From panda celebrities to virtual pop concerts, the awarded experiences span from across the globe including Asia, Middle East and Europe
SINGAPORE, Aug. 5, 2025 /CNW/ -- Trip.com Group today announced the final winners of its Tourism Innovation Awards, recognising trailblazing projects that are driving tourism growth globally. From sustainability-driven design to immersive technology and cultural heritage, the winning projects give a glimpse of the future of travel – reflecting a growing demand for unique experiences that stretch beyond the usual travel checklist.
Jump into the world of Harry Potter at London's King's Cross Station, and check out Seoul's must-visit Starfield Library.
Saudi Arabia's Shebara Resort blends sustainable luxury with premium aesthetics.
DesertxAlUla integrates art with nature in the historic desert region of Saudi Arabia.
A popular tourist destination, Dollywood Park showcases the best of Tennessee.
Across the globe, attractions are leveraging technology to push the boundaries of traditional art and entertainment, delivering powerful multi-sensory experiences. Winning the Tourism Innovation Award for their technological innovation are the: Afterlife show at the Sphere in Las Vegas, the ABBA Voyage concert in London and teamLab Borderless: MORI Building DIGITAL ART MUSEUM in Tokyo.
Popular for its immersive, interactive art installations utilising technology, teamLab Borderless: MORI Building DIGITAL ART MUSEUM has become a must-visit destination for art enthusiasts and tech lovers. It is ranked as one of the top night attractions in Tokyo on Trip.Best, a data-backed and expert-curated list of travel rankings around the world. The success of these technology-led attractions highlights the growing appeal of immersive experiences as travellers look for destinations that not only provide entertainment, but also a greater sense of exploration and creativity.
Social Media Trends Fuel Tourism
Social media trends are taking the world by storm and spurring people to chase the moments they've seen online via travel. From the stunning "forest of book walls" design of Seoul's Starfield Library, to the adorable Giant pandas in Chengdu and the iconic Platform 9¾ at King's Cross Station in London – these viral trends and locations have won the Tourism Innovation Award for drawing tourists worldwide through their massive following on social media, pushing cultural tourism to a new front. For example, fans all over the world have flocked to Chengdu to catch a glimpse of the famous Giant pandas, while also driving consumption for panda-related merchandise.
This trend highlights the influence of social media in shaping travel decisions, as tourists seek destinations that offer both memorable experiences and shareable moments, illustrating how digital buzz can fuel real-world popularity and economic impact.
Demand for Innovative Sustainable Travel
Responsible travel continues to stay top-of-mind and an important factor in destination choices. Trip.com Group's latest consumer report shows that global travellers are placing most emphasis on the environmental and cultural aspects of their travel experiences[1], among other concerns such as economic impact and wildlife protection.
In Saudi Arabia, two projects – Shebara Resort and DesertxAIUla – have been recognised with the Tourism Innovation Award for their focus on sustainability innovation, offering unique travel experiences with minimal environmental impact. Shebara Resort's suspended spherical villas hover above coral reefs to reduce ecological disruption, achieving both luxury aesthetics and a reduced impact on the natural landscape.
Meanwhile, Desert×AlUla, an open-air art exhibition in Saudi Arabia's ancient desert region, invites artists to create works that engage with AIUla's natural landscapes, promoting dialogue on conservation and attracting interest from audiences worldwide. These attractions support the demand for travel experiences with lesser environmental impact and provide a success model for sustainable tourism growth.
Search for Deeper Cultural Exchanges
Old is gold – modern travellers are searching for deeper and more authentic experiences of culture and history, fuelling a demand for cultural heritage tourism. A winner of the Tourism Innovation Awards, Dollywood Park in USA allows visitors to explore the charm of Tennessee through traditional performances and local cuisine while enjoying thrilling rides. Its unique blend of entertainment and culture has attracted many visitors, and the park is ranked as one of the top best things to do in Tennessee on Trip.Best.
List of Global Winners
In no particular order, the global winners of Trip.com Group's Tourism Innovation Awards are:
Afterlife Show at the Sphere, Las Vegas, United States
Each winning project will receive a USD $60,000 prize for their contributions to the travel and tourism industry.
About Trip.com Group's Tourism Innovation Awards
Announced by Trip.com Group at its Envision 2025 Global Partner Conference, the Tourism Innovation Awards is part of the Group's larger initiative to drive industry progress through recognising and supporting outstanding ideas that have redefined the way people travel. With a total prize pool of USD $1.4 million, the awards aim to honour breakthroughs in tourism around the world that have displayed exceptional innovation, sustainability and scalability. More details on the global finalists can be found here.
Trip.com Group is a leading global travel service provider comprising of Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar. Across its platforms, Trip.com Group helps travellers around the world make informed and cost-effective bookings for travel products and services and enables partners to connect their offerings with users through the aggregation of comprehensive travel-related content and resources, and an advanced transaction platform consisting of apps, websites and 24/7 customer service centres. Founded in 1999 and listed on NASDAQ in 2003 and HKEX in 2021, Trip.com Group has become one of the best-known travel groups in the world, with the mission "to pursue the perfect trip for a better world". Find out more about Trip.com Group here: group.trip.com.
[1] Based on Trip.com Group's 2024 Sustainable Travel Consumer Report polling 9,867 survey samples from 109 countries and territories across four regions.
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