Simon Press: 'Agents remain important worldwide'

And further optimism came in the form of the WTM World Responsible Tourism Awards winners, who this year ranged from an off-grid eco-lodge in Jordan to travel giant Tui, showing how sustainability affects every business – and how every business needs to be putting sustainability front of mind.

Technology was another hot topic, both at WTM London and the co-located Travel Forward event, with predictions about the growth of artificial intelligence, biometrics, virtual assistants and new social media channels all covered.

Destinations and exhibitors also shared their ideas for adapting to challenges, ranging from the Bahamas and Sri Lanka – bouncing back from Hurricane Dorian and terrorism respectively – to Greece, which is embracing sustainability, and China, which is encouraging visitors to travel to off-the-beaten track regions.

We also heard about the benefits of promoting diversity and inclusivity, with speakers talking about travellers with disabilities and companies promoting more women in the industry.

Elsewhere, destinations such as Puerto Rico are appealing to LGBTQ+ holidaymakers, as the “pink pound” plays a more lucrative and vital role.

Our ministers’ summit heard a wealth of ideas, including ways that global giants such as Google and Mastercard can help small rural businesses.

While the next decade will hold many challenges for our industry, after WTM London, I – and I hope many others – feel reassured that we have the expertise, enthusiasm and insights to overcome those hurdles and to thrive for years to come.