Coolcations" - due to extreme heat waves in the south, demand is moving to more northern and colder areas (Scandinavia, Baltic countries, mountain areas).
Presence in AI search engines (SGE - Search Generative Experience)
Classic SEO is no longer enough. In 2026, people will ask AI: "Plan me a 10-day sustainable trip to Europe for a family with a dog."
What they need: Companies need structured data that AI models can recognize and recommend. If your hotel or agency does not have verified and readable digital records, you will not exist in these answers.
Solving seasonality (Shoulder Season)
Due to crowds and price fluctuations, the "side seasons" (spring, autumn and even winter) have become the new main season for more demanding guests.
What they need: DMOs need tools to manage visitor flows in real time to prevent "overtourism" while maintaining profitability throughout the year.
What does Visit Mundus do, and why work with them?
By 2026, Visit Mundus will have established itself as a key European B2B infrastructure, acting as a "smart bridge" between providers and the global market.
Main activities of Visit Mundus:
Matchmaking without commission (0% Commission):
Unlike Booking.com or Viator, Visit Mundus does not take a commission on sales. It operates on a membership basis, allowing companies to keep 100% of their revenue.
Verified Partner System:
Each provider (hotel, agency, restaurant) goes through a strict verification process (creditworthiness, reviews, quality). In 2026, when the internet is flooded with AI-generated fake offers, trust becomes a key currency.
Hybrid Promotion (Digital + Trade Fairs):
Visit Mundus physically represents its partners at the world's largest trade fairs (WTM London, IBTM Barcelona, ​​ITB Berlin, FITUR Madrid). This means that small and medium-sized companies are present on the global stage without the costs of their own travel and stand.
Content ecosystem and SEO:
Through professional articles and "storytelling", they ensure that their partners are visible in search engines and AI consultants.
Why work with them in 2026?
Reduction of customer acquisition costs (CAC): Instead of expensive advertising on Google and paying high commissions to agencies, you get direct access to verified B2B buyers (tour operators, MICE organizers).
Global reach for local providers: They enable a boutique provider from Slovenia, Croatia or Italy to come to the table of large global agencies from the USA, India or China.
Focus on MICE and groups: The platform is particularly strong in organising business events (MICE) and group travel, which are the segments with the highest added value.
In 2026, the tourism market no longer suffers from "noise"
In 2026, the tourism market no longer suffers from "noise" - there are too many providers, too much AI-generated content and too many commissions. Visit Mundus (VM) is positioned in this environment not as another website, but as a B2B infrastructure that solves specific financial and operational pain points.
So why would various stakeholders pay an annual membership fee? The key is in ROI (return on investment), which is based on the elimination of costs that companies cannot optimize on their own.
1. International Tour Operators
Main problem: Finding reliable, verified local partners (DMCs, hotels) without risk and expensive trips to trade fairs.
What they gain with the membership fee: Access to the Verified Partners database. VM performs the verification process (creditworthiness, quality, sustainability), which saves the tour operator weeks of research and reduces business risk.
ROI: Savings in the "Product Development" phase. Instead of the tour operator team spending 500 hours a year searching and vetting new partners, they get a streamlined list "turnkey".
Uniqueness: 0% commission. When a tour operator finds a hotel through VM, they work directly with it. The savings on commissions (usually 10-20%) pay back 10 times the annual membership fee on the first large group booking.
2. Travel Advisors
The main problem: Advisors have to offer their clients "something more" than Booking.com or AI, otherwise they become redundant.
What they get with the membership fee: Exclusive, boutique content and direct contacts to property owners (Executive contacts). This allows them to create VIP itineraries that cannot be found on mass platforms.
ROI: Increase in their own price of the service. Since they have access to verified but "hidden" gems through VM, advisors can charge a higher planning fee (Expert Fee).
Uniqueness: VM acts as their "back-office" research center, providing them with structured data ready to be incorporated into their AI systems for clients.
3. DMCs (Local Destination Management Companies)
Main problem: High costs of global promotion and presence in global markets.
What they gain with the membership fee: Global representation at trade fairs without travel. The Visit Mundus team physically represents DMC partners at key trade fairs (ITB, WTM, IBTM, FITUR, etc.).
ROI: Dramatic reduction in CAC (customer acquisition cost). The average DMC spends €15,000+ per year on trade fairs (stand, flights, hotels). With the VM membership fee, they are present at 8+ trade fairs for a fraction of this amount.
Uniqueness: VM collects contacts (leads) and sends them directly to the DMC via an "RFP-driven matchmaking" system. These are qualified buyers, not just catalog collectors.
4. MICE Planners
Main problem: Finding venues that are functional, sustainable and offer a high level of service (Executive Dining).
What they get with their membership: Access to the Executive Dining & Venues segment, which specializes in highly demanding business events.
ROI: Speed-to-deal. VM allows the MICE planner to receive verified options within 48 hours, instead of waiting a week for responses from different hotels.
