IHGMA Bali Releases ITLS 2026 Summit Report, Sets New Direction for Sustainable Tourism

The 158-page publication documents global tourism leadership insights and 20 recommendations balancing human experience, technology, responsible investment, and sustainability.

DENPASAR – The Indonesian Hotel General Manager Association (IHGMA) Bali has released ITLS 2026: The Summit Report, a comprehensive publication documenting the outcomes of the fifth International Tourism Leaders Summit (ITLS) 2026. The report highlights the need for tourism leadership that integrates sustainability, technological innovation, and meaningful human experiences.

Held on September 25–26, 2026, at the Bali Sunset Road Convention Center in Kuta, Bali, ITLS 2026 brought together 22 keynote speakers representing different countries, academic disciplines, and professional backgrounds. The summit was attended by IHGMA Bali member hotel general managers and stakeholders from across the hospitality and tourism industries.

Organized under the leadership of committee chair I Made Dwijantara, S.E., M.M., the event explored the theme “Cross-Border Tourism Leaders’ Perspectives: Balancing Sustainability, Technology, and Human Experience.”

The discussions underscored the importance of cross-border knowledge exchange and interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing the increasingly complex challenges facing the global tourism industry, including market uncertainty, technological disruption, intensifying competition, and growing expectations for sustainable and regenerative tourism practices.

The publication of The Summit Report marks a further step in translating the summit’s discussions into a lasting reference for tourism professionals, researchers, and industry decision-makers.

The 158-page, full-color, hardcover book was printed by Pustaka Larasan using premium paper. Written in English, the publication was compiled by Ratu Agung Bagus Ngurah Putra, M.Tr.Par., CHE, CHA, who also serves as IHGMA Bali chairman for the 2026–2030 period. The editorial process was supported by Prof. Dr. I Gede Mudana, M.Si., a lecturer in the Doctoral Program in Tourism Business at Bali State Polytechnic.

According to the publication’s compiler, the report is intended to serve as an academic reference and a source of inspiration for developing effective and long-term leadership in the hospitality and tourism sectors.

“The report is intended to provide a credible academic record and an inspiring starting point for building successful, long-term leadership in hospitality and tourism,” the publication’s compiler, Ratu Agung Bagus Ngurah Putra, said.

He emphasized the importance of enabling tourism leaders to respond flexibly and dynamically to changes in the global tourism business environment while ensuring that business growth generates benefits beyond corporations and property owners.

“Tourism leadership must be able to adapt to a changing global business ecosystem while creating value not only for corporations and owners, but also for customer satisfaction and the well-being of the people involved,” he said.

The report organizes the summit’s discussions into five thematic panels: human experience, technology support, responsible investment, medi-wellness tourism, and sustainability practices. Each panel features international speakers offering different perspectives on the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of tourism.

The summit produced 20 recommendations, which can be grouped into four strategic priorities.

First, tourism businesses should put human experience at the center of their operations by preserving cultural authenticity, creating meaningful visitor experiences, improving employee well-being, and encouraging active participation by local communities.

Second, artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies should be used to strengthen human capabilities, improve destination intelligence, and increase operational efficiency, while maintaining data privacy and reliability.

Third, the industry should move beyond conventional sustainability measures toward ecosystem restoration, stronger integration of local supply chains, and closer cooperation with sectors such as agriculture. Tourism performance should also be assessed through its contribution to environmental health and community well-being.

Fourth, tourism leaders should strengthen public and stakeholder trust, develop adaptive leadership, improve crisis preparedness, and establish cross-border partnerships to build a more resilient tourism ecosystem.

These recommendations reflect the summit’s broader message that technological advancement and commercial performance must be balanced with environmental responsibility, cultural integrity, and the interests of local communities.

The report also emphasizes the importance of environmentally responsible technology and a more integrated approach to tourism development, in which the benefits of investment extend to destinations and the people who sustain them.

A key message printed on the back cover captures this perspective: “The future of tourism is not determined by its position as a leading sector, but by its ability to function as an interdisciplinary sector that brings together other industries to create shared prosperity and sustainable impact.”

The statement reinforces the need for tourism stakeholders to move beyond sectoral interests and recognize the interdependence between tourism, culture, agriculture, technology, environmental management, and other economic activities.

Through the publication of The Summit Report, IHGMA Bali seeks to preserve the insights generated by ITLS 2026 and make them available as a reference for future discussions, research, and strategic decision-making.

The report ultimately presents tourism leadership as a collaborative responsibility: one that requires business innovation, human-centered management, environmental stewardship, and partnerships capable of delivering lasting benefits for the industry and society.

Editor – Ray