World2Meet and Esade launch Travel Forward to advance the transformation of tourism
World2Meet (W2M), a leading vertically integrated tour operator, and Esade Executive Education have introduced Travel Forward, a long-term strategic alliance to generate knowledge and develop capabilities that support the transformation of the travel industry. The initiative begins with the Executive Program in Tourism Transformation and Innovation, whose first edition will take place November 25–27, 2026, in Barcelona.
The collaboration addresses the need to tackle tourism’s challenges by connecting knowledge across disciplines and sectors. It will combine W2M’s experience across the entire travel value chain with Esade’s expertise in strategy, innovation, and leadership. These complementary strengths will provide a foundation for analyzing technological, economic, and social shifts and their implications for the future of tourism.
“At W2M, we have a deep understanding of the tourism industry and the entire travel value chain. To keep moving forward, we need to connect that experience with fresh perspectives, anticipate the changes reshaping the world, and understand how they can open up new opportunities for the sector. Travel Forward was created to build precisely that connection,” said Gabriel Subías, CEO of World2Meet.
Michele Quintano, Director of Esade Executive Education, emphasized that “executive education should help professionals make sense of complexity and make decisions with sound judgment and responsibility. At Esade, we bring academic rigor, critical thinking, and methodologies that translate learning into practice. Working with companies to design these learning experiences allows us to address their challenges and contribute to the development of the people who will lead change.”
From analyzing the business environment to solving a business challenge
The Executive Program in Tourism Transformation and Innovation will bring this approach into the classroom, beginning with an analysis of geopolitics and sustainability and their implications for the sector. It will then explore disruptive thinking (moonshot mindset) and the impact of emerging technologies, with a particular focus on AI agents and their influence on the relationship between companies and travelers.
These topics will then inform an examination of changing consumer behavior, experience design, and opportunities for collaboration across the tourism value chain.
Marc Cortés, the program’s director, explained that “travelers’ expectations are also shaped by their experiences with banking, retail, and entertainment. Bringing in insights from other sectors therefore helps us better understand travelers and rethink how services are designed. The program approaches these questions by looking at the travel experience as a whole, identifying opportunities that may go unnoticed when each activity is examined separately.”
The methodology will enable participants to combine strategic reflection with collaborative work on a real-world challenge throughout the sessions. The process will culminate in a hackathon using design thinking methodologies and generative AI tools.
The program will be held at Esade’s Barcelona campus and is designed for professionals in tourism and related sectors with responsibilities in strategy, innovation, or business.
Travel Forward within W2M’s innovation strategy
The Travel Forward alliance is part of W2M’s innovation strategy, alongside New Travel Experience Design, an internal innovation community focused on designing experiences and offerings for travelers, and W2M Open Innovation, which connects the company’s challenges with external talent and expertise.
The initiative forms part of The New Travel Project, W2M’s strategic and cultural project to guide its evolution over the coming years, with the aim of improving the travel experience and its contribution to destinations and society.