Uniqueness: Guaranteed quality. In 2026, the risk of an unsuccessful event due to a bad subcontractor is too great; VM takes on the role of a "quality filter" with its verification.
Why can't they do it themselves?
Economies of scale: A single DMC can't be at 8 trade shows at the same time. VM makes this possible through a shared platform.
Technology transition: VM invests in making partner data AI-readable. An individual company doesn't have the resources to optimize its website for the new artificial intelligence agents (Agentic AI), who will handle most bookings in 2026.
Neutrality: VM does not compete with its partners (it is not an agency), but builds an ecosystem. This creates an environment of trust that sales platforms (like Expedia) cannot provide, as they always favor the one who pays the highest commission.
Realistic ROI in 2026
To realistically calculate ROI in 2026, we need to consider three key pillars: direct commission savings, OPEX savings and Opportunity Cost.
Below is a simulation for a medium-sized tour operator generating EUR 1,000,000 in annual turnover through external partners (DMCs, hotels, local providers).
1. Calculation of direct savings (0% commission)
Most global B2B platforms (such as Viator, GetYourGuide or closed B2B portals) charge between 10% and 25% commission on each transaction.
Scenario without Visit Mundus: With EUR 1,000,000 in turnover, the company pays an average of 15% in commissions.
Cost: EUR 150,000.
Scenario with Visit Mundus: The company pays a fixed annual membership fee (e.g. between 2,000 and 5,000 EUR, depending on the package).
Cost: 5,000 EUR.
Net ROI on commissions: 145,000 EUR savings.
2. Calculation of savings in product development
In 2026, finding verified and sustainable partners is challenging. The average "Product Manager" spends 20% of his time searching and verifying new providers.
Labor cost: Manager salary (approx. 60,000 EUR gross/gross) × 20% of time = 12,000 EUR.
Visit Mundus effect: Since partners are already verified and categorized, this time is reduced by 70%.
Net ROI on labor: 8,400 EUR savings.
3. Calculation of savings from global presence (Trade Fairs & Marketing)
If a tour operator wanted to acquire the contacts that VM gets at 8 global trade fairs:
Cost of own participation (minimum 3 trade fairs): Flight tickets, hotels, daily allowances, entrance fees = 9,000 EUR.
Visit Mundus effect: VM team collects leads for you and promotes you in its catalog/platform.
Net ROI in marketing: 9,000 EUR savings (plus greater presence in markets where you are not physically present).
Why can't a tour operator do it themselves? (Strategic ROI)
Entering the "Closed Loop": VM acts as a "Trust Protocol" in 2026. It's hard for a standalone company to achieve this level of trust with new partners on the other side of the world without an intermediary to guarantee quality.
AI Readiness: VM translates your experiences and offerings into a format that AI travel agents can understand. If you were to develop this yourself, you would need a team of programmers and data scientists, which costs tens of thousands of euros.
Network Effect: The more partners in VM, the stronger the data and the better the "matchmaking".
As an individual, you are limited to your own bubble (silo), while VM opens up the entire ecosystem to you.
Next step for the described groups
Given the market dynamics in 2026, the most logical and strategically important step for all the mentioned groups is to move from "information search" to "integration into the ecosystem of trust".
Instead of each company fighting its own battle with algorithms and high commissions, the key step is as follows:
For International Tour Operators & Travel Advisors:
Next step: Supply Chain Audit through VM filter.
What to do: Instead of manually searching for partners on Google, tour operators should upload their current and desired destinations to the Visit Mundus system.
Why: To immediately identify verified local partners who operate without commission. The goal is to have a supply chain that is 100% fraud-proof and digitally optimized by 2026.
Action: Request a "Portfolio Match" analysis from Visit Mundus to see how much of their current costs (commissions) can be eliminated immediately.
For DMCs and local providers (Hotels, Venues):
Next step: Digital standardization for AI and "Trade-Show Proxy".
What to do: They need to structure their offer according to Visit Mundus standards, which are adapted for AI search engines (Agentic AI ready).
Why: Independent participation in fairs has become too expensive and ecologically questionable in 2026. DMCs need to delegate their presence on the market to an entity that already has an established network (VM), and focus on execution themselves (Operations).
Action: Activate an annual membership and transfer marketing materials to the VM team, which will collect their "leads" at global events, while they stay at home and optimize costs.
For MICE Planners:
Next step: Implement a "Direct-to-Source" protocol.
What to do: Move from using general search engines to using the VM platform as the primary source for Executive locations.
Why: There is no room for error in MICE events in 2026. They need direct access to decision makers (General Managers) at the locations, not to sales agents of third-party platforms.
Action: Establish a VM profile to quickly issue RFPs (requests for proposals) directly to verified providers.
Summary: One most important things for everyone
The most logical step is to join Visit Mundus before the main trade fair season (Q1/Q2 2026).
Why now? Visit Mundus is currently finalising the list of partners that it will physically and digitally represent at upcoming global trade fairs.
Companies that join later miss out on a crucial wave of B2B networking that determines occupancy for the next 18 months.