A meeting point to reflect on the future of tourism
Santiago Ways attended Overbooking Gran Canaria & Hosteltur Summit 2026 (OVB26), one of Spain’s leading professional events for the tourism sector, held on 17 September at the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Our Head of Growth attended this 14th edition, which brought together professionals, companies and institutions to reflect on one of the major challenges facing tourism today: how to move towards models that create value for travellers while maintaining a balanced relationship with the communities and destinations that make each experience possible.
Tourism, community and coexistence
Under the theme “Tourism, community and coexistence”, OVB26 focused on the evolution of tourism communication and marketing and their growing responsibility in destination management.
Tourism communication is no longer simply about attracting visitors. It also plays an important role in guiding demand, connecting with increasingly diverse audiences and helping to build a more conscious relationship between travellers, residents and destinations.
“Growth in tourism also means creating better experiences and building a more conscious relationship with destinations and their communities.”
This perspective is particularly relevant to Santiago Ways. Our work is closely connected to the regions, towns and communities that are an inseparable part of the Camino de Santiago experience. Understanding how travellers are evolving and how tourism companies should engage with these destinations is part of our work to continue improving the experience we offer.
A space to share knowledge about the future of tourism
Since its creation in 2012, Overbooking Gran Canaria has established itself as a meeting point for professionals working in tourism, communication, marketing and destination management. The 2026 edition continued this tradition by bringing together different perspectives on the changes taking place across the sector.
One of the highlights of this year’s edition was the introduction of an Expert Committee made up of professionals from fields such as tourism management, communication, marketing and destination strategy, reinforcing the event’s professional and multidisciplinary approach.
For Santiago Ways, attending forums like this is an opportunity to listen, learn and exchange ideas with other professionals in the sector, gaining new perspectives on issues that directly affect the evolution of travel and the expectations of today’s travellers.
Growing while keeping destinations at the heart of tourism
The Camino de Santiago is a particularly good example of some of the issues discussed at OVB26. The pilgrim experience cannot be understood in isolation: it passes through towns and cities, crosses landscapes and heritage sites, and is directly connected to the local people and businesses that bring each route to life.
For this reason, the growth of tourism associated with the Camino also brings a responsibility to continue developing well-organised experiences that respect the environment and remain connected to the reality of each destination.
Santiago Ways’ presence at OVB26 reflects our commitment to continuing to learn, evolve and actively participate in the conversation about the future of tourism.
Because improving the experience of those who travel also means better understanding the destinations that welcome them.