Post by Carlos Martin-Rios

These days, many of us in academia are busy writing papers, refining methodologies and targeting top outlets, while also staying clear of output that doesn’t truly serve those objectives. That work is essential as it advances theory and builds rigorous foundations while strengthening our collective knowledge base. But I still very much believe in the value of intellectually expansive, collaborative work that brings multiple voices together to think broadly about the future, especially in fields like tourism and hospitality, where the challenges we face are deeply interconnected and rapidly evolving. Over the past few months, I have had the opportunity to lead and co-author a whitepaper titled: Reimagining Tourism Futures: Pathways for Transition in Turbulent Times. I will be honest. The process has been both demanding and deeply rewarding. Coordinating across disciplines, negotiating different intellectual perspectives, and shaping a shared narrative challenged me in ways that traditional article writing often doesn’t. I found it energizing to work with so many talented colleagues and to push ourselves beyond familiar frameworks. The whitepaper emerged from the workshop “Imagining the Future in Dark Times”, held at EHL in November 2025. It was conceived as a space for collective sensemaking rather than consensus building, and the document reflects that spirit. Rather than prescribing solutions, it identifies six priority areas where pressures accumulate and where current approaches fall short, with the aim of shaping a shared research agenda for the years ahead: Climate & mobility Food & circularity Social & work Governance & policy Measurement & assessment Business models & management The resulting whitepaper complements the peer-reviewed work many of us pursue every day. But for me, it also stands as a call to think more holistically, to bridge conversations rather than silo them, and to embrace complexity without losing sight of clarity. For those interested, the whitepaper is available here: https://lnkd.in/dbp5euTe I am deeply grateful to everyone who contributed their time, ideas and critical perspectives to this collective effort. And my thanks also to EHL colleagues who supported and enriched the process. Academic workshop participants Bertrand Audrin, María Jesús Bonilla Priego, Prof. Mark Anthony Camilleri, Ph.D., Elena Cavagnaro, Dr. Christine Demen Meier, Anna Farmaki, Idoya Ferrero-Ferrero, Alessandro Inversini, Prof. Dr. Willy Legrand, Jaime García, Xavier Font, Stefan Gössling, Valentina Della Corte, Paul Peeters, María Jesús Muñoz Torres, Urs Wagenseil, Dr. Nina Nesterova, Susana Pasamar, Urs Jäger, Julneth Rogenhofer. Industry workshop participants Diane de Hemptinne (Nestlé Nespresso SA), Dominic Paul Dubois (Six Senses), Jonathan Normand (B Lab Switzerland), Jon Olav Stedje (MSC Cruises), Lennart Rogenhofer (Losinger Marazzi SA), Jennifer Roux (Sandoz Foundation Hotels), and Anne-Laure Rey (EHL).