Acorn Tourism at the TMI Annual Convention 2024 in Birmingham

7th November 2024

The 2024 Tourism Management Institute (TMI) Annual Convention in Birmingham brought together leaders in sustainable tourism, data, and destination management to explore emerging trends shaping the industry. Held at University College Birmingham (UCB) under the theme “Destination Rejuvenation,” this year’s event highlighted innovative approaches to fostering a more sustainable and resilient tourism sector. Acorn Tourism was honoured to participate, with Alison Burgh, Director of Acorn Tourism and Head of Sustainability at TMI, leading a session on Sustainable Transport. Additionally, Kevin Millington, Director at T-Stats Solutions and Acorn Tourism, shared insights on data-driven destination management.

Alison Burgh: Insights from the Sustainable Transport Panel

Alison moderated the panel on Sustainable Transport featured compelling discussions on low-carbon travel solutions which showcased projects that addressed marketing strategies to reduce emissions from inbound markets and working in partnership with businesses to create more accessible, eco-friendly travel experiences across the UK. Panellists highlighted strategies that are already making a difference:

Leanne Smith from VisitEngland introduced the North York Moors National Park No-Fly Marketing Strategy. This bold strategy limits its international marketing activities to only promoting the National Park to markets that can travel to the National Park without flying, helping to reduce one of the main carbon emission generators for the destination, while enhancing the destination’s appeal to tour operators from the Netherlands and Germany who are looking for low carbon destination options for their clients.

Daniel Holder, from The Quiet Site in the Lake District, discussed the Ullswater Hopper Bus initiative, a collaborative effort with local businesses to reduce car congestion and carbon emissions in Ullswater Valley. The seasonal bus service connects popular accommodation sites with major attractions, underscoring the power of partnerships in sustainable tourism.

Alistair Kirkbride, who specializes in low-carbon visitor access, shared insights from his studies of Europe’s top sustainable destinations. Kirkbride emphasized the potential for the UK to adopt similar world-class transport solutions that benefit both the environment and visitor experiences. His examples demonstrated how European destinations are successfully integrating transport, access, and exceptional visitor experiences in ways the UK can emulate.

Kevin Millington: Using Data to Drive Smarter Destination Management

In a complementary session, Kevin Millington joined Amanda Lumley from the South West Visitor Economy Data Hub to highlight how data can drive informed tourism strategies. Their presentation included findings from a T-Stats Solutions study showing how real-time visitor data can help destinations respond dynamically to visitor needs while managing resources sustainably.

Strengthening Industry Collaboration for a Sustainable Future

The TMI Annual Convention underscored the importance of collaboration, data, and innovation in driving the tourism industry forward. By focusing on topics such as sustainable transport and data-driven decision-making, this year’s event offered tourism professionals actionable insights to promote positive, long-lasting change across destinations. Acorn Tourism is proud to contribute to these vital discussions and to work toward a more sustainable tourism industry.

If you're passionate about advancing sustainable tourism, consider joining the TMI community to connect with like-minded professionals and create impactful change.

For more on Acorn Tourism’s projects in sustainable tourism and data-led destination management, explore our initiatives and see how we’re helping to shape the future of tourism.