Where is tourism going and how will it impact people and planet?

Purpose The purpose of this article is to critically review the contributions made by the global trends issue participants on how tourism will impact people and planet and so provide answers to the strategic question defined for this global trends issue. Design/methodology/approach A content analysis of the papers selected was performed to identify the most significant ideas and proposals and how they may contribute to knowledge and/or professional practice. Findings As the tourism industry prepares to reach new records, there is a clear need to rethink tourism in the post COVID-19 era. The option of following a traditional pre-pandemic model of tourism development and growth is no longer productive, instead organizations and destinations must take the opportunity to develop a model where society takes center stage, the resources are used in a sustainable way and the results are distributed amongst all those involved in the tourism value chain. Originality/value In this concluding article the authors, supported by the views and proposals of the entire writing team, provide answers to the strategic question, thus demonstrating how tourism will affect people and planet in the short and medium terms.