Headline results from the TMI State of Destination-Making Survey 2026

This session will revisit the headline results from the tmi State of Destination Making survey 2026 and take a deeper dive into the data to shed light on the pertinent questions posed at the annual convention

Join fellow TMI members for an essential briefing on the reality facing destination-makers across the UK and Ireland. While the £147 billion visitor economy remains a powerful driver of prosperity, the sector is under severe pressure. Operating with reduced funding and limited resources, destination organisations are facing a widening gap between those equipped to compete and those left vulnerable.

In this session, Dr Natalie Semley and Dr Peter Robinson will unveil the headline results from the TMI State of Destination-Making Survey 2026. Discover the data behind this emerging "two-speed visitor economy" and learn how TMI is taking action. We will discuss our campaign calling on policymakers to Recognise, Resource, Connect, and Equip our sector to ensure destination-makers have the tools, voice, and funding to thrive.

Dr Natalie Semley

Falmouth University

Dr Natalie Semley is an associate professor of tourism and destination management at Falmouth University whose work focuses on destination management, sustainability and regenerative tourism. Her research and consultancy projects have explored visitor perceptions of sustainable tourism, the role of technology in destination storytelling, and practical approaches to destination development. Natalie works closely with industry partners to deliver applied research that supports destination managers and tourism practitioners across the UK.

Dr Peter Robinson

Head of Subject: Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management

Peter is Head of Subject for Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management at Leeds Beckett University. His expertise covers visitor attractions, transport operations, heritage and museums management, tourism landscapes, urban and rural regeneration and placemaking, business development and Cold War tourism. He is also an award-winning author who has published academic books and peer-reviewed journals, as well as books covering a range of transport, tourism, and landscape histories.

Peter is a Fellow of the Tourism Management Institute and the Yorkshire and Humber representative, a Fellow of the Tourism Society, a Fellow of the Institute of Travel and Tourism, and a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He is Co-Chair of The Association for Tourism in Higher Education (ATHE), a Director of The Institute of Travel and Tourism and represents ATHE on the Tourism Society Board. He is also Chair of The Tourism Society Consultants Network and is a member of the ABTA Tourism Skills Working Group.

He is Chair of a charity co-delivering a multi-million-pound regeneration project for the historic house and country park at Elvaston in Derbyshire. He is also the Education and Outreach Officer for The Airfield Research Group, a Trustee for his local Scout Group, and the Founding Director of The Cold War Network – a membership organisation for managers, curators, associations and researchers with publicly accessible Cold War collections and buildings.

Previously, Peter worked as Head of Marketing, Leisure, Innovation and Enterprise at the University of Wolverhampton, and also managed the institution’s Arts Council funded Arena Theatre. He was also formerly Vice-Chair of The Museum of Carpet. Before working in academia, Peter managed EU-funded projects in the Peak District and tourism projects in Oxfordshire, and spent several years working for The National Trust.