Pioneers Forum 2026: Egypt’s Tourism Leaders Confront Uncertainty


Les Pionniers à Marseille, en mai 2025 © Jules DESPRETZ

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From May 30 to June 4, 2026, 130 tourism decision-makers will fly to Egypt, traveling between Cairo and Aswan, with Luxor on the route.

Placed under the theme “Steering the Uncertain,” this new edition promises to be rich in exchanges, in reflections and in discoveries!

An edition focused on meetings, exchanges and professional opportunities

Created in 2000 by Pierre Amalou, the promise of the Forum des Pionniers has not changed for more than two decades: to create the conditions for shared reflection on the topics that stir the sector, in an environment conducive to in-depth discussions and to professional rapprochement. Participants find there as much strategic keys as concrete opportunities for collaboration, in a climate of trust and sharing.


The 2026 edition can rely on the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt, signaling strong government commitment to the event and marking the country’s tourism ambitions. EgyptAir, one of the oldest airlines in the world and a spearhead of Egyptian connectivity, as well as Travel Evasion, a French specialist in the destination, lend their support to this new edition.

This year, renowned companies such as Adyen, Agapè CSR, Allianz Partners, Alma, Atlas, HDB Solutions, Impact Consultants, Orange Travel, PenguinWorld (Quartier Libre, Resaneo, SpeedMedia), Travel Tech Factory and Vox Group have confirmed their presence as sponsors of the 24th edition of the Forum des Pionniers.


Un terrain de réflexion collective pour décrypter les grandes mutations du secteur

The 2026 theme “Steering the Uncertain” invites us to measure what is at stake today in the world of tourism. The traditional reference points of the trade have been upended in just a few years, pushing leaders to invent new methods of steering.

Between geopolitical instability, the emergence of artificial intelligence in all professions, and a coming wave of leadership transitions, the daily life of executives has changed. The Forum aims to provide a space to pose the right questions and to elicit operational answers, drawing on the diversity of experiences gathered in the room.

● How to decide and commit resources when the economic and geopolitical horizon is clouded?

● What role should AI play in travel professions, and how to preserve what gives teams their value?

● How to hand down, tomorrow, a tourism business, and what does that entail to prepare today?

Workshops on collective intelligence, masterclasses and moments of exchange will pace the reflection. These formats are designed to bring forth participants’ voices, rather than place them in the audience’s position.


Retours d'expérience et débats : le Forum des Pionniers favorise l'émergence de réflexions partagées entre dirigeants du tourisme.  © Jules DESPRETZ


At the end, juxtaposed viewpoints, shared concrete cases and, true to the Forum’s DNA, professional connections that extend far beyond the event. The Pioneers will depart with a sharper reading of the ongoing transformations, practical tools to address them, and a network of peers that can be activated throughout the year.


L’Égypte en toile de fond, entre patrimoine universel et nouvelle dynamique touristique

It is in Cairo and along the Nile that the Pioneers community will gather. Egypt, which surpassed 19 million visitors in 2025, is experiencing an unprecedented phase of tourism growth not seen in decades. The country has made tourism a pillar of its economic strategy, closely linking it to the valorization of its heritage.

The recent opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, the rehabilitation of major pharaonic sites, and the upgrade of hotel offerings compose a picture where historic heritage sits alongside a genuine ambition for renewal. Forum participants will discover this duality through immersion, through visits to major sites and meetings with local players who shape today’s Egyptian tourism.

This destination provides a particularly illuminating setting for leaders who come to question their own steering repertoires. Beyond the framework, Egypt adds additional material for reflection on a sector’s ability to transform without denying what makes it unique.